The £1 hack that'll leave your clothes crease-free and smelling amazing – with no iron in sight

The Sun

6 hours ago

IT is a pretty simple task but ironing is detested by millions when it comes to household chores.
In fact, a whopping 60% of Brits have confessed they will do anything to avoid it despite most of them owning an iron and board.
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Luckily, if you're one of them there's an easy hack that will help get your clothes crease-free without doing the dreaded ironing.
While there are plenty of crease releasers on the high-street, turns out, you can easily make your very own for a fraction of the price.
What's more, not only will it save you heaps of cash in the long run but the £1 concoction will also leave your laundry smelling fabulous.
The cash-savvy solution was recently shared on TikTok by one money-smart cleaning fan only known as @ dagger95.
According to the thrifty TikToker, the answer to crease-free clothing is simple - and you can find it for just a quid.
She told fellow social media users: ''I do this with just water or ever water and a little bit of fabric softener in a Febreze bottle or any bottle.
''You do not need a special solution. hope this helps all my broke besties, like me.''
If your favourite fabric softener is running low, you can find a mega 1l bottle for £1 at Savers - or £1.70 at Aldi, £2.50 at Sainsbury's and other supermarkets.
Before using this spray, it's best to test it on a small, hidden part of your shirt or garment to make sure it won't cause any discolouration.
To use this DIY wrinkle releaser, hang your garment on a clothes hanger or lay it out flat on your bed.
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Pull the garment taught as you generously spray the DIY mix over it and run your hand over the wrinkles to help smooth them out.
You want to make the fabric damp, but not soak it - as the more you spray, the longer your clothes will take to dry.
If you choose to de-wrinkle your outfits before bed, you can be even more generous with the affordable spray.
Laundry tips
Catherine Green, sustainable cleaning expert at smol shared her laundry tips.
How often should you be remaking your bed?
When it comes to your bed, maintaining a hygienic sleep setup can actually improve your sleep quality, helping you start every day better.
Most people shed 500 million skin cells per day and a lot of that ends up in bed for dust mites to feed on. And those with asthma or allergies might see symptoms worsen by sleeping on dirty sheets!
You want to be washing your sheets once a week - or every 10 days if you don't suffer from allergies and wear nightclothes. Bedding builds up with sweat, skin cells and oils quickly, even if it doesn't look dirty.
Using an effective detergent like smol's will still give you a great clean on a 20°C cycle - that's better for the planet and your energy bills!
What temperature do smol recommend then?
For your regular weekly washes I recommend washing most loads at 20°C for 30 minutes. It's gentler on fabrics, slashes energy use, and still delivers excellent stain removal with the right detergent. A colder wash can actually be more effective if you opt for a bio detergent as its enzymes need cooler water; too hot and they lose their ability to digest stains. A wash at 60°c (unless you have silk sheets) every now and again can help kill off dust mites and other nasties.
What's the difference between bio and non-bio detergent?
Bio detergents contain enzymes, which are especially good at breaking down tough stains like food, grass, or sweat. It's best used in mid to low temperature washes (ideally between 20-40°C) as anything hotter can cause them not to work effectively.
Non-bio skips the enzymes, which in turn makes it more suitable for those with sensitive skin or allergies. Although non-bio doesn't contain enzymes, it's still great at removing stains and keeping your clothes clean, you just may need to use a slightly higher temperature setting to aid with the cleaning process.
More de-creasing hacks
If you don't own an iron or simply can't be bothered, digital department store Freemans has partnered with domestic cleaner Mariya Gurkova at home services business Fantastic Services to provide some top alternative hacks.
Mariya revealed that a damp towel and tumble dryer are all you need to mimic an iron.
She said: 'Put the wrinkled item in the dryer with a damp towel or a few ice cubes and run it on medium heat for about 15 minutes.
"Steam will be generated inside the dryer by the moisture from the towel or ice cubes, which will help loosen the wrinkles and smooth out the fabric. When dried, fold immediately to avoid ironing."
She added: 'You can also use a hair dryer to remove last-minute wrinkles.
"Simply dampen the wrinkled area of the garment with water or a wrinkle-removing spray. Use the lowest setting and pull the fabric taut when drying.
"Hair flat irons can help remove creases from small sections of clothing."
Mariya also suggested that a hot cooking pot can be used to give your clothes a quick iron.
All you need to do is fill the pan with boiling water, let it heat up the pot and then pour it out. You can then use the base of the pot to smooth out your garments.