# How to use a pressing cloth Canonical page: https://everydaygarmentcare.co.uk/ironing/iron-with-a-pressing-cloth/ Publisher: Everyday Garment Care Ironing / How-to Use a pressing cloth to reduce direct contact on ironable fabric. Learn what to use, when to keep it dry and how to avoid shine and seam marks. By Everyday Garment Care · Updated November 2026 ![A plain pressing cloth over charcoal trousers on an ironing board]() ## Choose the heat first Read the garment’s care label, then lay a clean, smooth cloth over the area you want to press. Check the cloth’s own heat limit and keep it dry unless the garment allows moisture. Lift the iron between short presses so the cloth stays in place. ## Read the label before choosing a cloth A pressing cloth is the thin layer that sits between the iron and the garment. Use it when the label allows ironing and you want to limit direct contact with the face of the fabric. It can help when a dark trouser leg is prone to shine or when you want to press close to a seam without sliding the soleplate over the garment. Check the ironing symbol and any written instructions about heat, steam or decoration. A separate lining, applied graphic or textured area may have its own restrictions. If the label prohibits ironing, leave the iron off the garment. If it requires dry pressing, turn the steam off and use a dry cloth. The [care symbols guide]() explains how to read the dots and steam instructions. ## Choose a smooth cotton cloth or see-through mesh Start with a clean, thin, plain white cotton cloth if you have one. A smooth piece without hems, embroidery or a raised pattern in the working area gives you a flat layer. A thick towel can hide the seam and add bulk, while a marked or linty cloth can leave residue on the garment. Wash and dry a new cotton cloth first if its care instructions allow it and you are unsure whether it will shed fibres. See-through mesh helps when you need to follow a crease or place the iron close to a detail. The Brabantia Protective Ironing Cloth 149481 is nominally 40 × 60 cm. Its mesh lets you see the position of the fabric underneath. Brabantia specifies a limit of 200°C. Check both the cloth and the garment before choosing the setting. If you cannot confirm the iron’s hottest setting stays within the cloth’s limit, choose a lower permitted setting or a suitable cloth with a documented higher limit. [View on Amazon]() See the crease through the cloth ### Brabantia Protective Ironing Cloth 149481 A see-through polyester mesh cloth that lets you see the seams and fabric underneath while pressing. Good for Small areas of ironable fabric where you need to see exactly where the cloth and iron sit. Bear in mind Brabantia specifies a maximum of 200°C. Use the lower limit given by the garment or the cloth, and check the garment’s steam instructions. - See-through mesh - 40 × 60 cm nominal ## Decide whether to add moisture Begin with a dry cloth on garments that call for dry pressing and where the label warns about moisture. On some wool or other ironable items, the label may allow steam or a slightly damp cloth. If you use a damp cloth, wring it out well and spread it evenly across the work. A wet patch can leave a local mark. Keep spray and steam off areas whose instructions prohibit either, including trims. Test on a concealed part that has the same fabric and finish as the area you plan to press. Let the sample cool before checking it under normal light. Look for a colour change, shine, a damp outline or a flattened texture. If you see a change, stop and check the care instructions before working on a visible area. ## Lift the iron between short presses 1. **Set up the board.** Use a stable, padded surface and make room to rest the iron safely between presses. Smooth the board cover so a crease in the cover cannot transfer through the fabric. 2. **Arrange one area at a time.** Set the garment in its natural shape. Arrange the layers so buttons, zip pulls and bulky pocket bags sit clear of the area you are pressing. Align a crease before laying the cloth over it. 3. **Lay the cloth flat.** Make sure it covers the entire area the soleplate will touch, with room to see its edges. Flatten the cloth without pulling the garment out of alignment. 4. **Press lightly and lift.** Use a short press at a permitted setting. Lift the iron and set it on its proper rest before moving the cloth. Check progress before increasing pressure or repeating a pass. 5. **Let the garment settle.** Allow the pressed area to cool and dry in shape before folding, hanging or moving it. Look across the surface in good light for a second crease or an impression from a seam. ## Check what caused a mark before pressing again A pale outline that follows a pocket or seam can come from pressing over the ridge underneath. Check what is under the outer fabric and move the panel so the raised part sits clear of the area. A sheen that only appears when you look from the side can be a change in the fabric surface. Repeated passes may make it more visible. Let the garment cool and check it in daylight before deciding how to proceed. If the cloth itself develops a crease or shifts, lift the iron and smooth the cloth on the board before resuming. Change to a clean section if you pick up residue from the garment. After use, allow the cloth to dry fully and follow its own washing instructions. Keep it away from cleaning cloths and other items that could leave polish, lint or dye on it. ## Work around trouser seams, linen and decoration For trousers, position one leg so an existing crease is easy to see. Keep a thick seam or pocket bag from lying directly underneath a smooth face panel. Press through the cloth along a short section, lift and check that the crease still follows the original line. See [how to iron trousers with a crease](). For linen, match the label and check the collar or placket for different materials. Use a cloth over areas that are prone to shine or where you want to reduce direct contact. A large surface may be easier to press in sections than under one folded cloth. See [how to iron a linen shirt](). On a printed shirt, keep the soleplate away from decorations that the maker says to avoid. If pressing is permitted elsewhere, put the printed panel out of the working area and press the plain sections at the setting the garment allows. See [how to iron a printed T-shirt](). ## Sources and care guidance - [GINETEX ironing care symbols and pressing advice]() - [New Mexico State University Extension pressing guidance]() - [Brabantia pressing cloth specifications]() - [Brabantia pressing cloth material and temperature limit]() ## Frequently asked questions ### What can I use as a pressing cloth? A clean, thin piece of plain white cotton with a smooth weave works for many permitted pressing jobs. Avoid seams, decorative edges, lint and loose dye. See-through pressing mesh can help when you need to follow a crease. ### Do I wet a pressing cloth before ironing? Use it dry for a dry-pressing job or when moisture might mark the fabric. If the garment instructions allow a damp cloth, wring it out until evenly damp and test on a concealed area. ### Can a pressing cloth make a hot iron safe on delicate fabric? Use the lowest suitable setting within the garment’s instructions and the cloth’s own limit. Heat and moisture still travel through a pressing cloth. Skip ironing if the label prohibits it. ### Does a pressing cloth stop shiny marks on trousers? It can reduce direct soleplate contact, which is helpful on fabrics prone to shine. Heat, pressure and the layers beneath the fabric also matter. Test a hidden area and use light pressure. ### Can I iron straight over a printed logo with a cloth? Check the garment and print instructions. If they say to avoid the graphic, work on the surrounding fabric only. A cloth still passes heat to the decoration. ### Should I move the iron back and forth through the cloth? For a small crease or seam, lower the iron gently, lift it and reposition. Moving the iron sideways can shift the cloth or pull a panel out of alignment. **Everyday Garment Care** We research manufacturer instructions and product specifications to explain practical garment care and equipment choices. 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