Polyester is a very multipurpose fabric that is widely used nowadays in almost any sphere from clothing to home decor and furnishing. However, if dealing with synthetic upholstery is more or less simple, clothing needs way more attention and care. Especially when it comes to ironing.

Does polyester need to be ironed?

 Isn’t it naturally wrinkles-resistant? 

Let us figure this out.

Can It Be Ironed?

We wear items made of this material at home, to the gym, and to work. Polyester is lightweight, easy to maintain, and it has good moisture-wicking properties that are praised by the fans of the sport.

Since it is so easy to take care of, people often wonder whether ironing is necessary at all. Well, sometimes this procedure can indeed be skipped. However, in some cases, we need this fabric to be ideally smooth. And this is where we all stumble since the very first thing we learn about this material is that it is extremely heat sensitive!

How are we supposed to iron it?! In fact, even such a tender fabric can be ironed if certain precautionary measures are taken and the procedure is performed correctly.

Ironing Polyester: Precise Instruction

Ironing this material is actually not that scary as it may seem, and if you follow the hints we are about to offer, we can assure everyone that not a single thread will be burned on your apparel!

  1. Set the correct heat regime

Polyester must be ironed in a cool or warm setting. It means that we have to set the device on the lowest setting available which is usually marked as 1 or 2 (some irons may have another marking system displayed in dots. If that’s your case, stick to a one-dot pictogram).

To be sure the item will be ironed, we would recommend testing the iron at first. Set it at the lowest heat and iron the corner of the apparel. If you see that no effect appears, it is OK to change the heat setting and rise it to the next level, from 1 to 2, for instance (or from one dot to two dots).

  1. Use steam

If we set the iron to the gentlest steaming regime, or simply pulverize some water mist over the apparel, it can help to soften it and deal with creases. 

A good option will be to go for a hand steamer instead.

  1. Go for a pressing cloth

No matter whether you are dealing with a pure polyester or with a blended material, a pressing cloth must always be a staple. 

It can be a piece of a clean cotton item like a dishcloth or a towel, or it can be a special cloth meant for ironing. No matter what exactly is used, its main goal is to serve as a protective shield between the iron and the apparel.

  1. Temperature matters

Irons have different markings and some of them may even have signatures like “polyester” or “synthetic”. Others, on the contrary, will only display dots or numbers. To not mess up accidentally, remember that polyester must be ironed at 300F or 149C which is equal to the one-dot setting that also can be displayed as 1.

  1. Test first

Even if your device is super modern, it is always better to double-check: before ironing, test the device for a proper heat regime by ironing a corner or an inconspicuous part of the apparel. If it doesn’t get smoother, then the heat has to be higher (but don’t rise it to the maximum!).

  1.   Avoid leaving the iron on one spot

When ironing polyester,  be sure to move the device all over the apparel all the time. If the iron is left on the same spot for too long, the fabric will either scorch or melt. Who needs that?!

Consider that it works for the lowest heat regime, too: always put the iron aside and place it upright if you need to take a break when ironing!

What to Do With Shiny Iron Marks On This Fabric?

Since this fiber is very sensitive to high heat, we can easily scorch it accidentally. And if a pure fabric can not usually be revived, blended variations have a certain chance for survival.

Follow the instructions provided right after the shiny mark was noticed but consider that the result may vary hanging upon how bad the damage is.

  1. Steam-treat the mark to help the compressed fibers to soften, and while they are still warm after steaming, gently pull the distortion to flatten it out.
  2. If you’re dealing with the item made of blended material, try to soak it in cold water overnight.
  3. Another option is to treat the shiny area with the solution of water and acetum until the fibers lift again and the shine fades.
  4. Soak a cloth in peroxide, place it over the shiny mark, and iron. It must be repeated until you get rid of that shine.