What Heat Setting To Iron Jeans

There is no clear answer as to whether one should iron their jeans, let alone the heat setting to use. I think most people don’t bother ironing them at all. But there are times they do become wrinkled after washing. This is when you may be tempted to turn on the iron to get rid of the creases. If you choose to do so, what heat setting should you use to iron your jeans then?

Should You Iron Denim Jeans?

There are 2 schools of thought here. One advocates ironing to get rid of wrinkles rather than relying on the dryer to do the job. A dryer can soften the denim and help to reduce the wrinkles. As denim is sensitive to heat, a dryer can also help your jeans to regain its shape if it has been stretched after wearing it multiple times. Of course, that depends on whether you want it to be back to its constrictive form especially if it is tight-fitting.

However, a dryer could also damage your jeans as it repeatedly tumbles it in the drum. It will wear the fabric down and the heat could also make it lose its color. So, that is why some people argue that ironing will be a better option. You iron your jeans while it is still damp and do it by turning it inside out. This should minimize fading and help the jeans to maintain its color longer.

At the same time, another group of people would argue that you should not iron your jeans because it will damage it just like a dryer would. An iron is even worse because the direct high heat would cause the denim material to lose its elasticity faster. This would then cause your jeans to lose its shape and look saggy.

Well, it seems to me then that one should not apply heat to your jeans since both the dryer and iron could damage it in some way or other. Hence, the solution that is often touted is to hang your jeans in the shower and let the steam do its job in getting rid of the wrinkles. This is also a common practice for those who like to avoid ironing. So, do give that a try for your jeans.

Heat Setting To Iron Jeans

Notwithstanding the above, there may be times when you still want to iron your jeans for whatever reason. Perhaps you are in a hurry. Or you are the type who prefers to iron everything out of habit. What heat setting to iron your jeans will then depend on how much risk you are willing to take when it comes to the amount of damage to the material.

Generally, high heat is needed on denim if the intention is to get rid of stubborn wrinkles efficiently and effectively. But as mentioned above, heat can cause fading and loss of elasticity. That is why some people would advice that a low heat setting should be used to iron jeans. This is to avoid damaging it so that it would last longer.

But the trade-off to a low heat setting is that the wrinkles may not be completely erased. After all, denim is kind of thick and any creases that form could be very hard to get rid of. Hence, this goes back to the question of risk and return.

If you don’t mind sacrificing the life span and look of your jeans, then you could choose to iron it each time after washing and at high heat should you prefer to get rid of all the wrinkles. But if you like to keep your jeans in its original form as long as possible, then ironing on low heat should be the way to go. That is also if you really need to do so given that denim is heat sensitive.

Personal Preference

At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong on whether you should iron jeans and at what setting. It boils down to your own personal preference just like whether you should iron T-shirts. Some don’t mind if the color fades as long as there are no wrinkles when they put it on. Others wouldn’t even throw their jeans in the washer after wearing it everyday for a week. So, don’t even mention about ironing it.

Hence, there is no specific rule that you should follow. Your jeans care label should be the most accurate information on how you should wash, dry, and iron it. If you are buying it from the store, you can also ask the sales staff about the best way to care for your jeans. Whether you should adhere strictly to them is really up to you as only you would know what makes you most comfortable. After all, you are the one who will be wearing it, wrinkled or not!