wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time.
This article has been viewed 56,786 times.
Learn more...
Ironing a tie needs to be done very carefully as it is easy to burn the tie and cause discoloration. While ties come in various fabrics, they usually require low heat, and they need a wet pressing cloth to act as a barrier for the iron. If you do not want to take your tie to the dry cleaner, there are ways to remove wrinkles safely at home.
Steps
Ironing a Tie
-
1Set up the ironing board. Put the board on a flat surface so that it is steady and will not flip over while you are ironing. Make sure that it is clean and dry before setting your tie down.
-
2Put the iron on the appropriate setting. Read the label on the tie to figure out what material it is made out of. Most irons are labeled with fabric settings such as silk. If your tie does not say which material it is made from, play it safe and use the lowest setting on your iron.[1]Advertisement
-
3Lay out your tie. Make sure your hands are dry, and then lay your tie face-up across the ironing board. Smooth out the tie the best you can.
- Make sure the tie is not stained, because if you iron over a stain it may permanently set-in and ruin the tie.[5]
-
4Saturate a pressing cloth. Ties are typically delicate, so you do not want to press the iron directly onto the tie fabric. Instead, you need to wet a clean, white cloth.[6] Make sure that the cloth is damp, but not dripping with any excess water. Any drops of water that fall onto a tie could potentially leave a water stain. Keep wringing out the cloth until it does not drip any water.
-
5Cover the tie with the pressing cloth. The purpose of the pressing cloth is to protect the tie fabric from coming into direct contact with the iron. Lay the pressing cloth completely over the area of the tie that you iron.
-
6Iron the tie. To safely iron your tie, you will gently move the iron over the pressing cloth, and let the steam produced from the cloth work to release any wrinkles from the tie. Never let the iron rest in one spot.
- Using gentle pressure, start from the bottom, and work your way to the top. Iron small sections at a time as you move the iron from the edges inward to prevent creases.
- When you have finished one side, flip it over, and repeat the process. Make sure your pressing cloth is still wet. If it feels dry, get it wet again, and wring it back out.[7]
-
7Hang the tie to cool when you are finished. Before storing your tie or wearing it, make sure that it has completely cooled off, or it may wrinkle again.[8]
Using Alternative Methods
-
1Use bathroom steam to release wrinkles. If you want to avoid the iron, hang your tie in the bathroom as you shower. The steam should soften the fibers to help reduce wrinkles.[9]
-
2Make a "tie-roll" to remove wrinkles. Try rolling up your tie, and then lay it in a clean space with the flat side down for a couple of hours. Then, unroll your tie, and the wrinkles may have released.[10]
-
3Untie your tie when you are not wearing it. It may be tempting to loosen your tie, slip it off, and throw it on the dresser while you go relax. Try not to do this because this will cause major wrinkles, kinks, and maybe even permanent damage to your tie. Always undo your tie completely, and then hang it up on a rack, or lay it out flat when you are not wearing it.[11]
References
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
- ↑ http://laundry.about.com/od/carebytypeoffabric/ss/How-to-Clean-Iron-and-Store-Neckties.htm#step3
About This Article
To iron a tie, use a cool setting for silk and polyester ties, a medium setting for wool ties, and a hot setting for cotton and linen ties. Since ties are delicate, lay a damp, but not soaking wet, white cloth over the tie before you iron it. Then, press the iron into the white cloth, which will produce steam and release any wrinkles in your tie. Once you've gone over your entire tie, hang it up and let it cool off before wearing it. To learn how to fix a wrinkled tie without an iron, scroll down!
