Anyone else feel their clothes are getting tighter?
Yes, perhaps we need to lay off the ice-cream and hit the gym… but what if it’s our washing machine playing tricks on us?
Because the truth is, our clothes CAN very easily shrink when washed, and sometimes it’s just by tiny amounts so we might think we’ve imagined it!
why clothes shrink in the wash.
1. consolidation.
This type of shrink is due to the mechanical beating that our clothes take during a wash cycle. The fabrics need to crash around inside the rotating drum in order to dislodge the dirt… however this also causes fibres to be softened and compacted down. Every wash will remove a certain amount of fibres and this helps our clothes compress even more.
2. felting.
This shrink tends to happen to your favourite woollies. Fabrics made from animal hair - like wool - have tiny scales on their surface which will collapse and bind together when exposed to moisture and heat. The fibres actually shorten in length
3. relaxation.
More likely to happen to cotton and woollen materials, relaxation shrinkage happens with woven fabrics that had their fibres put under tension when they were created. The fibres are forced into a longer than natural length via the weaving process and then when they are washed in warm or hot water, the fibres want to return to their usual lengths, or natural curliness… which results in them changing shape and shrinking.
so, how do I unshrink my clothes?
All is not lost so don’t throw your clothes away just yet. There ARE ways to unshrink.
You just need to work according to fabric types…
how to unshrink denim.
Jeans are often not JUST denim. They can contain polyester or elastane and THAT is why they can shrink.
Step 1. Place a towel on a flat surface.
Step 2. Lay your jeans on top - ensuring the legs are separated.
Step 3. Spray lukewarm water onto your jeans from a clean spray bottle.
Step 4. Once damp, stretch them - concentrating on the areas that need stretching the most.
Step 5. Hang them out to dry.
how to unshrink synthetics.
Be gentle with your shrunken synthetics… they like to be treated with care!
Step 1. Add a tablespoon of fabric conditioner to a bucket of warm water.
Step 2. Stir the mixture until the conditioner has dissolved.
Step 3 Add your shrunken item for 30 minutes.
Step 4. Very gently stretch your clothing.
Step 5. Lay your item on a flat surface to dry, this will ensure it holds its shape.
how to unshrink cottons, silk and linen.
For these types of fabric - you’ll use similar steps as for synthetics… with one or 2 differences.
Step 1. Add a tablespoon of fabric conditioner to a bucket of warm water.
Step 2. Stir the mixture until the conditioner has dissolved.
Step 3 Add your shrunken item for 30 minutes.
Step 4. Do NOT wring out your item but roll it in a towel to squeeze out any extra water.
Step 5. Very gently stretch your clothing.
Step 6. Lay your item on a flat surface to dry, and weigh the edges down to ensure it holds its shape.
unshrinking woollens
Remember, with these sorts of fabrics, you’ll need to reshape them just as much as unshrink them.
Step 1. Add 2 tablespoons of clear white vinegar to a bucket of lukewarm water.
Step 2. Place your clothing in the bucket for 30 minutes
Step 3. Periodically stretch the item now and again during this 30 minutes.
Step 4. Do not wring out the clothing, but gently squeeze any excess water then stuff the item with towels whilst reshaping the item.
Step 5. Whilst still slightly damp, remove the towels and hang the item to line dry.
avoid shrinking your clothes in the future.
Of course the best cure is prevention. So how can you stay shrink-free for the future?
Always read the clothing care labels.
Switch to cooler temperature washes.
Avoid the tumble dryer.
