How to Make Oversized Clothing Shrink
The thought of your clothes shrinking may make you cringe, because you want them to fit correctly and look presentable. If you buy an item that's too large, though, and can't return it because you've already ripped the tags off, it may look better after shrinking. Try making your over-sized piece of clothing wearable, instead of letting it sit in your closet, by choosing the correct shrinking process, based on the material type. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Cotton
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1
Fill your washing machine with hot water without detergent. Put the item in and allow the machine to complete its cycle, ensuring it uses hot for both the wash and rinse cycle.
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2
Dry your clothing on high heat to create the most shrinkage. Low heat allows the fibers to return to their normal size, while high heat shrinks the fibers permanently.
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3
Repeat the drying cycle one or two more times, if necessary, to shrink the clothes down even more. The shrinking isn't endless though, and typically only works for the first few cycles. Dry completely after each attempt.
Wool
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4
Fill a tub with warm water and submerge your wool clothing item in it.
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5
Agitate the clothing gently. When wool fibers get wet, they interlock with each other and can cause permanent shrinkage.
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6
Dry the wool item with a damp towel in your dryer on low heat for slight shrinkage, or medium for a more drastic size difference. Check the item frequently to prevent it from turning into felt.
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7
Lay the item out to dry while still damp and block it, which means to put the clothing in the shape you want it to dry in.
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8
Lay the garment on a flat surface and apply bursts of steam with an iron, then allow it to dry, as an alternative method.
Polyester
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9
Turn your polyester item of clothing inside out to prevent color fading.
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10
Turn your washing machine heat on the highest possible setting. Wash the clothing item.
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Dry the item on high heat after the wash cycle is complete. The shrinking process happens gradually, and you will need to repeat the process multiple times for excessive shrinking.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If an item is preshrunk, you won't be able to shrink it at home.
Hot water has a tendency to cause dark colors, especially blacks, to fade.
There is no guarantee that the item will shrink the way you want it to or that it won't look wrinkled or lose some of its shape during the shrinking process.
References
- Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images
