How to Iron a Graduation Gown

Iron a graduation gown carefully to remove wrinkles.

As a graduate prepares for her big commencement day, many details will fill the schedule. Do not overlook one seemingly small detail by forgetting that your graduation gown may have unsightly wrinkles. Because of the packaging, when you remove your graduation gown from the plastic, it likely has fold wrinkles in the fabric of the gown. Iron a graduation gown carefully to avoid scorching the fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Iron
• Hand towel
• Ironing board

Instructions

1. Set the iron to a low heat with steam and allow it to heat up.

2. Place the graduation gown over the ironing board and smooth the gown fabric on the board.

3. Place the towel over the fabric of the gown.

4. Iron the gown over the towel. Keep the iron moving at all times when it is on the towel to prevent the possibility of scorching the fabric.

5. Readjust the gown fabric when you finish ironing one area. Replace the towel over the gown, and iron again in the same fashion.

6. Focus your ironing efforts especially on the horizontal creases from the fold lines. These creases are often high across the chest and lower across the pelvis area. Place the towel over these areas and make sure you carefully iron these areas to remove the horizontal creases.

7. Continue ironing the gown in small sections until you finish ironing the entire gown.

8. Hang the gown on a hanger immediately when you finish ironing it.

Tips & Warnings

• If the low heat setting of the iron does not seem hot enough to remove the wrinkles, raise the iron temperature slowly. Do not increase the heat more than medium.

• Hang the graduation gown in a steamy bathroom for 15 or 20 minutes. The steam from the hot water will also remove many wrinkles without ironing.

• Never allow the hot iron to touch the synthetic fabric of the gown at any time without the towel between the iron and the fabric. You might easily burn a hole through the fabric with the heat of the iron, even with only a split second of contact.

References

• De Anza College: Graduation Information
• Columbus Technical College: Graduation