Can You Iron “Dry Clean Only” Clothes?

Do you have wrinkles in your “dry clean only clothes” and a meeting or date coming up that you need your clothes for to feel your best?

Well, wouldn’t it be great if you could take care of your dry clean only clothes at home quickly?

Before we say anything else, ironing “dry clean only” clothes can be a risky business, just like washing them.

Washing your dry “clean only clothes” at home can lead to them feeling stiffer and more coarse. But what about ironing?

 

Ironing “Dry Clean Only” Clothes

If you have wrinkles in your “dry clean only” clothes that don’t respond to other treatments (we’ll explore some other treatments in a moment), there is a way to remove these wrinkles from your clothes without damaging them.

However, if the garment has any stains such as deodorant stains, dirt or visible soiling, do not attempt to iron it. While the wrinkles may be gone, the stains and soiling can be strongly set into the fabric by the heat and will be near impossible to remove, even at the dry cleaners.

If you do attempt to iron a “dry clean only” garment at home, you should use the most delicate settings your iron has. Move very carefully and precisely. Any errors with your ironing could put wrinkles or stains in the garment forever.

Ironing “dry clean only” clothes at home is typically more trouble than it’s worth, and there are better ways of getting wrinkles out of dry clean only clothes at home.

But what are these ways? Well, let’s find out, shall we?

 

How to Get Rid of Wrinkles in “Dry Clean Only” Clothes

There are a number of really good ways to remove wrinkles from dry clean only clothes, and all your other clothes too.

It’s important to note that some methods work better for certain fabrics. So, having all of these methods in your arsenal will ensure that all of your clothes look their best.

Water treatments

Water treatments are basically making use of steam without owning a clothes steamer. Simply hang your garment up in the bathroom, ensuring that air can flow around and through it easily.

Turn the hot water on full; the hottest it will go and shut the door. Check back in 10 minutes, and your clothes should be wrinkle-free. It can take up to 20 minutes for this method to work.

Obviously this method isn’t a great use of water. You could hang your wrinkled clothes up while taking a hot shower so the water isn’t wasted.

 

Wrinkle sprays

If a water treatment doesn’t work, there are wrinkle sprays available from a wide variety of companies.

The dry cleaning world uses a wrinkle treatment called Dryel. It is one of the more expensive wrinkle treatments on the market, but it works fantastically on most clothing and fabrics. Dryel can also remove stains and odours from clothes too.

Dryel does require the use of a tumble dryer, so if you are on holiday or on a business trip, this may not be the best wrinkle treatment for you.

However, there are also more portable options like Lenor Crease Releaser Spray. This eliminates wrinkles on lots of garments. It doesn’t work on every fabric but does a great job on many.

 

Steaming “dry clean only” clothes

Steaming is one of the best ways of removing odours and wrinkles from “dry clean only” clothes.

It is the method that many dry cleaners will use, so it is perfectly acceptable to use this method at home or on holiday.

There are loads of clothes steamers on the market. Just ensure that the steamer you choose has plenty of power and a good-sized water tank.

You can take this on holiday or on business trips and get wrinkles and odours out of all your clothes, including dry clean only clothes.

We hope this look at ironing dry clean only clothes has been helpful. While you might be able to iron these garments, there are several better options available that won’t potentially destroy the garment.

For more tips about cleaning and drying clothes, check out In The Wash further. We also have guides to the best washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and more.