Style Clothing Care How to Iron Pants for a Crisp and Wrinkle-Free Look Follow the simple steps in this video for a quick, flawless press―with creases or without. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 28, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email In This Article View All In This Article How to Iron Pants Frequently Asked Questions Photo: Gregory Van Gansen/Getty Images Project Overview Working Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes Skill Level: Beginner Even as work dress codes get more casual, there are times when we all need to pull out an iron and make sure our clothes look as crisp and put-together as possible. Figuring out how to iron pants can be particularly challenging if your ironing skills are a bit rusty. However, once you know the correct steps, it's a breeze. So, watch along for our video tutorial and follow the steps below for a quick, flawless press―with creases or without. What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Iron Materials Ironing board Pair of pants Instructions How to Iron Pants Iron the pockets Turn pants inside out. Iron pockets first, laying them flat against the board. Iron fly, seams, and hems Stefania Pelfini, La Waziya Photography/Getty Images Iron the fly area of the pants, then the seams and hem of the first leg. Go back and forth for a nice, flat finish. Repeat on opposite leg, then turn the pants right-side out. Iron the waistband Slip the waistband around the board’s narrow end, with the fly facing the floor. Iron waistband, rotating pants around the board as you go. Iron lightly over the pockets to avoid creating creases with their outline. Iron the legs Viktar Savanevich / EyeEm/Getty Images Fold the pants lengthwise to line up the legs, then lay pants on the board. Flip one leg up to iron the inside of the bottom leg, working in sections all the way to the crotch. Then flip pants over to iron the outside of that leg. Repeat this step on the other pant leg. To avoid a side crease, iron just out to (but not directly over) the edge of each leg. Set creases with steam To create a front crease on your pant legs, align inseams and lay pants on board. Iron directly over the edges of the legs or give pants a burst of steam along the edge while holding the iron a few inches above the fabric. Hang pants right away—and don’t forget to unplug your iron. Frequently Asked Questions Can you iron all types of pants? Many different pant types and materials can be ironed. However, it's important to take a look at the care label on your garment to determine whether or not it should be ironed, and see which heat settings are recommended. Learn More: How to Decode Laundry Symbols So You Can Care For Your Clothes Like a Pro Can I remove wrinkles from pants without an iron? Yes, if you're short on time (or don't have an iron around), you can get wrinkles out of pants without using an iron. Instead, simply toss them in the dryer with a damp towel. The damp towel will create steam and help release wrinkles. Learn More: 7 Genius Ways to Get Wrinkles Out of Your Clothes—Without an Iron