Have you ever tried to reheat leftover pizza in the oven and it comes out like a leather shoe? That’s what ironing a cap and gown feels like. You’re trying to restore life, but you’re applying brute force.
A better analogy is a wrinkled dollar bill. You don’t iron it; you just let it sit under something heavy for a while. Patience is the secret sauce here, not heat.
Your Safe-to-Iron Cheat Sheet
If you absolutely must use an iron because you have no other option, here’s the golden rule: use a pressing cloth. Grab a thin cotton towel or a pillowcase and lay it between the iron and the gown.
Set your iron to the lowest heat setting—the "synthetic" or "nylon" mark. Glide gently, like you’re petting a cat that’s easily annoyed. Never stop moving the iron. Lingering is how you get burn marks.
