What to do if clothes shrunk after washing: several ways to return size and shape

Even if you follow all the instructions for caring for your fabrics, shrinkage can still happen. Items made of wool and other natural fabrics are especially vulnerable to this. As a rule, this happens due to improper temperature conditions, but it can also happen without any obvious reasons. In this case, it's good to know at least one way to save your clothes.

Luckily, there are several methods: purely physical and with the help of improvised chemicals. OBOZREVATEL tells you about the most effective and proven methods.

Physical methods

Repeated soaking in water

Things shrink after contact with water, and in most cases, water can restore them to their previous state. To do this, soak the item in cool water for 10-15 minutes, then wring it out with a dry towel - do not twist it - and lay it out on a horizontal surface. Put a towel under the item and stretch it with your hands during the drying process. The towel should be replaced with a dry one from time to time.

Stretching with steam

Caution: it is not suitable for woolen items

First, the item is soaked in water so that it is completely saturated, and the excess water is allowed to drain off without twisting. Then you lay it out on a horizontal surface, heat the iron and switch it to steam mode or use a steam generator. A gauze or just a thin cotton cloth is placed on the object to be saved. The iron or steam generator is used to smooth it out while stretching it evenly in different directions. The treatment is completed when the item is fully dry.

Stretching with the help of cold

Preliminary soaking should be done in soapy water. The product should be selected according to the type of material and the item should be kept in it for at least 30 minutes. After that, roll it up, put it in a bag, and put it in the freezer for a day. Finally, the item is removed, thawed, and air-dried.

Stretching by ironing

Caution: it is not suitable for all knitted items

The treatment also begins with a cold soak. Next, the garment is laid out on an ironing board and stretched in the right direction and the iron is heated to a low or medium temperature (high temperature is not suitable for resuscitation after shrinkage as it can only worsen the problem). When the iron is ready for use, it is used to iron the fabric while pulling it to the sides. First, the front side is treated in this way, then the back. The still-damp item is placed on a cloth - a sheet or towel - and pressed down on the edges with something heavy. This is how it should be dried.

Chemical methods

Stretching with hydrogen peroxide

Warning: it can discolor dark items, so it is better to conduct a color fastness test

To prepare a solution for treating a shrunken item, dissolve 4 tablespoons of pharmaceutical-grade peroxide in 5 liters of water and soak the item for 30 minutes. Then wring it out with a towel without twisting. Finally, hang it to air dry. The fabric should be gently stretched from time to time.

Stretching with vinegar

Caution: before use, check the solution for interaction with the fabric dye.

To soak the garment before stretching, dilute white vinegar with water in a 1:2 ratio. The solution should be at room temperature. Immersed the garment in it for 30 minutes, then wring it out with a towel, stretch it in the right direction and dry naturally.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL told you what things should not be dried in the washing machine.

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