How To Steam Silk In 3 Easy Steps
Crumpled clothing can happen to even the most careful closet keepers.
Whether it’s a pile of dresses covering the chair in your room or the wet laundry that’s still waiting in the washing machine (OMG I knew I forgot something...) we’ve certainly all been there and we’re not here judge.
If you find yourself with a Pepper Dress that frequently looks wrinkled, it’s time to take a peek at our simple steam-powered solutions. In the case of minor wrinkles, simply leave your Pepper Dress hanging in the bathroom while you shower OR skip to the below instructions for a more serious plan of attack.
First, an important warning: You’ll want to make sure to steer clear of traditional irons when dealing with the Pepper Dress. The use of extremely high heat will damage the silk fibers of your dress, and so we've outlined our silk-safe approach that is just as effective below.
To begin the process, you’ll need a steamer (we love this one) as well as a clean hanger with strap hooks in order to work your smoothing magic.
1.) Find somewhere to hang your garment.
After you’ve read the directions on your steamer and it’s all set up, place your garment on a hanger and find a safe place to suspend it from. The bathroom doorframe, a hook on the back of your bedroom door or even a sturdy curtain rod will work. You’ll need both hands to steam properly, so holding it up with one of them won’t be an option.
2.) Steam Using Downward Strokes.
Identify the areas which need the most attention and use downward strokes as you steam from top to bottom. You can directly apply the steam to specific areas, but make sure your cover the whole garment so you don’t miss any spots and it keeps a uniform texture.
3.) Gently hold it taught.
Now this is where most people get steaming wrong. Instead of just pointing steam onto the fabric and waiting for wrinkles to disappear, you’ll need that other hand to gently tug on the bottom of the garment as you apply the heat. The careful pulling motion is what helps to separate and straighten the wrinkled fibers while you work, and this is what allows the material to become smooth again.
Pro Tip: Since the steam will make your garment a little warm and a little damp, you may want to wait a few moments to cool down and dry before wearing.