Our top pick, the Bounce Rapid Touch-up Wrinkle Releaser, works on a variety of fabrics.
Rena Behar is a freelance journalist and editor focusing on tech, travel, and gender. She has contributed to Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy, and more.
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It’s hard to stay wrinkle-free when you’re on the road, especially if you’re regularly moving from city to city and constantly repacking your bag. Luckily, with the help of wrinkle-release sprays, your clothes can look as sleek at the end of your trip as they do when you step out of your house.
“For my money, I’d suggest they are more effective than any travel steamer,” says Shakib Nassiri, founder of Wama Underwear. “Nearly all wrinkle sprays can have a fragrance so it is important to find one you like yourself. I would also suggest finding an eco-friendly wrinkle spray too, especially if you are flying regularly. Your effect on the environment can add up, but you can still stay fresh and crease-free for any occasion.”
Our favorite spray is the Bounce Rapid Touch-up Wrinkle Releaser thanks to its fresh scent and fabric versatility, but our list includes a spray for all types of travelers.
Why We Love It: This spray is effective, eliminates static, and is freshly scented, plus it can work on almost any fabric. What to Consider: It only comes in one scent.
Bounce is a go-to brand for all your laundry needs, so it's no surprise they make a great wrinkle-release spray. You can use it on your everyday laundry as well as more delicate items like silk and wool or thicker fabrics like suits, coats, or curtains. Even though it's gentle enough to be used on any fabric, it's also powerful enough that you'll want to stick this travel-sized bottle in your daily bag or carry-on to make sure you look your best wherever you go. You can even use it on dry-clean items so all your clothes will be equally fresh and wrinkle-free.
Price at time of publish: $16
Sizes Available: 3 or 9.7 ounces | Pump Type: Varies by size | Odor Eliminating: Yes | Best For: All fabrics
Why We Love It: This classic brand gets results without damaging your fabric. What to Consider: There’s no unscented version available.
This classic laundry brand stays true to its industry reputation with a wrinkle releaser that can be used on basically anything. The Downy wrinkle releaser works by relaxing fibers so you can easily smooth out the creases that may have developed from overly ambitious packing, and reduces static while it’s at it. It comes in “light fresh” or “crisp linen” scents, so you don’t have to worry about any mustiness your clothes may have picked up. It also comes with a squeeze spray handle – which is great if you prefer that to a push-down spray top – and you can buy it in packs of up to 12 if you really need to stock up.
Sizes Available: 33.8, 19.4, 16.9, or 3 ounces | Pump Type: Varies by size | Odor Eliminating: Yes | Best For: All fabrics
Why We Love It: This plant-based spray comes in both unscented and scented options. What to Consider: The brand says to avoid use on 100 percent synthetic fabrics. It also won’t work on 100 percent polyester.
The Cold Iron wrinkle spray is gentle enough for clothes while still working on curtains and other heavier fabrics; just spray, smooth out the item, and hang it until dry. There’s an unscented version available for sensitive sniffers, which we appreciate. You can also opt for cranberry citrus or a citrus mint and sea breeze combo set with full-size citrus mint and travel-size sea breeze sprays. Unfortunately, Cord Iron doesn’t recommend their product for use on synthetic fabrics or items that are 100 percent polyester, so your wrinkly workout wear may have to wait.
Price at time of publish: $18
Sizes Available: 32 or 3 ounces | Pump Type: Varies by size | Odor Eliminating: No | Best For: All fabrics except synthetics and polyester
Why We Love It: If you want a different spray style, this aerosol provides consistent, easy results. What to Consider: Since it’s pressurized aerosol, you can’t put it in your checked baggage, and it’s also too large for carry-ons, so it won't be your best option for air travel.
After you hang up and spray the offending item, simply keep it hanging up for at least 5 to 10 minutes until it's completely dry and it should be ready to go. This spray will keep your clothes both smooth and free of static cling, and the “fresh scent” should get rid of any residual funkiness. Unfortunately, this spray is better suited for road trips or cruises (or home use) than air travel. Since it’s only available in a 10-ounce size, you can’t put it in your carry-on bag, and because it's pressurized aerosol it's not allowed in checked baggage, either.
Price at time of publish: $30
Sizes Available: 10 ounces | Pump Type: Aerosol (push-down) | Odor Eliminating: Yes | Best For: All fabrics
Why We Love It: In addition to being easy to use, it comes in unscented or scented options and uses plant-based ingredients. What to Consider: The spray isn’t recommended for use on silk, rayon, or 100 percent polyester.
