Tank tops and t-shirts are loved by most consumers, because they are very comfortable, especially for the summer season. Everyone probably has a number of comfortable t-shirts in different colors for warm seasons in their closet.
During hot summer months, you have to wash and iron your clothes more frequently. So, how do you iron your t-shirt in the right way so it doesn’t stretch, shrink or change its color?
Basic rules
Follow these tips to iron your t-shirt or a tank top carefully and easily:
- iron the items on a convenient surface. The best way is using an ironing board, but if you don’t have one, you can iron your clothes on any other flat surface (like a table) if you put a padding layer between the surface and your item.
- when ironing the sleeves, use a special sleeve board attachment to avoid creases;
- if you dry t-shirts in the sun after washing, make sure you don’t over dry them, because that makes them very hard to iron properly, even after using steam and water sprayer;
- choose the right heat setting for specific fabrics and follow the care label instructions carefully;
- check your items for stubborn stains before ironing, otherwise they can set into the fabric permanently after you use a hot iron;
- it is better to iron clothes inside out, this will prevent creasing, streaking and shiny spots on the right side;
- let clothes sit for a while after you’ve finished ironing. If you try to put them away in the closet immediately after ironing, they might wrinkle again.
Ironing polyester T-Shirts properly
Polyester is a synthetic fabric made using polyester fibers. Polyester looks like wool fiber, and has similar properties to cotton. Polyester clothes are known for being strong, light, and durable. They hold their shape very well, can withstand exposure to heat and sunlight, wash easily and don’t require any special treatment.
Polyester clothes iron easier than items made of other fabrics. They may not even need to be ironed at all, if you wash and dry them in a right way. Still, if you need a more thorough approach, you can iron a polyester t-shirt one of the following ways:
- Steam the t-shirt without touching the fabric;
- Cover the item with a damp ironing cloth and iron at low temperature;
- Iron the t-shirt using a silk setting, touching the material carefully.
How to iron viscose T-Shirts
Viscose is a man-made fabric, derived from cellulose pulp dissolving. Viscose clothes are shiny, soft and smooth, they are water absorbing and breathable. Though viscose fabric also has a tendency to wrinkle and lose its color and shape if it is exposed to heat and sunlight. So make sure to iron your viscose shirts on the silk setting (100-150C), using a dampened cloth.
Cotton T-Shirts and tank tops ironing tips
Cotton is a natural fabric that can withstand a good deal of wear and tear and is strong, water-absorbing and heat-insulating. But at the same time, cotton clothes are easily wrinkled, though they are easily ironed, too. Do not over-dry cotton t-shirts, it can make them very difficult to iron properly. Iron cotton clothes at 200-220C. It’s better to iron dark t-shirts inside out in order to avoid streaks on the fabric. Watch the video on how to iron t-shirts and tank-tops in the right way.
Ironing T-Shirts with prints and rhinestones
It is important that you iron printed t-shirts inside out. Some prints are fugitive, and the particle of coloring can set stick to the hot soleplate of an iron. As a result, you will have a dirty soleplate and streaks on the print. Moreover, some raised prints have a rubber base that can melt under the hot iron.
If you iron a printed t-shirt on a table instead of an ironing board, put a piece of paper between the right and the wrong sides of a t-shirt to prevent the print from transferring to the back.
If there are sequins and rhinestones on your t-shirt, iron these areas carefully at low temperature, on the inside. You may also lightly steam the item on the outer side, but make sure you do not touch the fabric with the iron.
Follow these tips, and your favorite t-shirts will keep their shape, quality, stylish prints, and bright colors.