How to smooth out paper and crumpled money

How to iron safely

Smoothing out crumpled paper with an iron is one of the most common and, at the same time, most risky methods. Therefore, precautions must be taken:

Make sure that the iron is in working order, as well as that its power matches the electrical outlet used.
Initially set the minimum temperature so that the sheet does not dry out and the paint does not melt.
The increase in iron temperature should be smooth and gradual. You can't take it to the maximum level.

How to dry and level books

Before drying and straightening a wet book, remove moisture from the pages using a white towel or napkin and separate the pages. Place the book half-open and place blotting paper between the sheets.

Leave in a well-ventilated area, you can turn on the fan. Monitor drying and, if necessary, carefully separate stuck pages.

You can also use the extreme method of drying the book in the refrigerator. To do this, remove as much moisture as possible from the pages using a towel, napkin and blotters. Then place the book in a ziplock bag and seal.

There should be air left in the bag. Place the book in the freezer and leave for one to two weeks. By the way, you can also stretch your shoes using a freezer. For more information on what to do if your shoes are too small or too tight, see.

How to quickly straighten paper

To quickly straighten a crumpled sheet, roll the document on the edge of the table. This method will eliminate strong and major creases. Try making a photocopy of a document on a large copier, which will press the paper hard. A home appliance may not be able to handle this task, and the copy will end up with wrinkled lines and streaks.

Another original method is to run the sheet through the printer without printing on it. The device will eliminate light creases. However, this method is only applicable if the paper format is suitable for the printer. To straighten wrinkled paper, do not use a straightening iron, curling iron or hair dryer! Otherwise, you will irreversibly damage the document or notebook.

If the paper is very wrinkled, you can smooth it out using a press and an iron. Thus, you will smooth out any document, sheet, notepad and notebook, banknote and even wrapping paper. In addition, such methods are also suitable for smoothing files. Let's find out how to do this.

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Basic ironing methods at home

Still, an alternative to the electric iron exists. This is confirmed by the successful use of steam, a wet towel and other home remedies.

Steam

This group of ironing methods without an iron contains those that are based on the action of superheated liquid. The desired effect is achieved in different ways, depending on what is available.

From the teapot

We achieve the desired condition of the item with less effort. To do this, you will need an electric or regular enameled (stainless) kettle. The steam coming out of the spout delicately smoothes wrinkled folds of clothing. Doesn't work over large areas.

Steam room

Using a sauna or bathhouse as an ironing unit is an expensive pleasure. But, in a pinch, this will do. A bathroom overflowing with hot steam generated as a result of filling a bathtub or shower tray with boiling water is also a suitable option to replace an iron.

Hot bath

A relatively simple and effective method. It requires:

hot water bath;
half an hour of free time;
spare hangers for hanging clothes.

Under the influence of fumes, the fabric gradually smoothes out, and the clothes acquire a presentable appearance.

Hot iron mug

A kind of miniature iron, the granddaughter of an ancient steam grandfather. To iron, you will need an enamel or steel mug, which must be clean on the outside. It must be heated (filled with boiling water). Contact of metal with the fabric of clothing inevitably causes a smoothing effect.

Wet towel

The damp cotton fabric that makes up the towel is an excellent substitute for an electric iron. The method is suitable for sweaters, T-shirts, pullovers

It’s just important not to overdo it with moisturizing, so that the clothes don’t have to be dried later.

Self-smoothing solution

The magic composition, designed to help smooth clothes, is not difficult to prepare. You will need:

vinegar;
water;
fabric softener;
spray.

The components are mixed in a 1:1:1 ratio and poured into a spray bottle. Next, all that remains is to spray the product onto the clothes being treated, and then wait for the liquid to evaporate from the fabric.

Spray

A household spray bottle filled with water is an effective alternative to an electric iron. It is necessary to spray the clothing, evenly distributing the liquid over the surface, and then dry it. As the water evaporates, it will have a smoothing effect on the fabric.

Under the mattress

The old proven method “without an iron” for students and housewives. Helps solve problems with wrinkled clothes, but requires extra time. Before going to bed, the item is carefully placed under the mattress, and by the morning it will be as good as new.

Wet hand

To quickly smooth out wrinkles on clothes when you don’t have much time for it, you can use your own hands. It is enough to wet your palm, then lightly rub it over the fabric, being careful not to wet it too much.

red-hot lamp

A hot incandescent lamp is suitable if you need to restore not too wrinkled, small-sized laundry. For example, a T-shirt or tank top.

Stretching

First wet it, and then put it, slightly stretching it, under some heavy, flat object. These are the components of this method. It will work like using an iron, only without heating the fabric and a little longer.

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Hair curlers

If you have hair straightening irons in the house, then they will also work for ironing clothes. You need to operate the device carefully, first making sure that there is no hair or varnish inside.

Hot can

A large glass vessel with hot water will help tidy up a scarf, tie or T-shirt. It’s difficult to iron jeans, especially a suit, this way.

Curling iron

A curling iron in a travel bag or backpack takes up much less space than an electric iron. With some skill, it will help restore a crumpled tie, a small fragment (sleeve) of clothing or a trouser leg.

Hopelessly wrinkled pants will be restored if the fabric is slightly wetted and then hung on hangers, slightly weighting the edges. The main problem is securing the load to the clothing.

How to straighten paper if it is wrinkled

One of the properties of paper is that it can wrinkle. This can happen with a valuable document, with handwritten text, or with watercolor works.

When smoothing out crumpled documents and copyright works, it is important to take into account the thickness and type of paper that is printed on it. Straightening office documents will require less time and effort. It will take more effort to straighten whatman paper or watercolor work.

