How to Iron a Shirt Without an Iron: 5 Ways That Actually Work

The iron is broken, you are in a hotel, or you simply cannot face getting the board out. Whatever the reason, you need a shirt that looks presentable, and soon. The good news is that you do not need an iron to get rid of most creases. Here are five methods that work, from quick fixes to the one that makes ironing unnecessary.

1. The shower steam trick

Hang the shirt on a hanger in the bathroom, as far from the water as possible, and run a hot shower with the door closed for ten to fifteen minutes. The steam relaxes the fibres and the weight of the shirt pulls out light creases.

Best for: light wrinkles from a suitcase or a drawer. Not great for: deep creases or crisp collars.

2. A damp towel and your hands

Lay the shirt flat on a clean surface, place a damp (not wet) towel over the creased areas and press firmly with your palms. Then hang the shirt up to dry. It is slow, but it works surprisingly well on cotton.

3. A fine mist and gravity

Spray the creases lightly with water using a bottle that gives a fine mist, smooth the fabric with your hands, tug the hem and cuffs gently, and hang it up. As the water dries, the fabric relaxes flat.

4. A hair dryer

Mist the creased area lightly, then blow warm air over it from about ten centimetres away while pulling the fabric gently taut. Keep the dryer moving so you do not overheat one spot. It is fiddly but useful in an emergency.

5. Let a machine dry it smooth

If you are looking for a way to never iron a shirt again, this is it. An automatic ironing machine does what methods three and four do, but properly and hands-free. You put the damp shirt onto an inflatable form, set the time and temperature, and warm air fills the shirt from the inside. As it dries, it is stretched smooth from collar to hem.

With the Scanovus Automatic Ironing Machine 4.0, a shirt takes around 8 to 12 minutes. Clips hold the front, back and sides taut, and adjustable zippers and telescopic rods make it fit everything from a slim shirt to a 3XL.

Tips that help with every method

• Start damp. Creases set as fabric dries. A shirt hung or smoothed while still damp from the wash will always look better than one that has dried in a heap.
• Fold the collar up while it dries, then fold it down when you wear it.
• Shake it out as soon as the washing machine finishes. Our guide on drying shirts without creases goes into this in more detail.
• Hang it on a good hanger once it is dry, so the work is not undone overnight.

Which method should you use?

For a one-off emergency, the shower trick or a fine mist will get you through the day. If you are tired of ironing every week, an automatic machine is the only option here that removes the job altogether.