Learn how to unshrink your favorite clothes and bring them back to their original size in just a few easy steps.
Recently one of my sweaters was starting to bother me. It kept shrinking and getting shorter and shorter. I had made the mistake a couple of times of throwing it in the washing machine with a regular load of laundry.
Since I didn't want to get rid of it I decided to try to fix it. I have heard before about unshrinking clothes so the other day I cleaned out my sink and gave it a try.
It worked great! I ended up gaining about 2 inches of length. Now I don't have to worry about the sweater riding up above my favorite jeans. It only took a few minutes of my time too.
Looking for more laundry tips? See my best money and time saving laundry hacks.
5 Reasons Why Clothes Shrink in the First Place
Heat: Exposure to high temperatures, whether from the hot water temperature in washing machines or high heat in dryers, can cause the fibers in clothes to contract, leading to shrinkage depending on the type of fabric. This effect is more pronounced in natural fibers like cotton and wool.
Agitation: Aggressive washing or drying cycles with a lot of agitation can cause fibers to rub against each other, leading to shrinkage, especially in delicate fabrics.
Water: Submerging clothes in water for extended periods, particularly hot water, can cause fibers to swell and contract, resulting in shrinkage.
Chemicals: Some laundry detergents or fabric softeners contain chemicals that can affect the structure of fibers, making them more prone to shrinkage.
Types of Fibers: Natural fibers like cotton, wool, and silk are more prone to shrinking compared to synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon. This is because natural materials have a more complex structure that is sensitive to heat and moisture.
What You'll Need
- bucket or clean sink
- fabric softener (I used Downy)
- Woolite or The Laundress (to wash in the future)
- Shrunken garment
How To Unshrink Clothes With Fabric Softener
Fill the kitchen sink or small bucket up with lukewarm water (or room temperature water). Mix in about 6 tablespoons of fabric softener.
Once the fabric softener is mixed in, add your favorite garments that have shrunken.
Swish the water around so the clothes are completely submerged and set a timer for about 30 minutes.
The fabric softener will soak into the clothing item and relax the fabric.
Stretching the Shrunken Clothes
After 30 minutes remove the clothes from the water and gently wring as much water as possible.
Place the wet clothes on a dry, clean towel so you can stretch the clothes. Placing your hand on one side of the clothes to hold it in place gently stretch in the direction it needs to be stretched (depending on if you need more length, width, or both).
You will want to make sure you are being very gentle during the stretching process, especially with fabrics like silk or cashmere.
For my favorite sweater, I was trying to add some length but not width so I only stretched up and down.
Spend a few minutes going through and gently stretching the fabric, not pulling too hard. You should be able to easily add a few inches to the clothes.
If you start having problems stretching the fabric you can always place it back in the water to let it soak some more.
Letting Them Air Dry
Once you have the fabric stretched to the length or width that you want to lay it on the towel to air dry on a flat surface or dry towel. You never want to let it dry in a dryer, that will cause shrinkage again.
Stretching the Shrunken Clothes
After 30 minutes remove the clothes from the water and gently wring the excess water from them.
Place the wet clothes on a dry, clean towel so you can stretch the clothes. Placing your hand on one side of the clothes to hold it in place gently stretch in the direction it needs to be stretched.
You will want to make sure you are being very gentle. Especially with fabrics like silk or cashmere.
For my sweater, I was trying to add some length but not width so I only stretched up and down.
Spend a few minutes going through and gently stretching the fabric, not pulling too hard. You should be able to easily add a few inches to the clothes.
If you start having problems stretching the fabric you can always place it back in the water to let it soak some more.
Keep Clothes From Shrinking Again
- For starters, it's a good idea to always check the care label first. Use my laundry labels guide to decode those symbols!
- Avoid washing specific fabrics (such as a wool garment, cotton, and silk) in warm or hot water.
- Use gentle detergent on the delicate cycle (using cold water) or hand wash. I like to use Woolite or The Laundress for delicates. They both help to prevent the fabric from shrinking.
- Many times garments like a wool sweater or pants say dry clean only, but you can actually wash them at home with these tips.
Tired of laundry stains?
Get the free laundry stain removal printable!
Do clothes only shrink once?
No, clothes can shrink multiple times under the right conditions. The shrinking process typically occurs when the fabric fibers contract due to exposure to heat, agitation, or moisture. Once the fibers have shrunk, they may remain in that shrunken state until exposed to similar conditions again.
Repeated exposure to factors such to a hot dryer or water during washing, or aggressive agitation can cause clothes to shrink further. Additionally, if the fabric fibers are stretched out again during wear or washing, they may shrink back to their original, shrunken state when exposed to heat or moisture once more.
Does Ironing Help Unshrink clothes?
No, ironing does not help with fabric shrinkage. Ironing may temporarily smooth out wrinkles and make the fabric appear stretched, but it will not restore the garment to its original form or normal size.
What Can I Use If I Don't Have Fabric Softener?
You can try hair conditioner or add a capful of baby shampoo (or other gentle shampoo) to the water instead of the fabric softener. For best results, we recommend the fabric softener because sometimes the conditioner may leave a residue if the items sit for too long.
The unshrinking process is actually super simple and works on many different types of fabrics. Who knew we could actually bring our favorite shirt back to it's original shape and size with just a little time and an easy step-by-step process and a little bit of patience.
Meagan says
What a good idea to keep. I have done this in the past. I now just was my colors in cold water, and my whites in hot water. If it’s a type of clothing I am unsure how it will take with my washer, I use the delicate cycle. I have a top load commercial Maytag with out that big drum in the middle. So it’s open like a front load washer that loads on the top.