How to Stretch the Waist in Jeans

Straining and groaning into a pair of jeans is bad enough, especially when it comes time to zip and button them up. However, you can stretch the waist of those jeans that almost fit. All it takes is a regular wash and some elbow grease.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Place holder, such as plank of wood
• Chair back
• Washer and detergent
• Drying rack or clothes line

1. Start by putting your jeans through a regular wash cycle on cold. This will remove any excess dye as well as prepare them for stretching.
2. Remove the jeans from the washer and hold in front of you.
3. Insert your forearm into the waist of the jeans, your elbow on one side and your fist on the other. Pull the jeans from one side to the other by stretching your arm and then bending again at the elbow.
4. To add even more stretch, insert an object into the waist of your jeans to keep the jeans stretching. A textbook works well, but if your jeans need more width, you can also use a plank of wood cut to the correct size. It may seem extreme to cut a plank just for jeans, but you can use this over and over on any jeans you have. Another way of doing this is to pull the waist over the back of a chair, so that it hugs the chair and the chair back stretches the waist. If you do it this way, you can leave the jeans there to dry, maximizing the stretch.
5. Let your jeans dry naturally by hanging them to dry on a line or a drying rack. If you are really pressed for time, you can tumble them in a dryer on low heat, but be careful to put them on the lowest setting.
6. To stretch more before wearing, hold one end of the waist of the jeans in one hand and pull with your other. You may also insert your foot into the waist of the jeans on one end and pull with your hand on the other. Just be careful not to overextend the fabric with this technique.

Tips & Warnings

• Buying jeans with a bit of Lycra in the will allow you to maximize the stretch.
• Check to see if jeans are pre-shrunk before buying them. If so, it is unlikely they will shrink much more and therefore the waist should fit properly through many washings. A quick way to tell? If the pockets seem deformed or scrunched up, chances are they are pre-washed, pre-shrunk jeans.