You’ve just found out that you have an interview for a job that you’ve wanted for ages. Of course, you are going to want to look your best.
After taking your suit out of the wardrobe you may notice that it’s got a few wrinkles. Rather than spending money on having it ironed professionally, you can do it yourself.
If you haven’t ironed a suit before, you’re probably worried that you may damage it. Well, you don’t need to worry – in this article we will show you how to iron a suit so that it looks just as good as when you first wore it.
Tips on How to Iron a Suit
Many find that ironing their clothes can be quite challenging. This is especially true when ironing anything other than a t-shirt or a regular shirt.
If you follow the tips we offer below, you’ll soon learn how to iron anything – not just a simple shirt.
Before we take you through the steps needed to iron a suit, let’s go over the items you will need.
- Ironing board
- Steam Iron
- Towels or cotton cloth
- Spray bottle filled with clean water
Once you have everything together, you are ready to start ironing.
Steps on How to Iron a Suit
Step 1 – Set Up the Equipment
Begin by setting up the ironing board and the iron.
Raise the ironing board to a height that you find comfortable to iron at. Ideally, you should set the ironing board at your waist height.
Don’t place the suit directly on the surface. Place a towel or cotton tablecloth onto the table. This extra layer will ensure neither the table nor the suit gets damaged.
Place the iron on the board and then plug it in, but don’t turn it on just yet.
Step 2 – Check the Condition of the Suit
First, check your suit to ensure there aren’t any stains, marks, or dirt on it. You will need to remove these before you begin ironing.
If you don’t, the heat will cause the stains, marks, or dirt to set. If you don’t check for stains, they will be much harder to move later on. Certain products may allow you to remove stains from your suit without washing it thoroughly.
Step 3 – Check the Suit Label
Inside the jacket, you will find a label on the lining that provides instructions on how to take care of your suit. It will also show you what kind of material it is made from.
You must look at this to make sure you adjust the heat setting on your jacket, concerning its material.
You will often find if the suit is made from cotton or linen, the heat setting should be hot. You will need to use a warm heat setting for suits made from a delicate fabric, such as wool. When it comes to suits made from synthetic fabrics, like nylon, polyester, or acrylic, you will have to use a cool heat setting.
Step 4 – Check Your Iron
Before turning the iron on, check it to make sure it is clean. It is a good idea to wipe the iron surface with a damp cloth to remove any dirt. This will help prevent dirt on its surface from being transferred to your suit when you begin ironing.
If you find any marks on the surface that cannot be removed with a damp cloth, mix a little baking soda with some water to make a paste.
Apply the paste to the surface of the iron for a few minutes, then wipe it off with a damp cloth. You will find that this helps to remove any stubborn dirt from the iron.
Once you’ve gone through these steps, you can turn the iron on and get ready to start ironing your suit.
After turning the iron on, leave it for a few minutes and let it adjust to the correct temperature. Once it is hot enough, you can move on to the next stage of ironing your suit.
NOTE: Before ironing your suit, test the hot iron out on a piece of old material. Doing this will help ensure that any water leaking from the iron will drip onto the material rather than your suit, which could leave a mark.
Now, let us explain how you go about ironing the different parts of a suit.
Ironing a Suit Jacket
Begin by dampening the jacket. To do this, hang it in a steamy bathroom or spray it with clean, warm water. You can also just hold the iron up over the suit and let the heat help to moisten the suit fabric.
If you dampen the jacket first, you will find that this helps flatten the material quicker and more efficiently.
It is a good idea to use a piece of muslin cloth when ironing a suit jacket. Place the cloth over the jacket. You could also use a piece of cotton cloth or a thin towel if you don’t have any muslin cloth.
While ironing it, the piece of cloth you place over the jacket should not be too thick. It needs to be quite thin, so it doesn’t absorb all the heat from the iron – otherwise, it will be hard to iron the jacket.
This additional material layer will help protect the jacket from possible heat damage. It will also help ensure that no shiny marks are created.
You must make sure you move the cloth to each area as you iron it.
Once you’ve ironed your jacket, you can move on to the trousers or skirt.
Ironing Suit Trousers
Just as with the jacket, be sure that the trousers are clean and free of any marks or stains.
Again, before you begin ironing, check that you have set the iron at the correct heat setting.
The first thing you need to iron is the linings of the pockets. This is crucial because if you don’t, any wrinkles in them will be visible.
After this, you will iron the waistband, followed by ironing any pleats or folds in the fabric of the trousers. Finally, you can iron the rest of the trousers.
Ironing a Suit Skirt
Again, as with any part of a suit, make sure that it is clean and free of any stains, dirt, or marks.
As before, read the instruction label inside the skirt, so you can set the iron at the right temperature, considering the material it is made from.
Once the iron is up to temperature, begin by ironing the skirt’s waistband.
Next, lightly spray the skirt with some starch. Once you have done this, you are ready to begin ironing the skirt.
If your skirt has pleats, you need to iron these first. You must iron only a few pleats at a time.
Before ironing the pleats, check them to make sure none are twisted or folded. It is best to start at the top of the skirt and then work your way down as you iron the pleats.
You will need to do this until you have ironed all the pleats. You may find placing a cloth over the top helps to ensure that the pleats get pressed down well.
Finally, make sure that you iron the hem of the skirt, as this will help provide it with a crisp edge.
Removing Wrinkles from a Suit Lining
If you find you need to iron the inside of the suit jacket or skirt, you need to be careful. Unfortunately, this material tends to be quite delicate.
Instead of trying to iron it, it is best to place the iron at a distance and then release steam from it. This will help get rid of any wrinkles in the material.
If you need to iron the jacket or skirt lining, it is best to use the lowest setting on the iron. Once the temperature is low enough, just skim the iron over the material.
How to Iron a Suit: Conclusion
Hopefully, after reading this article, you will be ready to try your hand at ironing your suit.
Ironing your suit yourself will save you time and money. You no longer need to dash off to your local dry cleaning service and ask them to get your suit ready.
Once you’ve tried it, and put the information we’ve provided above into practice, you will be amazed at how great your suit looks. We hope these were some good tips on how to iron a suit.