If you like wrinkle-free clothes but don’t like ironing, know that we see you and we understand you. We all aspire to be the type of person who wakes up early enough to iron their dress shirt before work — or, even better, has the foresight to do it the night before — but sometimes…
What You’ll Need
You don’t need much to get started — just an iron, an ironing board, and a roll of aluminum foil. The foil is the key to this hack; when you place it under your garment, it reflects the iron’s heat back up through the fabric, smoothing wrinkles from both sides. Since there’s no need to flip your clothes, you’ll save valuable time and effort.
Iron in Half the Time
The first step is to line your entire ironing board with the aluminum foil, so make sure you have a full roll handy. (A roll of about 25 square feet should provide adequate coverage, but it’s a good idea to have a little extra just in case.) Make sure the shiny side of the foil is facing up, then place your ironing board cover on top.
Next, lay your wrinkled shirt, dress, or other article of clothing flat on the foil-covered ironing board and iron as usual with the steam setting. Instead of turning the garment over the way you normally would, let the foil do its thing and passively remove wrinkles from the underside of your clothing. Since the aluminum foil can be left on your ironing board, this is a hack you’ll be able to use for months to come. Replace the foil when it becomes crumpled, wrinkled, or torn. The goal is to keep the surface smooth so it remains heat-reflective.
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Bonus Tip for a Flawless Finish
In addition to enjoying the time you saved by not having to flip your clothes, be sure to let them cool completely before putting them on. Failure to do so runs the risk of rewrinkling your garment, which is more likely when the fabric is still warm. The final step is to decide between keeping this home hack to yourself or impressing your friends and family with your newfound knowledge, earning you a deserved reputation as a true iron (wo)man.