Grove’s wrinkle spray has a large squeeze handle to make getting full coverage of your clothing or linens a breeze, without exhausting your spray finger. Simply spray, then flatten or hang the wrinkled item. There’s an unscented version for the fragrance-sensitive, or a lavender and rosemary scent if you want to add some extra freshness to your clothing. We also appreciate that it’s made with post-consumer recycled packaging. Note that if you want to fly with this spray, you’ll either need to check it or decant some into a smaller spray bottle, and it’s not recommended for use on silk, rayon, or 100 percent polyester.
Price at time of publish: $7
Sizes Available: 8 ounces | Pump Type: Squeeze handle | Odor Eliminating: No | Best For: All fabrics except silk, rayon, and polyester
Why We Love It: This all-in-one product will keep you looking (and smelling) fresh on the go. What to Consider: The spray may leave spots on silk or rayon, so be sure to test on a small piece before spraying all over.
Grandma's Secret is known for removing set stains with what seems to be magic – and their wrinkle remover is no different. Not only does it remove wrinkles when you're away from your iron, but it eliminates odors, leaving your items looking — and smelling — perfectly clean. Because of its fresh scent, this is a great option for maintaining delicate items like sweaters, suits, and dresses that you may not want to wash after every wear. You can also buy these packable bottles to test out on your next trip and then use the 16-ounce bottle to refill them as you need.
Price at time of publish: $14
Sizes Available: 3 ounces or 16 ounces | Pump Type: Push-down | Odor Eliminating: Yes | Best For: All fabrics
Why We Love It: This is an eco-friendly product that uses plant-based and cruelty free ingredients. What to Consider: For deep wrinkles and creases, you may still need to use an iron.
Begley's plant-based formula uses all cruelty-free ingredients, essential oils for its scent, and a biodegradable bottle, so you can truly feel great about using this product. The use of natural products means it's also totally safe on your clothing and will eliminate wrinkles gently without harsh chemicals that can ruin fabrics. This wrinkle-release spray is simple to use and perfect for a quick refresh when you're in a hurry. Simply spray the product, pull the fabric tight, and your items should be looking wrinkle-free in less than five minutes.
Price at time of publish: $7
Sizes Available: 3 ounces or 16 ounces | Pump Type: Push-down | Odor Eliminating: No | Best For: All fabrics
Some sprays aren’t compatible with certain fabrics, like synthetics or silk. If you frequently travel with clothing made of certain fabrics, you’ll want to confirm that the spray you choose is compatible with those clothes. If you're not sure about a particular garment, spray a small section on the inside to see if it leaves a stain before spraying the entire piece.
In terms of having access to the spray when you need it, keep the TSA’s travel regulations in mind. Wrinkle-release spray counts as a liquid, so it needs to be less than 3.4 ounces to go into your carry-on bag. You also can’t put aerosols into your checked luggage, so that will be an important consideration if you plan to fly with your spray.
If you’re sensitive to smells, you may want to opt for a spray that comes in an unscented version to make sure you aren’t irritated by any scents lingering on your fabric. If you're looking for a scent to freshen up your clothing, we recommend purchasing travel-size sprays first to find a scent you like before committing to a larger bottle.
There are some slight variations in how to use a wrinkle spray, so the most important thing is to follow the instructions on the bottle. Usually, you’ll start by hanging up the garment or spreading it out flat. Then do a spot test in a small, unobtrusive location to make sure the spray won’t damage the fabric. Once it’s been tested, spray the garment wherever it’s wrinkled until it’s slightly damp, then smooth it out with your hands. You may then need to wait a few minutes for the spray to dry.
“Just spray your garment, smooth your fabric with your hand and let the fabric sit for a moment,” Thomas says. “The tip is to not pull at your garment too much, as you don't want to stretch the material.”
It does seem like magic, but it’s really just chemistry. “Wrinkle sprays act by relaxing the fibers in your garment’s fabric so that wrinkles can naturally release from the fabric,” Nassiri says. “It’s certainly not as effective as ironing but in certain situations it can be great. Many people use it when traveling as no matter how you pack your clothes, the pressure in the airplane’s hold, and the way that the clothes are folded on top of each other, means that you will always end up with wrinkles.”
Rena Behar has been covering the best travel gear and other products for outlets including Wirecutter, New York magazine, Travel + Leisure, and more since 2014 (and refusing to iron her clothes for even longer). Taylor Fox is a Travel + Leisure commerce writer who used her extensive product and travel knowledge to recommend the best wrinkle-release sprays for all readers. We also conducted extensive research through customer reviews and other published assessments, and heard from Grace Thomas, founder and lead stylist of personal wardrobe styling company Builtgracefully, and Shakib Nassiri, founder of Wama Underwear.
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