How to Iron Bedding: Duvet Covers & Sheets in 7 Steps

Last updated: 21 October 2026

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Quick answer: fold the duvet cover or sheet into a square before you iron it, not after. Fold it in half, then in half again lengthways, iron the top layer in sections on the hottest setting the label allows with plenty of steam, slide it along the board, then turn it over. Iron bedding slightly damp, do the buttons up first, and move each finished section onto a table so it does not re-crease. For fitted sheets, do the corners over the end of the board, then the middle. You do not have to iron bedding at all; if you do, a steam generator makes the job quicker, mainly because you never stop to refill.

The iron that makes bedding quick

Best steam generator for bedding Tefal Pro Express Vision GV9820 (£££). Check price

How we chose these picks

We compared the manufacturers’ published specifications, independent UK tests and reviews (including Expert Reviews: Steam iron vs steam generator iron, Which? (2021): 10 ironing tips to get clothes looking their best, Ideal Home (2020): How to iron a duvet cover, according to Lynsey Queen of Clean, Cleanipedia (Unilever, updated 2023): Top ironing tips), and recurring themes in verified owner reviews. We checked that every product was on sale in the UK when this page was last updated, and we re-check stock every month. We do not hands-on test products ourselves, and we say so on every review. Commission from retailer links never affects which products we pick. Read how we research.

Our pick for bedding

Tefal Pro Express Vision GV9821 3000 W 1,2 L Durilium AirGlide Autoclean soleplate Noir, Argent

Best steam generator for bedding

Tefal Pro Express Vision GV9820: Best steam generator for bedding

Pressure: 9 bar
Continuous steam: 180g/min
Boost: 750g/min
Tank: 1.2L

Tefal quotes 180g/min of continuous steam and a 1.2L tank, which is why a steam generator suits large flat items like duvet covers, and its LED lights the fabric ahead of the plate.

Full review, pros and cons in our best steam generator irons guide

Check price on Amazon UK

Do you need to iron bedding at all?

No. Bedding works just as well creased, and plenty of people skip it. In a 2020 ITV This Morning viewer poll reported by Ideal Home, 62 per cent said they do not iron their duvet covers and 38 per cent said they do. It was a viewer poll rather than a representative survey, so treat it as a rough guide.

Fabric decides a lot. Linen and cotton percale crease heavily in the wash and benefit from ironing. Polycotton and brushed cotton come out of the dryer nearly flat, so there is little to gain. If you only iron one thing, iron the pillowcases and the top third of the duvet cover, because that is what you see.

Before you start

Check the care label. Three dots on the iron symbol means 200°C maximum, two dots 150°C and one dot 110°C, according to the GINETEX care-label standard. Cotton and linen bedding is usually labelled three dots; polycotton often two. Check the label.
Iron bedding slightly damp. Which? says creases are easiest to remove while fabric is still damp, so take it in before it is bone dry, or mist it.
Cut creases before they form. Lynsey Crombie, the cleaning expert known as Queen of Clean, recommends tumble dryer balls so bedding separates in the dryer, and line drying where possible.
Do a few of the buttons or poppers up. Crombie says fastening them keeps the cover in shape.

Step 1: fold the duvet cover into a square

Hold the cover by two corners of the closed end and give it a shake. Fold it in half so the open end meets the closed end, then in half again lengthways. Crombie’s tip is to “keep pulling it” from corner to corner as you fold, so the layers sit square with no slack. You now have a square about a quarter of the cover’s size, four layers thick.

The Tefal UK blog gives the same method for sheets: fold lengthwise and work with horizontal strokes from the centre to the outer edge.

Step 2: set the board up next to a table

Put the board lengthways beside a dining table or the bed, at roughly the same height. Cleanipedia (Unilever’s laundry site) says the hardest part of a duvet cover is the amount of material, and recommends moving each finished section onto the table so it does not fall on the floor and re-crease.

Fill the tank and let the iron heat fully so it does not spit.

Step 3: iron the top layer in sections

Lay one end of the folded square on the board. Iron the top layer in long, straight strokes with steam, then slide the fabric along the board and do the next section, moving the finished part onto the table. Which? says to use long straight strokes, because wiggling the iron stretches fabric.

