Can You Iron a Suit? How to Press a Suit at Home

LAUNDRY TIPS

We recommend trusting the professionals with more difficult garments like suits, but if you've already had your suit cleaned and pressed and are looking for some tips to touch it up, read on.

You may also like: How to Take Care of a Suit

How to iron a suit

Before you try anything at home, check the care label to see if the suit can be ironed at home and what temperatures to use. Different materials require different care, so this step is crucial to making sure you don't ruin your suit right before you need to wear it.

If you're still not sure what to do after reading the labels, or you have a custom or designer suit without labels, don't risk pressing your suit at home. Take your suit to a professional to be pressed. It's not worth guessing what setting to use only to ruin your suit.

Gather your ironing equipment

If you decide to press your suit at home, it's important to have the right tools. Here's what you'll need to press your suit at home:

A sturdy ironing board
A quality clothes iron
Distilled water
Pressing cloth or handkerchief

You probably guessed that you need an ironing board and an iron. It's also important to avoid tap water since it may contain minerals that could build up in your iron and damage your suit. You also want to avoid placing the iron directly onto your suit, so using a pressing cloth in between the iron can protect the fabric from the iron.

Clean your ironing tools

After you've gathered everything you need to start ironing your suit, take an extra moment to make sure everything is clean before you start. There's no worse way to find out you should have washed your ironing board cover than by laying your suit on it. This is also a great time to check for any stains on the suit itself and spot treat if necessary.

Choose the right iron settings

Make sure your iron is hot enough, but not too hot! After checking the care instructions, choose the heat setting on your iron that's right for your suit material.

Before starting, test the iron on a piece of fabric or on the inside of the suit before you start pressing. If you see any damage when testing it, stop ironing and take your suit to the dry cleaner to avoid ruining your suit.

If all goes well when testing the iron settings, proceed, but with caution. Use your pressing cloth between your iron and the suit to protect the fabric and keep it from getting scorched.

How to iron a suit jacket

Lay your jacket flat and iron the back first.
Flip your jacket around to iron the front of the jacket starting with the lower quarters.
Carefully spot press the jacket lapels as needed.
Iron the jacket sleeves using a sleeve board to keep their shape.

How to press a jacket lapel

The lapel calls for special attention to keep it looking neat and clean without getting flat and rigid. The lapels should never be pressed flat onto the front of the jacket. The lapels should be carefully spot pressed as needed but avoid creasing the front corners with the hot iron.

If you need to touch up the lapel, turn the lapel up and iron along the underneath it. Run the iron over this section very gently so as not to create a hard crease unless you're specifically going for the "military crease."

The lapel roll can be one of the most difficult parts of the blazer to press at home, so don't worry if you struggle to master it. Never worrying about ironing your lapels is just one of the benefits of getting your suit pressed at the dry cleaner!

How to iron suit pants

Start by ironing your pocket linings so they lay flat when you're finished with your pants. Then, iron each pant leg one at a time by putting it on the ironing board and starting from the waist, working your way down to the hem. Pay attention to any creases or cuffs when pressing your pants.

How to iron pants with a crease

Ironing that sleek crease in pants is an essential step. First, find the crease on the top and bottom seam on the inside of the pant leg. Next, press the seams together and iron along the top to create the front crease on your dress pants. Repeat the process for the other pant leg, and you're done!

Can you steam a suit?

As always, it's best to check the garment care labels before trying anything at home or on the go. If the labels indicate it's okay, and you're in a pinch, steaming your suit can help remove some wrinkles and freshen it up, but it's no replacement for pressing it. Properly pressing your suit gives it clean lines and details that a steamer simply can't.

You might also like: How to Clean a Suit

Keeping your suit wrinkle-free

After getting your suit pressed or pressing it at home, hang it up on a sturdy hanger so it can retain its shape. Wide, cedar hangers are a great choice for hanging suits. Storing your suit in a garment bag can also keep it free of dust so it's ready for the next time you want to wear it!

Regularly cleaning your suit is another important part of maintaining it for years to come. Learn more about our dry cleaning services or find a Tide Cleaners near you.