How Do I Unshrink My Cotton Shirts?
If you notice your cotton shirts aren't fitting as well as they used to, don't worry. It's normal for cotton shirts to shrink over time. You might also notice that a shirt is significantly smaller than it was before you washed it. This is caused by the fibers of the cotton contracting and becoming closer together, which is often a result of the high temperatures used in both washing and drying the shirt. Reverse this process to salvage your shrunken shirts and return them to a size which fits comfortably. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Fill your bathroom sink or a small bucket with hot water.
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Place the cotton shirt in the hot water mixture and let it soak for 10 minutes.
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3
Remove the shirt from the water and gently pull on the edges. The hot water will have relaxed the fibers and the shirt will stretch.
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Place your arms inside the shirt, as if you were putting it on, and gently move your arms outward to stretch the shirt more.
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Tips & Warnings
After a few minutes, the fibers will tighten and the shirt will become difficult to stretch. If your desired size hasn't been reached, soak the shirt again and repeat the stretching process.
Avoid an uneven shirt by pulling on all sections equally.
Tightly woven cotton shirts such as long-sleeved dress shirts are nearly impossible to stretch due to the tight weave. However, for the same reason, you won't notice much -- if any -- shrinkage with these types of shirts.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
