Can You Iron Fleece? (How To Get Wrinkles Out Of Fleece)
That dreaded ironing chore. Some people just cannot stand doing the ironing. It means just standing in one position for a long time and seeing your back and legs become sore. But it has to be done or you and your family will look like you slept in your clothes for a week.
Can you iron fleece? There is some debate about this question and the answer is that it is possible to do but only if you do not exceed the temperature fleece materials can handle. You do run the risk of ruining your garment if you put the heat too high when you iron.
To learn how to iron fleece safely and correctly just continue to read our article. It handles the topic with a level of clarity that is easy to understand and brings you the facts you need to know about. A few minutes of your time is all that is needed.
Ironing Fleece 101
How to Get Wrinkles Out of Fleece
The first thing you need to do when cleaning your fleece garments is to remove them from the dryer while they are still damp. When ironing delicate fabrics you want them to be moist, not soaking wet.
Next, turn your iron to the fleece setting if it has one or use the polyester or rayon setting if it doesn’t. Before placing the iron on the fleece fabric, cover it with another fabric to avoid having direct heat ruin what you are working on.
Covering the material is also good when your garment is only fleeced lined. The good thing about polyester fleece is that it is usually wrinkle resistant. You won’t have to iron it unless you make a mistake and forget about it in the dryer. Then wrinkles may set in.
Just follow the instructions already given and you should be fine. The wrinkles should come out without hurting the material.
Getting Wrinkles Out of Polar Fleece
The steps for all fleece types are basically the same and which settings you use or which methods you apply will depend on the fibers the fleece is made from. For polar fleece, you are looking at microfleece and the ironing technique will be the same for both.
While you can remove the item from your dryer before it is fully dry, sometimes you forget and the time gets completely dry. The way to solve that situation is to have a spray bottle filled with water on the ironing board and next to you. Just give the fleece a few squirts so that it is damp, then cover with a damp washcloth or towel.
You may have to raise the washcloth several times to check your progress or spray a little more water on the material. Be careful if you use the steam function on your iron. The heat of the steam could damage the fleece.
How to Get Wrinkles Out of Polyester Fleece
The good thing, as we mentioned earlier, is that polyester fibers were created to resist wrinkles. The same principle applies to polyester fleece. The material should not wrinkle that easily nor need ironing if you are careful when doing your laundry.
If you forget or your attention has been distracted by the phone or doorbell ringing then you may end up with wrinkles in your polyester fleece items. The same process described above will handle that problem.
Removing the clothing from the dryer before they are dry is good but it is hard to judge sometimes. So use the spray bottle solution to make sure you can get that fleece damp before you iron.
The spray bottle also helps you throughout the ironing time and makes sure you have a good source of water handy when the fleece dries out before you are done. Just don’t forget to refill the bottle.
Does Iron-on Work On Fleece?
Generally, this is not a good idea. Even though you may have had some success in doing this, that success may have been because the fleece was made with low pile. Iron ons adhere to the fibers so you need a low pile if you are going to have any success at this task.
There are two reasons why this will not work. First, if the fleece is of a high pile or really fuzzy, the iron-on won’t adhere to the fibers, if it reaches them at all. Second, the amount of heat needed to make the iron on a success may damage the fleece underneath. Even with a cover, the heat may be too high for the fleece to endure.
Your experience may be different and every situation is not going to be the same. There are many factors involved in iron-ons to be successfully applied to fleece materials.
Can You Iron Fleece?
Yes, this is possible if you follow the rules governing ironing fleece. The heat on your iron should be very, very low and you should not stay in one spot for too long. Also, you should use a thin cotton cloth to cover the fleece item to make sure no direct heat hits that clothing.
If your iron does not have a fleece setting, then go to the polyester, rayon, or no heat one to make sure you do not apply too much heat when ironing. If you are careful you should avoid any damage being done to your fleece items including sheets and blankets.
One way to avoid ironing is to buy that fleece made from polyester fibers. Those are supposed to be wrinkle-free or wrinkle resistant. The polyester versions come in assorted colors as well as different patterns so you can look chic and no one would know if you are wearing polyester or not.
