We have all opened a pack of pre-packed curtains and discovered creases within the fabric. Most materials like polyester are even more difficult to deal with because of their high heat sensitivity. Luckily, you can learn how to iron polyester curtains quickly and easily.
Enjoy picture-perfect pleats, and tailored curtain looks with some ironing techniques. Adjust your iron’s temperature to deficient heat and gently press over the sensitive fabric. Smooth over those undesirable wrinkles that might ruin your curtain’s appearance.
Polyester fabric
Polyester is one of the most loved and mocked types of fabric because of its beauty and versatility, especially in the curtain industry. It is a prominent material in both fashion and industrial manufacturing firms.
The fibers of this material are synthetic or human-made, making them one of the most accessible types of fabric in multiple industries. It is also very cheap to produce, featuring water-repellant, wrinkle-resistant, and durable properties.
Unfortunately, despite its wrinkle-resistant nature, even polyester pre-packed curtains stored for long periods can still develop unpleasant folds. Get rid of those pesky fabric creases anymore once you learn how to iron polyester curtains in a few easy steps.
Step 1: Get pressing clothes.
We already know that ironing polyester can be a pretty tricky venture. One wrong move with the temperature settings, and you might end up melting those lovely curtains. For newly bought polyester irons, the best you can do is to play it safe using press cloths.
A pressing cloth can be any piece of cotton fabric similar to a dishcloth or pillowcase. Ensure that it is thin enough to let a sufficient amount of heat through but thick enough to protect the polyester from burning.
You might be wondering if you need to do this every time you want your curtains ironed. Well, the answer is no. You can immediately press a cool iron on polyester, granted that you already know the right temperature.
Step 2: Adjust your iron.
Convenient enough, most modern irons actually have a “polyester” or “synthetic” setting in their dial. The built-in technology automatically controls the temperature so that it stays well below 149℃ or 300℉ and keeps your polyester safe from burning.
However, if you don’t have dials with such settings, adjust the temperature to low and let it heat up. Every iron has a light that flashes as it adjusts to the correct temperature. Once the light has stopped flashing, that means your iron is ready to use.
Step 3: Prepare the fabric.
Lay the fabric flat with the right side facing your ironing board. For curtains, it is best if you start ironing from the top hem traveling from left to right or vice versa. Place your pressing cloth on top of the section where you first want to press.
Step 4: Iron the curtain
Lightly press over the pressing cloth and move in a single direction. Try not to travel in spiraling or zigzagging lines with your iron. Move it in a horizontal manner traveling from one side to the other. Make sure that you don’t press over the uncovered fabric.
Once you have straightened the area underneath your pressing cloth, take the protective fabric and move it to another spot. Iron over the area again and repeat the process until you reach the end of the curtain.
Tips while ironing
If you think the pressing cloth is too inconvenient for you, you can always try a different method. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts of water and vinegar to form a solution. Lightly spray over the curtain to soften the fabric. You can also do this with plain water.
Once you dampen the fabric with the liquid solution, you can lower the temperature. The material will relax more effortlessly, and you can straighten out those unpleasant folds right away. Use a steam burst feature on your iron if you have one to save time.
Remember always to keep your iron moving. Regardless of your heat setting and fabric sensitivity, it is never okay to leave a heated iron in one spot for more than five seconds. If you are going to adjust particular fabric parts, stand your iron in a safe area. You can also place it on the dock located at the edge of your ironing board.
Are polyesters worth it?
With all the lengthy steps and procedures to get creases of your polyester curtains safely, you might be wondering if they are still worth all that trouble. Well, polyester is actually one of the best fabrics in the industry.
It is versatile, water-resistant, and effortless to produce. Polyester curtains can come in a ton of different colors, textures, and designs. Some curtain manufacturers even weave them alongside cotton to create firm and beautiful draperies.
Don’t worry too much about the ironing part when it comes to purchasing polyester curtains. They are actually relatively easy to maintain. The fabric itself is anti-wrinkle, so you don’t have to iron them once every month, as some might expect.
When dealing with polyester curtains, you probably have to straighten those folds the first time you open a pack of curtains. For the rest of the year, you can easily keep it straight, neat, and tailored by adding curtain weights or some minor steaming every once in a while.
Overall, learning how to iron polyester curtains is not too difficult to do. It’s actually much easier than it seems. Just remember to be wary of the fabric’s heat exposure, and you should be able to handle them just fine.