Can Parchment Paper Protect Delicate Fabrics From An Iron? Here's Our Hot Take On It

Laundry hacks: Great ideas and helpful for a chore that never ends or the downfall of your fabrics? While there are plenty of clever ones out there, including some creative laundry hacks by Martha Stewart and laundry hacks that leave your clothes smelling fresh, new hacks can leave you wondering how effective they will be. One trick that has appeared in internet searches for protecting certain fabrics that are considered more delicate than others (think silks and satins), is placing parchment paper between the iron and the material to act as a buffer or barrier from the intense heat. 

This hack has been touted to work, but does it really, or is it just another trick to try and check off as "never again?" That was my question, especially as someone who didn't even know you needed to worry about your delicates under the iron. I know there are different settings, but I figured the basics (don't leave the iron on fabric too long, only steam certain materials, always turn the iron off when you're done) were all common knowledge and that was that. However, it seems using a layer of parchment paper between delicate fabrics and the iron can protect them not only from the heat but from water stains, too.

It's important to choose the correct paper and understand the difference between wax and parchment paper, because while they may look similar, they are not the same. Parchment paper can be used in the oven at high temperatures. The silicone coating, which is heat resistant, shouldn't transfer onto clothes or other materials, whereas wax paper can overheat, melt, singe, or catch fire — not ideal. 

It seems like an easy enough theory to prove or disprove, which is why I purchased a fresh spool of parchment paper to try it. I opted for a roll of Reynolds Kitchen to keep it simple. Certain materials like silk and satin are most likely to benefit from this trick, especially since these should not be steam cleaned in the first place, and the drawbacks seemed minimal even if the paper didn't make a difference. So, with my new spool in hand, it was time to test the theory.

I decided to try this hack first on a scarf that is a silky material but not one of my most expensive pieces to make sure there was no damage from trying it out. While it seemed unlikely that the parchment paper would affect the scarf negatively, I didn't want to take any chances with a designer brand until I knew the results. One of the biggest reasons people on the internet recommend placing parchment paper between certain materials and the iron is to protect the fabric from water stains caused by the steam. These can happen on silky fabrics especially, discoloring them or causing them to fade if the water isn't removed or rubbed out.

Laying my scarf flat on the ironing board, I did not bother using the steam feature on my iron for the first test. I then laid the paper over the scarf. Since both sides of the paper is coated, it doesn't matter which is up or down, but I made sure to smooth it out to avoid creases as I wasn't sure if those could affect the material beneath. I gently swiped the iron over the paper, going back and forth a few times to remove any wrinkles and dry up any moisture.

After the first round of ironing with the parchment paper, I noticed that the scarf seemed just as smooth as standard fabrics that I would use an iron on without parchment paper. The material was smooth and warm but not sizzling hot, which was a comfort since it seemed like the paper acted as a heat shield between the hot iron and the delicate fabric. It only took one to two swipes of the iron to get rid of fold lines and wrinkles, leaving the scarf crease-free.

The second test I performed included pumping steam onto the scarf with the parchment paper over the top. This worked extremely well, allowing moisture that helps remove wrinkles to work through the paper. With steam, the scarf only needed one swipe and the wrinkles disappeared. I even dropped a few water droplets by mistake directly onto the material, but after placing the parchment paper over these and ironing, the droplets dried with zero trace they had ever been there.

While aluminum foil once held the award for the unexpected pantry staple that cuts ironing time in half, it may be this underdog that actually makes this task a little less daunting. Using parchment paper to iron materials like silk and satin has proven, in my case, to be a massive success. Not only does the paper protect the delicate material, but it seems to remove creases in seconds and without a lot of effort, making ironing a breeze. It was nice to use the steam setting without worrying about leaving water stains on the material, and it also seemed less abrasive thanks to the thin but slightly less intense contact of the iron on the fabric.

I used the same piece of paper for multiple sections of the scarf, and at no point did the paper rip or give any indication it was providing any less protection. A small to medium strip of parchment paper can easily work for ironing several delicate pieces from your wardrobe before it needs to be thrown out. Not only is this hack extremely effective, but it gives peace of mind when tending to coveted items you don't want to ruin but can't be worn with wrinkles. It proved to be a simple, effective trick to make laundry tasks a little less stressful.