How to Iron Fleece
Well, you should do it very carefully because fleece, while it does not show it, is a very delicate fabric when it comes to high heat. In fact, you should wash and dry your fleece items separately from the rest of your clothes so you do not forget and set the iron too high.
Make sure to keep the fleece fabric damp or moist. Do not have it soaking wet or overly damp. Then use a pressing cloth to make sure the direct heat does not touch the material. Protecting the fleece is of utmost importance that is why you should launder them separately.
When you are changing different fabrics you are changing different settings and it is easy to forget to lower the heat when it is the fleece’s turn to be ironed. Also, you may have to wait for the iron to cool down before you can start.
What Iron Setting for Fleece
If your iron has a fleece setting, then that is the one to use. If not, then you need to go to the polyester or rayon setting to make sure you have the right heat.
Now some older irons may not have any of those three so you may need to check to see what is the lowest setting you have and hope it is not too hot for fleece. You might get away with putting the iron on a no heat setting as that will protect your fleece clothing as well.
If your iron just says low, medium, or high, then select the low setting. And if you are old fashion and use an iron that needs to be heated on a stove, then just make the iron barely warm.
Being safe when working with heat-sensitive fabrics is always a good thing. But experiment with the different settings and see which one works best for you.
What Temperature to Iron Fleece
By now you should be aware that anything above a low heat setting, like medium or hot, will not work for fleece. The reason for that is that a majority of fleece clothing and blankets are made from recycled plastic.
Plastic has a low melting point which makes ironing and drying fleece clothing complicated. The lowest temperature possible would be ideal and even a no heat setting should work. That way you err on the side of caution and save yourself some money.
It is not cheap to replace ruined fleece with new articles of clothing. So do yourself a favor and make sure you keep the temperature next to nothing when ironing the fabric.
Fleece is made also from polyester fibers which are made from plastic so watch the cleaning label carefully. If it says do not iron, then it would be wise to avoid ironing.
Ironing Fusible Fleece
Again, you need to be delicate when using this material for your sewing projects. The adhesive needs hotter temperatures to melt thoroughly and help the material do its job. But you need to be careful not to hurt the fleece fabric.
One way to do that is by pressing your iron for a few seconds, then lifting it up and moving it to the next spot. This is a little bit harder to do and will require some muscle tone, but it is better than dragging the iron across the fleece.
Also, if the fleece you are using is thicker than normal, then it will need to get warmer for the heat to melt the adhesive on the other side. Double-sided fusible fleece may also be tricky as you need to warm both sides of the fabric to get it to stick to the material you are working with.
How to Iron Fleece Blanket
You can fold it up and do the ironing in sections. Unfolding one part, ironing that then unfolding another and then iron that and so on. This will add to your ironing time as it may be a bit slow going, especially when you have lots of fleece blankets to iron.
Or you could put your ironing board next to your kitchen or dining room table and as you iron move the fabric over to the table so it does not touch the floor. This will keep your ironing on schedule and make the job a little easier to complete.
Ironing fleece may not take place if your blankets are made from polyester fibers. That construction is supposed to resist wrinkles so you may be able to bypass the ironing and go straight to putting the blankets away.
Find the easiest method for you and stick with it when you need to iron fleece blankets.
Can You Steam Fleece?
The answer to this question will depend on whom you talk to. Some say to avoid using the dryer at all times and simply hang your fleece items up to dry. This is contrary advice to those who say that you should use your dryer and a damp towel to steam the wrinkles out of your fleece garments and sheets, etc.
Then there are those who say you can use your steam function on your iron as that will settle the fibers and threads. If you steam, then hold your iron up away from the fabric so too much heat does not make it through the pressing cloth.
Plus, you should not steam one part too long. Be quick about it so the heat does not melt the fibers and ruin your fleece item. When you use steam, you should be very careful and like setting the temperature, be very watchful you do not linger on one spot or be too close to the fabric.
Some Final Words
Fleece is not a durable fabric when it comes to heat. That is why you should learn and follow all the precautions that govern ironing fleece fabric. The good thing is that if you bought the right kind of fleece material, wrinkles should be the least of your worries. Good fleece should not wrinkle that much.
