You love your clothes and may have even spent a pretty penny on them...which makes it even more frustrating when your favorite dress shirt or pair of jeans gets stretched out or shrinks after you do your laundry. Despite your best efforts to preserve your clothing, the truth is that many of us don’t realize what we’re doing wrong to keep our clothes in tip-top condition. This results in unintentional shrinkage or an oversized garment that no longer fits the owner.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of stretching or shrinkage. Check out this list of 4 laundry-related tips to know.
Read the labels to learn how to care for clothes.
Not all clothes are washer and dryer friendly. Delicate fabrics will likely shrink in the dryer, while others may stretch too much in the washer. Play it safe by following the guidelines regarding home washing or dry cleaning, water temperature, type of laundry cycle, and dryer cycle
recommendations.
Use cold water when you can.
Coldwater should become your standard for washing (with an exception being made for linens and towels, which benefit from hot, bacteria-killing heat). Though you won’t be able to eliminate all shrinking with cold water, this temperature is proven to be less damaging to fabric than hot water.
Allow your garment to air dry.
If you have time, allowing your clothes to air dry is the best way to guard them against shrinkage. Air drying clothes is by far the gentlest way to dry them, and for loosely woven fabrics or knits, drying on a flat surface will also prevent stretching.
Prevent stretching with regular washing.
Ever notice how your favorite 100% cotton blue jeans tend to stretch out between washes? This is because irregular washing makes the fibers relax and the jeans get larger. If you want to avoid this and keep fibers strong and intact, wash your garment more frequently.
Inspiration can come from anywhere – just ask the team at Sapphire Apartments in San Antonio, Texas. By passing along this information, we hope to inspire you with new ideas, projects, and goals, too.
FAQs
Use cold or warm water. This doesn't prevent all shrinking but it's less damaging to fabrics than hot water. Use front-loading or top-loading high-efficiency washers without a center agitator. These are less damaging and cause less shrinkage than top-loading washers.
How to avoid shrinking clothes in the washer? ›
Use cold or warm water. This doesn't prevent all shrinking but it's less damaging to fabrics than hot water. Use front-loading or top-loading high-efficiency washers without a center agitator. These are less damaging and cause less shrinkage than top-loading washers.
How do you make clothes not stretch? ›
Air drying clothes is by far the gentlest way to dry them, and for loosely woven fabrics or knits, drying on a flat surface will also prevent stretching. Prevent stretching with regular washing. Ever notice how your favorite 100% cotton blue jeans tend to stretch out between washes?
How do you reverse shrinkage in laundry? ›
In most scenarios, all you need is a container full of warm water with a capful of liquid detergent. Next, make sure to add in your clothes and stir them into the solution until they are completely soaked. Gently wring out the clothing to expel excess liquid and gently stretch the clothing back to its original size.
How to stop fabric from stretching? ›
If the pressure is set too high, it will stretch out your fabric. It will look rippled. To avoid this, adjust your presser foot pressure. Typically a setting of 1 or lower is appropriate for knit fabrics.
Does fabric softener prevent shrinking? ›
Fabric softener doesn't directly prevent clothes from shrinking. While it can make fabrics feel softer and reduce static, it doesn't influence the fabric's tendency to shrink. Proper washing and drying techniques are more effective in preventing shrinkage.
How to wash 100% cotton without shrinking? ›
And if it's 100% cotton, avoid heat as much as possible. This means washing the fabric with cold or lukewarm water. Reshaping your garments and laying them flat to air-dry is ideal. Line drying is okay, but the warmth of direct sunlight could cause shrinkage.
What is the best dryer for not shrinking clothes? ›
On the other hand, condenser dryers are more likely to shrink or wear out your clothes due to their higher drying temperatures. Heat pump dryers are much better at preserving your clothes, since they avoid putting your laundry in close contact with high temperatures.
Will fabric softener help stretch clothes? ›
But don't panic—there is hope to restore it back to its original shape. Soften and stretch. Soak the sweater in lukewarm water mixed with about two tablespoons of fabric softener, baby shampoo or hair conditioner for 10 to 20 minutes.
What wash settings prevent shrinking? ›
Step 2: Use cold water and the proper wash cycles
Avoiding heavy duty cycles, fast spins and high-heat drying can also prevent shrinkage. Use delicate cycles instead, and place delicate clothes in a mesh laundry bag for added protection. When drying, consider a low-heat or air dry setting.
Van Amber also says you can try to unshrink things using a steamer or an ironing board but, unfortunately, it won't be permanent. “The amount that you stretch it will remain until you wash it again, when it will probably shrink back.” But she says you may have some luck with wool – as long as it hasn't been felted.
What causes clothes to twist up in the washer? ›
Wrong spin cycle
The spin cycle at the end of the wash is designed to remove excess water. However, if the spin speed is too high for the fabrics in the load, it can cause excessive twisting and tangling. Adjusting the spin speed based on the type of laundry you're washing can help prevent this issue.
How do I keep my clothes from running in the wash? ›
Add 1 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle or one-half cup salt to the wash to help hold in colors. Use color-catcher sheets, which trap extraneous dyes during the wash cycle to prevent bleeding. Don't overstuff your dryer. Clothes will dry faster.
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