What type of wash shrinks clothes

List of Partners vendors. In This Article Expand. Why It Occurs. Shrinking to Make Clothes Fit. Warning This technique may not turn out well. No one can predict how much or in which direction a garment will shrink. If you found the perfect outfit but it is too big, take it to a professional tailor to have it altered to fit. The same warning applies to stretching a garment to make it bigger. Most clothes will not withstand excessive stretching and seams will pop and fibers will break.

Again, take it to a professional tailor to have the seams let out. Featured Video. Related Topics. Read More. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for TheSpruce. There's nothing worse than thinking you may have ruined your favorite sweater or work dress, and it can cause you to instantly think something may be up with your appliance.

And, while the dryer may be to blame, there are actually quite a few other causes that can make your clothes shrink. In fact, everything from the cycle we choose on the washing machine to the fabrics our clothes are made from can be to blame for this resize. If you want to avoid the constant tug of too-small clothes or the need for a new wardrobe every season , consult these quick and easy tips for avoiding laundry shrinkage—plus all the reasons it may be happening in the first place.

Generally, there are three different and very technical ways clothing can shrink: felting, relaxation, and consolidation. It may take a bit of time and training to learn which type of shrinkage is impacting your favorite pieces. The first type of shrinkage, felting, occurs with clothing constructed of animal hair fibers, like wool or mohair.

These materials have microscopic scales along their surface that, when exposed to moisture and excessive heat, can compress and mesh together. This compression is the cause of the all-too-familiar shrunken sweater syndrome , which can happen easily if the sweater is not handled correctly.

This type of shrinkage is sometimes also referred to as progressive shrinkage because it will continue to happen a little more each time the animal hair fiber is washed. Relaxation shrinkage happens when an absorbent fabric like cotton, silk, or linen , or a fabric modified to be absorbent like a synthetic performance fiber , is exposed to liquids or excessive moisture.

When these absorbent fibers are exposed to water, they will soak it all up and swell, causing the overall size of the garment to shrink. Generally, relaxation shrinkage impacts less than one percent of the overall garment size and won't really influence a piece's fit.

It is durable and can go through many cycles without damage. Method 2. Wash the clothing on a delicate, short cycle. Wool is a relatively delicate fabric. It should be treated carefully. Wool fibers, because wool is made of animal hair, consist of hundreds of tiny scales. When exposed to heat, water, or agitation, these scales interlock and mat together, shrinking the fabric. This process is called felting.

Dry the garment on a low heat cycle. For wool, movement is at least as important for shrinkage as temperature. The movement of the dryer rubs the scales together and causes the wool to shrink.

Wool shrinks very quickly, so it's best to use a low setting. Check the garment periodically during the cycle to make sure it's shrinking evenly on all sides. If you accidentally shrink the garment smaller than you would like, immediately soak it in cool water for about thirty minutes.

Then wrap it in a towel to dry. Method 3. Use a mesh bag to protect silk in a in top-loading washer. The mesh bag helps to protect the delicate silk. Most washing machines have a "delicate" setting with a low temperature, which is ideal. Low heat can tighten the weave, causing it to shrink as the threads pull closer together. Avoid chlorine bleach at all costs as it will damage the silk. Check the silk periodically.

You may choose to take the garment out after half a cycle. Wrap the clothing in a towel for a few minutes. This will remove the excess moisture. Do not wring out the garment, as this could damage the fabric. Air dry the garment. Unlike many other fabrics, silk retains its shape well, and will not stretch. You may hang it up to dry without harming it. Do not place in direct sunlight as this can fade the color, and avoid a wood drying rack as the silk can leave stains on the wood.

At this point, you may choose to use a dryer to complete the drying process. Put the garment in the dryer for five minutes at a time. If yours does not, use a heatless air setting. Check it often to make sure the silk isn't being damaged. You may want to set a timer to make sure it doesn't stay in the dryer too long. Once the garment has shrunk to your taste, remove.

The hotter the water, the more it will shrink. The change shouldn't be enormous though. Not Helpful 9 Helpful Nylon clothing typically does not shrink, but will stretch out over time if it has any spandex rubber woven in. Nylon itself may melt in hot dryer.

Excess moisture — Natural fibers like cotton, linen and silk can also be prone to a condition known as relaxation shrinkage. This happens when these absorbent fibers are exposed to water, which causes the fibers to swell and the overall size of the garment to decrease. Heat and agitation — Sometimes, the combination of hot water and the agitation from the washer and dryer can cause consolidation shrinkage.

These conditions cause fibers, which are tightly woven and stretched out during the manufacturing process, to release this tension and return to their natural, smaller and shorter shape.

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