How do I get wrinkles out of a shirt fast without an iron?
Put the wrinkled shirt in the dryer with two or three ice cubes, set high heat, and run it for ten minutes. The melting ice turns to steam that the drum traps, relaxing the fabric. Use cotton only and a light load. Most wrinkles drop out, leaving it wearable but not pressed.
How to do it
- Put the shirt in the dryer with ice cubesToss the wrinkled shirt into the dryer along with two or three ice cubes.
- Keep it to a cotton, light loadUse this only with cotton and only a light load so the steam can reach the fabric.
- Run high heat for ten minutesSet the dryer to high heat and run it for ten minutes. The ice melts to steam and the drum traps it against the shirt.
- Take it out and wear itAfter ten minutes most of the wrinkles have dropped out. It's wearable, not pressed.
Questions that come up
Will this work on dress shirts or non-cotton fabrics?
The method is specified for cotton only. Synthetics and blends hold wrinkles differently and may not respond the same way to trapped steam, so stick to cotton for a reliable result. For a crisp, fully pressed dress shirt you'll still need an iron.
Why only a light load?
A light load lets the steam circulate and reach the shirt. Pack the drum full and the garments block each other, trapping wrinkles rather than releasing them, so the steam can't do its job on every piece.
Why not just add more ice cubes for a stronger result?
Two or three cubes are enough to create the steam the drum traps in ten minutes. This is a quick fix for a rushed morning that leaves the shirt wearable, not pressed, so it won't match ironing no matter how much ice you add.
Full transcript
Wrinkled shirt, meeting in twenty minutes? Ice cubes in the dryer. Toss it in with two or three ice cubes, high heat, ten minutes. The ice melts to steam, the drum traps it. Cotton only, light load. Ten minutes later, most of the wrinkles have dropped out — wearable, not pressed. Save this for a rushed morning. Follow for weekly fixes.