Can You Steam Iron Polyester?

Polyester is a very popular fabric used to create fashionable clothes and sports garments. It is quite lightweight which allows it to stay soft, heat-free, and it dries quickly.

However, polyester can still get wrinkled. That said, can polyester be steam ironed?

Yes, provided that the person ironing it takes extreme car and sets the right temperature. Polyester is a man-made fabric and as such the fibers can melt very easily.

It’s true that this fabric is heat sensitive and while ironing one has to take special precautions so that it doesn’t face any damages. The temperature settings have to be monitored before you start pressing polyester clothes.

It is manufactured using a mix of fibers like cotton and polyester filaments yarns. It is known to hold colors nicely without any color run while washing. It cannot be ironed while on high heat because that will destroy it badly.

How can you steam iron polyester?

The ideal temperature to press a polyester fabric is between cool to warm i.e. 300 degrees F or 148 degrees C. Stated simply, the iron should be on low temperature even if it’s a steam iron.

Steam irons have the temperature setting ranging from Lowest to Highest, represented by dots, the smallest dot depicts the lowest temperature, and the largest one is for the highest level of heat. Make sure for polyester material, the setting is pointed to the smallest of the dots.

It’s recommended to check if the temperature is set right or not, by trying it on another piece of cloth. That will help you avoid any mishaps like cloth burning or tearing due to the wrong heat temperature.

You can follow the below instructions for easy reference:

1. Make use of a pressing cloth which acts as a safety layer between the actual polyester fabric and the iron. A slightly warm iron can be used directly on the cloth or garment but it’s advised not to take a risk with at least new clothing.
2. Test the temperature on another cloth material to get the right temperature.
3. The ideal temperature setting is Lowest so set it to the same before starting to iron.
4. Steam burst can be used in certain situations to dampen the cloth so as to remove wrinkles easily.
5. Keep the iron moving while ironing the fabric instead of holding it in one place. That might burn the fabric, even if the appliance is at a low temperature.

Pro-tip: For safe ironing of polyester, lay the cloth item inside out and then iron out the wrinkles, that way the fabric won’t damage through burns.

Sometimes the polyester material gets shiny marks on some of its parts after ironing that can affect the complete look. But those marks can be removed by employing the following points:

• Dampen the spot a little and steam it so the fabric would relax and the spot can be removed.
• The fabric can be soaked in cold water for a few hours to remove it.
• Using vinegar and detergent mix also helps to remove the spot.
• A dab of hydrogen peroxide over the spot would also help erase it.

One must pay attention to the ironing process of this material, so these spots do not appear because repetitive ironing may also cause harm to it.

Related Q&A

Can a dry iron be used to press polyester clothes?

Dry iron can be used but only if it’s a little warm, but since it gets heated very quickly, dry irons are not recommended to iron this material. Steam irons are better because they have settings marked that help with the temperature setup.

How does steaming polyester fabric help?

It can be used while carefully running it over the fabric. When the steam is thrown from the iron, it moistens the cloth a little and the fabric can become wrinkle-free without much effort.

Conclusion

Polyester is originally a fiber that doesn’t get creases so many people may think that it does not require any ironing, but if the clothing remains in a rumpled state for long, then it can acquire wrinkles, that would need ironing.

Regular maintenance of clothes keeps them good for a longer period of time. Ironing polyester may be a little time-consuming and require additional efforts but it’s one of the essential methods for a smooth piece of clothing.