HELP. Quick question.

[Ellen]

My son graduates tonight.

However, he picked his gown up Wed. and I immediately took it out of the package it was folded in and hung it up. But it''s still got wrinkles all over. It''s 100% Polyester, and says : Do not wash/Do not dry clean. So can it be ironed? It''s that weird poly material, like if you get it too hot you''ll melt it. I don''t have a steamer, and the iron''s steamer has never worked well for me.

Any suggestions?

 

[meresal]

Steam up a small bathroom with hot shower water, and go in and pull out some of the wrinkles?

You put it in the dryer on spin with low heat for longer period of time, or higher heat for short period.

ETA: Call a local dry cleaner, and see if they will steam it real quick for you.

 

[Lorelei]

Put a clean dishtowel on the gown and iron over that, I use this method on tricky fabrics and it work well.

 

[princesss]

Put it in the bathroom and run a really hot shower for a while. That should fix it. I just took mine into the bathroom with me the day of graduation and left it there while I showered. It worked just fine!

 

[Elmorton]

Ditto to the shower trick and the towel trick. I''ve used both on graduation gowns.

But moreover - not gonna lie, at graduation ceremonies, almost everyone has the same creases in their gowns (like a new shower curtain) because they''re hard to get out, so if your son isn''t too stressed about it, I wouldn''t be either.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 5/29/2009 11:30:57 AM
Author: princesss
Put it in the bathroom and run a really hot shower for a while. That should fix it. I just took mine into the bathroom with me the day of graduation and left it there while I showered. It worked just fine!

I second this. Do not iron! It really WILL melt - one of my high school classmates melted hers doing this. If you have a decent blowdryer, that will help too, since it won''t get it quite as hot. Just pull it tight as you blow dry slowly down it. I do this with shirts all the time when I''m in a hurry.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 5/29/2009 11:32:57 AM
Author: Elmorton
Ditto to the shower trick and the towel trick. I''ve used both on graduation gowns.

But moreover - not gonna lie, at graduation ceremonies, almost everyone has the same creases in their gowns (like a new shower curtain) because they''re hard to get out, so if your son isn''t too stressed about it, I wouldn''t be either.

This kid couldn''t care less, it''s all his mothers worry.

But thanks for the heads up, that does make me feel better!

Thanks all! I have tried steaming things in the bathroom before but never had much luck. However, with this material it might be easier. I shall try that now, and then if need be, try the towel ironing.

Thanks again!

 

[meresal]

Congratulations on your son's graduation Ellen!!!

 

[whitby_2773]

hi ellen

i think the girls are right in suggesting you steam in the bathroom (make sure the windows are closed - and this can take up to an hour)

failing that, as lorelei suggested, try a cloth in between the gown and an iron.

step three, however, if both of those fail is trying a DAMP cloth over the gown, then ironing that. that essentially steams the fabric. it''s tedious, but it wont burn it and it does work.

 

[strmrdr]

spray it with wrinkle relaxer it will take them right out

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 5/29/2009 12:24:16 PM
Author: whitby_2773
hi ellen

i think the girls are right in suggesting you steam in the bathroom (make sure the windows are closed - and this can take up to an hour)

failing that, as lorelei suggested, try a cloth in between the gown and an iron.

step three, however, if both of those fail is trying a DAMP cloth over the gown, then ironing that. that essentially steams the fabric. it''s tedious, but it wont burn it and it does work.

That is what my mom did to my HS graduation gown (O, so many years ago). I felt a little out of place, as I was the only one without creases.

Congrats to your son for the graduation and you for surviving to this point.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 5/29/2009 12:29:39 PM
Author: strmrdr
spray it with wrinkle relaxer it will take them right out

I agree 100%--that stuff is magical.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Congrats on your son''s graduation Ellen!! I hope the shower trick works for you - that''s what I did for my PhD grad gown and hood a couple of weeks ago, and it worked reasonably well - not 100% (i.e. not up to my mom''s standards

) but it was plenty good enough

 

[Ellen]

Date: 5/29/2009 12:43:19 PM
Author: monarch64

Date: 5/29/2009 12:29:39 PM
Author: strmrdr
spray it with wrinkle relaxer it will take them right out

I agree 100%--that stuff is magical.

Ok, you guys will get a kick out of this. I was running around doing stuff while the gown was steaming. I came back to see if there were any other suggestions, and saw this. I''d never heard of it, but it sounded a heck of a lot easier than trying to towel iron the thing. So I went in and said to my son, do me a favor and run to Walgreens and see if they have any wrinkle relaxer for me. To which he said, dead serious, I assume this is something for your face?

I then proceeded to explain what it was for, to which he then found the humor, and the explanation for why I was laughing hysterically. For the record, I am not THAT wrinkled!

The steaming really took the sharpness out of the creases, but of course it didn''t look ironed. He couldn''t find the relaxer, and after reading Jet''s post (I really do love guys opinions!), I decided to let it go. I didn''t want him feeling like a smoothly ironed misfit.

It was fine.


Thank you for all the congrats! This was momentous for a couple reasons. It was my "baby" graduating, so the last one, and my two older boys wanted nothing to do with their graduation ceremony, so we never got to do this until now. To say I was proud would be an understatement. And he graduated with honors to boot!

Thanks again for everything!