Leave the folded edges alone. Cleanipedia’s warning is worth repeating: “Make sure you don’t iron over the edges unless you want a line running down your cover.” Press up to the fold but not across it.

Step 4: turn it over and do the other side

Flip the folded square and iron the other face the same way. Cleanipedia says that, depending on the thickness of the material, you may still need to open the cover up, refold it the other way and iron it again. If you only do one side, do the one that shows on the bed.

Step 5: flat sheets

A flat sheet is the easy one. Fold it in half lengthways and then in half again, iron it in sections from the centre outwards, slide, and repeat. Only the top third shows once it is tucked in.

Step 6: fitted sheets

Fitted sheets never lie flat. Cleanipedia’s method is to fold the sheet so you have two pairs of elastic corners, stretch one pair over the end of the ironing board and smooth the fabric before ironing it. Do the second pair the same way, then keep the sheet folded and iron the middle in sections like a duvet cover.

Keep the iron off the elastic, because heat damages it. And do not iron the sheet on the bed to save time: memory foam and latex mattresses are not heat-proof, and the surface is too soft to press on.

Step 7: make the bed straight away, with hotel corners

Put the bedding on the bed while it is still warm. The flat sheet goes on with hotel corners (also called hospital corners), which keep it tight and crease-free:

Lay the sheet with equal overhang each side and tuck the whole bottom edge under the foot of the mattress.
At one bottom corner, lift the hanging side of the sheet about 30 to 40cm up from the foot of the bed and lay it on top of the mattress, so the fabric forms a triangle at 45 degrees to the corner.
Tuck the part still hanging below the mattress under it.
Drop the triangle back down, line the fold up with the corner of the mattress, and tuck it under.
Repeat on the other corner, then smooth the top.

Put the duvet cover on and smooth it from the top down with flat hands.

When does a steam generator earn its keep?

Expert Reviews says steam generators “suit larger items, heavily creased clothes and bed linen”, while standard irons are good all-rounders for lightly creased clothing. Tefal says a steam generator suits anyone with many sheets to iron.

	Steam iron	Steam generator
Water tank	Up to about 400 to 450ml (Expert Reviews)	1.2 to 2.2 litres (Expert Reviews)
Refills for a double duvet set	Usually one or two	None: fill and boil once for the whole pile (Expert Reviews)
Steam	From the iron; drops while you hold the button	Pressurised from the base, constant while you hold the trigger
Layers flattened per pass	Mostly the top layer	More than the top layer, depending on thickness

If you iron bedding for one bed every fortnight, a good steam iron with a big tank and a strong steam shot is enough. If you iron bedding for a family every week, or you iron linen, a steam generator saves the refills and the waiting. It needs a sturdy board with a rest for the base; see best ironing board for a steam generator.

Common mistakes

Ironing it flat and open. The cover slides off the board and the finished half re-creases on the floor. Fold first.
Pressing over the folded edges. It puts four sharp lines down the cover that look worse than creases.
Ironing over the buttons. Plastic buttons can melt. Work round them with the tip.

If you would rather not iron bedding, take it in just damp, put it on the bed and smooth it with your hands; the creases drop as it dries. A handheld steamer relaxes creases on a made bed. Our iron temperature settings guide covers cotton, linen, polycotton and silk pillowcases.

Frequently asked questions

How do you iron a duvet cover without it going everywhere?

Fold it into a square first, iron the square in sections, and move each finished section onto a table beside the board.

Should you iron bedding inside out?

Only if it is dark or printed and could shine. Plain cotton can be ironed right side out, which is the side that shows on the bed.

What temperature do you iron bed sheets at?

The setting on the care label: three dots (up to 200°C) for cotton and linen, two dots (150°C) for polycotton, and one dot for silk or satin pillowcases.

How do you iron a fitted sheet?

Pair the elastic corners, stretch each pair over the end of the board in turn, then iron the middle folded; step 6 has the detail.

Can I iron a sheet while it is on the bed?

It is not a good idea. Many mattresses contain memory foam or latex that is not heat-proof, and the soft surface stops the iron pressing properly.

Is a steam generator worth it just for bedding?

If you iron bedding every week for more than one bed, yes, mainly because you never stop to refill. Otherwise a steam iron copes; see when a steam generator earns its keep.

How to Iron Bedding: Duvet Covers and Sheets in 7 Steps