How to Iron Synthetic Fabric

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: December 8, 2021 Tested

Ironing is an unfortunate necessity for many fabrics, but it can be an especially tricky task when you’re dealing with synthetic materials. Before you start, turn your fabric inside out and place it on a padded ironing board. Next, protect your garments and other fabric by draping a towel, pillowcase, or other buffer cloth over the surface of your synthetic material. Once you’ve set your iron to a low heating, you can smooth out any wrinkles from your synthetic items!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Assembling Your Synthetic Fabric

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1
Turn your fabric inside-out. Hold the synthetic material in both hands and carefully tuck the fabric inwards. If you’re ironing a garment, check that the inner seams are visible. If you’re working with a larger length of fabric, just flip the material over. ^{[1]
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- If you iron synthetic materials while they’re right-side-out, you might damage the surface of the fabric.
- If you’re working with a patterned piece of fabric, make sure that the pattern is face-down.
2
Arrange the material into a smooth layer on the ironing board. Drape the garment or section of fabric over the length of your ironing board. Use both hands to smooth out any obvious wrinkles and folds in the material, so the fabric looks as flat as possible. If you’re working with a skirt, shirt, or another similar clothing item, arrange the ironing board between both layers of the garment. ^{[2]
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- If your synthetic fabric isn’t smooth on the ironing board, it will be more difficult to iron.
- If possible, use a padded ironing board.
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3
Drape a towel over the fabric to serve as a buffer. Avoid potential glazing and burn marks by covering a section of your synthetic material with a towel or dish cloth. As you arrange the towel, check that both the edges and surface of the ironing board are completely covered with the buffer cloth. If your towel is small, you can iron your synthetic material in sections. ^{[3]
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- A pillow case can also work as a good buffer cloth.
- Check the care label instructions on your towel before using it as a buffer. Your buffer item should be able to withstand low iron heat.