how to iron silk dress

Silk is a very delicate and soft fabric. Proper ironing can make silk dresses look brand new. To iron properly and keep silk dresses looking their best, we need to be careful and meticulous when ironing, rather than just turning the iron to the highest heat to save time. If done improperly, the protein fibers in silk can become stretched, scorched or imprinted, easily damaging our silk dresses.

Below I have broken down how to iron a silk dress into steps. Let’s discuss each step in detail (I know many nuances, but I want to be thorough!). Gather all your tools beforehand and read through the steps carefully so you can maintain the beautiful look of your silk dresses through proper ironing, even though we will be putting in some extra effort, which is worth it.

Is it okay to iron silk dress?

Silk dresses are delicate, beautiful and beloved by many women. However, silk garments are also prone to wrinkling, which is a nuisance for silk enthusiasts. Ironing seems like a quick way to tackle wrinkles, but is it really safe to just take an iron to silk?

Through my repeated testing, I’ve found that ironing silk is absolutely possible, but it requires a gentle touch and the proper techniques. So keep reading our article where we will teach you the skills for properly ironing silk dresses.

Prepare Ironing Tools

Temperature controlled iron – Choose a quality iron with adjustable temperature and steam settings. This allows proper heat for silk.

Padding – Use a thick, smooth cotton press cloth or silk pad between the iron and fabric. This prevents direct contact to the silk.

Ironing surface – Opt for a clean, sturdy board that supports the dress’s full length. Cover with a cotton muslin sheet to prevent shine marks.

Wrinkle releaser – Have a spray bottle of clean water. Light misting helps release stubborn wrinkles.

Lint remover – Prepare a lint roller or masking tape to remove fuzz and threads from the silk.

Set Iron Temperature

When it comes to ironing, many of us think of dragging the iron back and forth over a dress. But I believe the most critical point is setting the proper iron temperature. Because the right temperature is crucial for protecting our delicate fabrics. We recommend ironing at 300°F or 150°C since we’ve found during ironing that 300°F or 150°C is ideal for smoothly removing wrinkles.

Next, we can iron the inside of the silk dress, as linings, seams, and sleeves often get the most creased from wearing. So start there, pressing long smooth motions down the right side as the iron stays in motion. With the appropriate temperature, you’ll be able to easily glide the iron over the silk to quickly eliminate wrinkles. Of course, during this, you’ll also want to mist the garment with some water.

Our tip: You may notice that I didn’t give a recommendation on the amount of water you need to sprinkle. This is because the amount can vary greatly depending on the type of silk used in your dress. Therefore, it is best to judge the appropriate amount of water based on your personal experience.

How do you get wrinkles out of a silk dress?

However, one key technique for properly ironing silk is to minimize repetitive pressing motions

If the wrinkles are deeper, you can gently pull on the corners of the garment to help smooth them out. When ironing silk, focus on key wrinkled areas. Use a press cloth and gently push down perpendicular to the fabric surface.

Secondly, steam is one of the best ways to remove wrinkles from silk. Under the steam of an iron, wrinkles can disappear quickly. Be sure to set the iron to the “silk” setting and keep some distance from the garment.

Spraying a small amount of water can also help relax wrinkles. For especially stubborn creases, use your fingers to gently flatten them while spraying mist from a spray bottle onto the fabric.

Finally, you can also consider sending the silk dress to a professional dry cleaner to get the wrinkles steamed out. They have specialized machines and steamers to flatten silk fabrics. Letting a silk dress hang before wearing to naturally relax is another good option.

Following these tips, you should be able to easily deal with wrinkles in silk garments. The smooth silk will become flawless once again.

I hope that through this blog post, everyone can develop a proper understanding of silk’s characteristics and master the right techniques for ironing silk dresses. With care and patience, we can make our silk skirts look brand new and crisp again! If you have any other questions about ironing silk, please feel free to leave a comment below to discuss.