7 easy ways to get wrinkles out of silk garments at home
I have a confession; I used to wash or rewash wrinkled silk pieces and hang them to get rid of the creases and wrinkles. I never knew what to do with wrinkles! Should I iron? Steam iron? What if it shrinks when I iron it? or burn! Should I just live with the wrinkles? Wait, isn’t silk wrinkle resistant? Why are there wrinkles then!
I had so many questions and fear – that I would ruin my silk pieces.
Lucky for me and you, those days are far behind. I have 6 ways that you can easily remove wrinkles from silk. All these are methods that I have experimented with and I’m ready to share!
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7 Methods to get wrinkles out of silk
- Iron or steam iron
- Steamer
- Put it in a dryer
- Use a hair dryer
- Use a kettle
- Hot shower steam
- Wash and hang to dry
All of these 6 methods work. There’s the conventional method of using an iron or steamer. Also, the unconventional and unorthodox method of putting in the dryer, which goes against the advice of what I shared in ‘How to wash silk at home’ [Link].
Some alternative methods if you do not own irons or steamers, like using a hair dryer or kettle. Or if you are lazy like I am, using hot shower steam or simply hanging it after a wash.
Worry not, I have tried all of them and I’ll share below how I did it safely.
Why Does Silk Wrinkle?
All fabrics wrinkle, silk is not an exception. Like any fabric, silk wrinkles if you leave it in a crumpled heap.
Similarly fabric in general, upon interaction with heat and water, will wrinkle. The main difference would be how easily it wrinkles. Silk shirts and blouses would wrinkle easier than denim jeans. Silk garments however, would be less prone to wrinkling when compared to linen garments.
Even if we were to compare the different types of silk, some would be less prone to wrinkling than others – like charmeuse and crepe de chine silk.
Is Silk Wrinkle Resistant?
The silk fabric is delicate, yet resistant to tears and wrinkles. In fact, silk garments develop lesser wrinkles that most other fabrics. This is why silk is said to be wrinkle resistant. It is a plus point that these wrinkles are much easier to remove as well
Here’s an extra titbit: It is made from a natural protein fibre, from the mulberry silk worm. Here’s a more in-depth post about how silk came about [Link]
Do keep in mind that there are many types of silk, with a range of silk quality [Link]. Naturally, higher quality silk would be more wrinkle resistant that lower quality ones.
No matter the quality of the silk, silk is not and will never be wrinkle free.
What is the difference between wrinkle resistant and wrinkle free?
The layman answer is straightforward, ironing required for the former and no ironing needed for the latter.
Iron VS no ironing
What is a wrinkle resistant shirt
This would need a quick iron or steam to look flawless.
What is a wrinkle free shirt
It is a shirt that would not need ironing. You can wash it, dry it, wear it and still look great. This holds true even if you have put the shirt in the dryer.
Is silk wrinkle free
Silk requires a light ironing or steaming to achieve its sleek appearance. Without any ironing or steaming there would be trace signs of wrinkles or crumpling of the fabric. Silk would be better categorised as wrinkle resistant.
Despite it not being wrinkle free, it is easy to unwrinkled or to remove wrinkles from silk garments.
How to get wrinkles out of silk with an iron
Ironing is the most common way to get wrinkles out of most fabric. It is possible to iron silk garments; they just require more care. Silk is delicate, it is best to iron at the lowest setting or use a delicate or silk setting if your iron has one.
Steam irons are convenient, if you don’t have one then use a spray bottle to dampen the silk before ironing.
Here’s a more in-depth guide to ironing your silk shirt [link here]
How to get wrinkles out of silk with a steamer
A handheld steamer will do wonders for wrinkles on silk. It is also safer than using an iron.
Hang the silk garment up and direct the steam over the wrinkled silk fabric. The hot steam will work its magic and remove the wrinkles in a while.
Can I unwrinkle silk in a dryer
It depends on your dryer. Before you start throwing your silk pieces in the dryer, check the settings first. Your dryer will need to have a no-heat, cool, or air fluff setting. If it doesn’t then do not proceed with the other steps below.
These settings are vital to removing wrinkles from silk without damaging them.
How to get wrinkles out of silk with a dryer
Put your silk garment in, select the appropriate settings and run the cycle! You do not have to run the full cycle, check in from time to time. When the wrinkles are gone, hang your silk pieces up to cool. It is straightforward to remove wrinkles from silk pieces using the dryer.
Previously in ‘How to clean silk’ [Link] it was mentioned that the dryer and silk do not go together. If you are looking to dry silk then it is still not recommended as heat is necessary for the drying function. However, the process of wrinkle removal using the dryer, does not use any heat – which makes it safe for silk.
How to get wrinkles out of silk without an iron or steam iron
Don’t own an iron or steamer? Or maybe you are in a hotel and you are not familiar with the iron. Perhaps you are just lazy like I am and do not need silk pieces to be all pressed and professional looking. Here are some other ways to get wrinkles out of silk.
How to get wrinkles out of silk with a hair dryer
Hang the silk garment inside out, on a hanger. Dampen the wrinkled areas or the entire silk garment, if necessary. Switch on the hair dryer and use the coolest setting on it. Aim the nozzle at the damp area of silk garment, moving the hair dryer back and forth continuously, until the area is dry.
If done correctly, the wrinkles would be gone.
If the coolest setting on the hairdryer is still pretty hot, do make sure not to dry one section for more than 20 seconds. It is unlikely that it’ll cause damage, but it is better not to take the risk.