 

[Lynnie]

Date: 5/30/2009 8:23:28 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 5/29/2009 12:43:19 PM
Author: monarch64


.

Ok, you guys will get a kick out of this. I was running around doing stuff while the gown was steaming. I came back to see if there were any other suggestions, and saw this. I''d never heard of it, but it sounded a heck of a lot easier than trying to towel iron the thing. So I went in and said to my son, do me a favor and run to Walgreens and see if they have any wrinkle relaxer for me. To which he said, dead serious, I assume this is something for your face?

I then proceeded to explain what it was for, to which he then found the humor, and the explanation for why I was laughing hysterically. For the record, I am not THAT wrinkled!

The steaming really took the sharpness out of the creases, but of course it didn''t look ironed. He couldn''t find the relaxer, and after reading Jet''s post (I really do love guys opinions!), I decided to let it go. I didn''t want him feeling like a smoothly ironed misfit.

It was fine.


Thank you for all the congrats! This was momentous for a couple reasons. It was my ''baby'' graduating, so the last one, and my two older boys wanted nothing to do with their graduation ceremony, so we never got to do this until now. To say I was proud would be an understatement. And he graduated with honors to boot!

Thanks again for everything!

LOL!! That''s priceless!! Thanks for my morning laugh, Ellen!!
Congrats to your ''baby''!

 

[musincy]

Date: 5/30/2009 8:23:28 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 5/29/2009 12:43:19 PM
Author: monarch64

Date: 5/29/2009 12:29:39 PM
Author: strmrdr
spray it with wrinkle relaxer it will take them right out

I agree 100%--that stuff is magical.

Ok, you guys will get a kick out of this. I was running around doing stuff while the gown was steaming. I came back to see if there were any other suggestions, and saw this. I''d never heard of it, but it sounded a heck of a lot easier than trying to towel iron the thing. So I went in and said to my son, do me a favor and run to Walgreens and see if they have any wrinkle relaxer for me. To which he said, dead serious, I assume this is something for your face?

I then proceeded to explain what it was for, to which he then found the humor, and the explanation for why I was laughing hysterically. For the record, I am not THAT wrinkled!

The steaming really took the sharpness out of the creases, but of course it didn''t look ironed. He couldn''t find the relaxer, and after reading Jet''s post (I really do love guys opinions!), I decided to let it go. I didn''t want him feeling like a smoothly ironed misfit.

It was fine.


Thank you for all the congrats! This was momentous for a couple reasons. It was my ''baby'' graduating, so the last one, and my two older boys wanted nothing to do with their graduation ceremony, so we never got to do this until now. To say I was proud would be an understatement. And he graduated with honors to boot!

Thanks again for everything!

Congratulations to your son. That story is too funny!

Just for future reference, I like Downy Wrinkle Releaser. It''s usually right in the aisle with all the other laundry soaps, fabric softeners, etc. That stuff works wonders on EVERYTHING!

 

[Ellen]

Lynnie, thank you! And no problem, it was way too good not to pass on, even if it was at my expense.

musincy, thanks for the recommendation! I think Walgreen's just may not have carried it, as he called me from the store and I had him in the right section. Will look at target next time I'm there.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/30/2009 8:23:28 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 5/29/2009 12:43:19 PM
Author: monarch64

Date: 5/29/2009 12:29:39 PM
Author: strmrdr
spray it with wrinkle relaxer it will take them right out

I agree 100%--that stuff is magical.

Ok, you guys will get a kick out of this. I was running around doing stuff while the gown was steaming. I came back to see if there were any other suggestions, and saw this. I''d never heard of it, but it sounded a heck of a lot easier than trying to towel iron the thing. So I went in and said to my son, do me a favor and run to Walgreens and see if they have any wrinkle relaxer for me. To which he said, dead serious, I assume this is something for your face?

Kids!!!

 

[icekid]

Date: 5/29/2009 11:33:43 AM
Author: MonkeyPie

Date: 5/29/2009 11:30:57 AM

Author: princesss

Put it in the bathroom and run a really hot shower for a while. That should fix it. I just took mine into the bathroom with me the day of graduation and left it there while I showered. It worked just fine!

I second this. Do not iron! It really WILL melt - one of my high school classmates melted hers doing this. If you have a decent blowdryer, that will help too, since it won''t get it quite as hot. Just pull it tight as you blow dry slowly down it. I do this with shirts all the time when I''m in a hurry.

Happened to one of my HS friends, too. Iron VERY cautiously!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Congrats to Ellen and your baby - I can only imagine what a proud moment that was

And your story is priceless - definitely a little morning giggle!

 

[hlmr]

OMG Ellen, I am still laughing about your son''s comment.....priceless!!!

I hope you have a wonderful time at his graduation!!

 

[jet2ks]

Too funny!! Thanks for the pressure. I would have felt awful if he was out of place by being the only one not ironed. I didn't mean to not get the wrinkles out, just that it was wierd standing the receiving line and having total strangers come up and comment on how great my gown looked.

(Also for reference, there were only 23 in my graduating class, so it's not like I had many to be compared to.)

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Aww, Ellen, congrats on your son''s graduation! I''ve been using a warm iron on those graduation robes, but next time I hoep I remember the wrinkle remover! May try it on my face, too! Ha!