To reduce the consequences, you can test different straightening methods on part of a crumpled document or on a less valuable similar sheet.

There are several methods for smoothing paper documents and works.

Under pressure

The essence of the method is that a sheet of paper is smoothed out under the weight of the load.

The cargo can be:

books;
heavy equipment;
pieces of furniture;
sports equipment;
other heavy objects.

Mode of application:

First, you need to moisten the paper a little with clean water. Water will help smooth out damaged areas and soften the paper. It is convenient to do this by spraying water on it from a fine spray bottle, at a distance of about 40 cm. Another option is to carefully, so as not to tear it, walk over the sheet with a dampened and wrung out soft sponge. To moisten the sheet, you can place a damp, but not wet, towel on it for a short time.

You need to act very carefully, because water can wash away the paint applied to the paper. It is better to spray water on the opposite side of the paper from the paint.
After the sheet is wet, it is straightened by hand and placed between two pieces of highly absorbent material. These can be blotting pads, a paper napkin without embossing, felt and other options.
After this procedure, the paper in absorbent material can be placed under the press.
Next you need to be patient. Leave the paper for 12 hours, then check its condition. If it is still wet, replace the absorbent with a dry one. Even a heavily moistened sheet should dry out in three to four days.

Lightly moisten the document with distilled water from a spray bottle at a distance of at least 30 centimeters. Or blot the sheet with a damp cloth;
Remember that water will wash out chalk, water-based inks and watercolors. In this case, moisten the sheet from the back side;
If the watercolor paper is wrinkled, you should not use water at all. Place dry sheets under the press;
Place the crumpled paper between blotting sheets, wool felt or other material that absorbs moisture. It is better not to use paper towels, as text or drawings may be imprinted on the product;
Place the resulting stack on a hard horizontal surface and smooth it out with your hands. Then place heavy objects on top. This could be a stack of books or other cargo;
Leave the paper to dry completely. Check every day to see if the sheets are dry. Change absorbent materials as necessary. Slightly damp paper dries in one to two days, completely damp sheets take up to four days to dry.

Before drying and straightening a wet book, remove moisture from the pages using a white towel or napkin and separate the pages. Place the book half-open and place blotting paper between the sheets.

Leave in a well-ventilated area, you can turn on the fan. Monitor drying and, if necessary, carefully separate stuck pages.

Methods for smoothing out wrinkled paper

Since it has already been said that paper can be smoothed easily, it is now worth discussing the question of methods that fully answer the question of how to smooth paper. There are several effective methods:

Under pressure;
Iron;
Professional methods.

Each method has its own advantages and ease of use; to be sure of this, you need to understand how and what to do.

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Professional methods

If the value of the document is high, it is better not to take risks and give it to specialists.

Restorers

To straighten a sheet of paper that is of particular value, you can use the services of archivists and restorers. They will help restore even old paper or paintings.

Professional moisturizing

Water, of course, helps smooth out and restore the structure of paper, but professionals know that it can also ruin the document forever. Therefore, before using methods on how to straighten a sheet of paper using water, it is better to try them on a draft.

The method is very dangerous at home - you can accidentally spill water on the paper, or mold may grow on it. Experts sometimes impregnate the sheet with special substances against fungi. But if you use them at home, there is a risk of ruining not only the document, but also your health.

Professional drying

You also need to dry the paper carefully, as it can shrink or ripple. In case of leveling it under a press, experts recommend clamping the document between two absorbent pads in a vice.

On a note

When you need to act quickly and straightening the paper with an iron or press is not possible, then getting rid of, although not all, folds is also possible. Just roll the document on the edge of the table or nightstand.

If circumstances allow, make a photocopy of the document. There are large photocopiers in special places that will smooth out the sheet and not photocopy dark lines from creases.

It is possible to save a damaged sheet of paper. Arm yourself with patience and everything will work out!

Iron

An equally well-known option for smoothing paper is using an iron. It is worth noting that this option is more risky, and small marks from the folds will still remain. You can remove folds by wet ironing, but during this procedure the colors may fade and the sheet of paper may tear. You can save the sheet and make it even by carrying out the procedure extremely carefully and carefully.

Important! If a crumpled sheet of paper is a particularly valuable document, the restoration of which is difficult, then the method should be tested on a small or inconspicuous area of the sheet.

Dry

When choosing this method you need:

Place the crumpled paper on the ironing board and straighten it with your hands.
Cover the top with a thick piece of fabric.
Turn on the iron, setting its temperature to the minimum level. It should not be heated too much, as the paper sheet will become brittle or yellowed as a result of overdrying.
Stroke the sheet through the fabric several times, and after a minute check what condition it is in. If creases and bruises remain, repeat the steps, slightly increasing the temperature of the iron. You need to iron on the clean side of the paper, where there are no inscriptions or images.

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For sheets of paper with ink or watercolors applied, only dry ironing can be used.

Using a heavy load

Heaviness smooths out wrinkles. The cargo is:

3-4 copies of bulky and heavy books;
massive equipment, interior items, furniture;
Sports Equipment;
flat metal parts.

After choosing the cargo, it is important to consider the nuances:

To obtain the result, the leaf is moistened. A damp cloth, rag or fine spray will do.
Moisten the back of the paper. There should be no paint, ink, pencil, or chalk on it.
The napkin is used as a blotter and placed under the paper.
Slightly moistened paper is placed under a weight and left to straighten for a day.

If the result is not satisfactory, the severity is left for the next 24-48 hours. The procedure will straighten severe creases.

A document with inscriptions and drawings printed on it must not be wetted. Allowed to straighten dry.