How to get wrinkles out of silk with a kettle
This is quite a bit more time consuming. I’ve only done this once, when I was really desperate in a hotel room. I had no iron, no steamer and a spoilt hair dryer. But I had a kettle! Here is how I did it:
Fill your kettle halfway, bring it to a boil. Using the steam from the kettle, aim the spout at the wrinkled areas to steam it. It acts like a handheld steamer, although it does take a longer period of time.
If the garment is very wrinkled, you might have to re-boil the kettle several times to produce more steam. I filled the kettle halfway as I do not want it too heavy. You do not want to get hot water on delicate silk, or get carpal tunnel of the wrist!
It is also worthwhile to note that the silk garment I was trying to remove wrinkles out of was a silk tee shirt. If you have a long silk dress and no iron or steamer, either buy one or head to the nearest dry cleaner, if time is of essence. I cannot imagine trying to remove wrinkles from a long silk gown using steam from a kettle!
How to use shower steam to remove wrinkles from silk
This is my personal favourite, works like a gem and effortless. If you have a couple of mild, unsightly wrinkles, it would work well.
Hang your silk garment in the bathroom, as close to the shower stall as possible and take a hot shower.
Make sure you close any doors and windows in the bathroom, switch off any ventilation fans too. This allows the hot steam to build up in the bathroom, circulate around the silk garment, removing the wrinkles.
After your hot shower, most if not all the wrinkles should be removed. If there are any stubborn wrinkles remaining, feel free to use a handheld steamer or bring the silk garment back into the hot shower, another day.
It is worthwhile to note that there are some scenarios where the shower steam might not work well:
- your bathroom is humongous and you take really short showers, hot steam takes time to build up.
- Wrinkled silk garment has been left in a crumpled pile for a long period of time. You might want to iron or steam this instead.
Hang your silk after washing to remove wrinkles from silk
After washing your silk and pressing the excess water out with a clean towel, hang it up. Hang it away from direct sunlight, in a well-ventilated area. The weight of the remaining water will weigh down the silk garment slightly and straighten out wrinkles as it dries.
This natural drying and wrinkle prevention method is what I do every single time I wash my silk garments. It has saved me a lot of time, electricity and most importantly, it suits lazy me very well.
How to and fastest way to remove wrinkles out of everyday silk items
I have preferred ways to removing wrinkles from each silk item I have. By now, it should be quite clear that I’m love taking shortcuts and finding out the least time-consuming method to do things.
Here’s the fastest way to remove wrinkles from various silk items you may have at home:
Removing wrinkles from silk shirt, blouse and camisole
I’ll start with hanging the silk item up after washing to allow the water to weigh down the silk garment and reduce wrinkle formation. This usually works very well for silk camisoles, I find that I do not have to iron them afterwards.
For stubborn wrinkles on silk blouses and shirts, I’ll follow up with a light steam or iron.
Here’s a more in-depth guide to ironing your silk shirt [link here], mentioned above.
Remove wrinkles from silk dress
This really depends on how heavy your silk dress is and how sturdy the straps are. If it’s a heavy dress or it has flimsy straps, I won’t recommend the method above. It might be me being paranoid, but I do not want too much strain on the straps, I don’t want it to give way!
I’ll hang the dress on one hanger, drape the other half of the dress across another hanger to let it dry. Or, I’ll lay it flat to dry. Whichever you choose to do, use give it a quick steam after its dried to remove the wrinkles.
I prefer steaming silk dresses to ironing them, especially long silk dresses. It is much faster.
Get wrinkles out of silk tie and scarf
A couple of creases here and there, since it’s been kept for a while
Silk scarfs and ties are best steamed. If you have stubborn wrinkles on your silk tie, you may try ironing it. Remember to iron it on the reverse side and use less force than you would for a silk shirt. Too much force and the tie will be flat, not a flattering look.
Can I get wrinkles out of silk curtains
If you are washing your silk curtains at home, remove all the excess water after washing. Hang them back up on the rods, fully spread out and open the windows. Let mother nature do its work and dry the silk curtains!
This is best done in summer, quick too! Please don’t wash your silk curtains in winter. Not unless you want frozen ice chunks for curtains.
If there are any remaining wrinkles, leave the silk curtains hanging, use a steamer.
Can I un-wrinkle silk flowers
Removing wrinkles from silk flowers are a tedious process.
You may try steaming it, but it does take a long time.
If you have a dryer with a non-heat or cool setting, it may be a better option. Remember to check in from time to time, you do not want to melt the plastic stems, that would damage your dryer.
How to pack silk so it won’t wrinkle
If you are packing many silk shirts, blouses, camisoles or dresses in a luggage, stack them together, unfolded. Place the largest or longest silk clothing at the bottom, layer other pieces on top. Then fold them all together. Place it in a garment bag or put protective paper around it.
When you have arrived at your destination, hang up them immediately to allow any slight wrinkles or creases to straighten itself out.
If it is a single silk garment you are packing, try to pack it with other light clothing, do not weigh it under heavy items like jeans!
How to keep silk wrinkle free
Prevention is better than cure, isn’t it?
Key tips, hang it after washing, do not leave it in a crumpled pile. It sounds common sense, but how often do we hang clothes up when we have worn them?
Silk does not cling on to odour and may be worn a few times before it has to be washed. If you intend to wear your silk piece again, hang it up! That would save you some steam ironing time.
If there are any wrinkles, fret not! This post has armed you with 6 ways to remove wrinkles out of silk!
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