What to do if your T-shirt shrinks after washing?

What to do if your T-shirt shrinks after washing All types of natural and mixed fabrics are prone to shrinkage. Often, when you take an item out of the drum, you find that it has shrunk by 1-2 sizes. What to do if your favorite T-shirt shrinks after washing? Is it possible to correct the situation, or will I have to say goodbye to the product forever? Let's figure out whether it will be possible to return the T-shirt to its original appearance, and how to prevent the clothes from becoming deformed.

Reasons for item shrinkage

Clothes can lose a couple of centimeters in size for various reasons. To avoid shrinkage, you must follow the care instructions indicated by the manufacturer on the product label. The fact that a T-shirt shrinks after washing is usually a consequence of:

incorrectly selected spin intensity. For example, an item is made of delicate fabric that should not be wrung out at all, but the user neglects this rule and sets the speed too high;
unsuitable temperature conditions. You should adhere to the degree recommended by the manufacturer, and in no case exceed it;
mechanical impact of the washing machine. Too intense “twisting” in the drum has a detrimental effect on cotton and knitted items.

The reason may be directly in the fabric - some materials are highly susceptible to shrinkage and can lose up to 7% of their original size after washing.

The tendency to deform depends on the type of fibers, density and method of weaving. Therefore, some items are more susceptible to shrinkage than others. To avoid shrinkage of the product, you should strictly follow the requirements on the label - do not exceed the washing temperature, spin speed, or ironing degree. high temperature washing is to blame

Most often, the item shrinks precisely because of high-temperature washing. For example, the label recommends a temperature of up to 40°C, but the owner sets the usual mode to 60°C, not paying attention to the manufacturer’s advice. Or all the rules are followed, but the machine, due to a broken heating element, heats the water to 60°C, or even 90°C. As a result of a malfunction of the machine, the clothes in the drum may be damaged.

What to do if your favorite item has decreased by a couple of sizes? Can the fabric be stretched so I can continue to wear the T-shirt? Let's look at several ways to restore clothes.

Is it possible to make a T-shirt larger?

It is possible to return the shape of a shrunken jacket, and several methods of “stretching” the fabric have long been invented. All options are simple and will not require any significant costs. To correct the situation and stretch your favorite item, use one of the methods described below.

If your woolen blouse has shrunk, soak it in cool water. The item should lie in the basin for about 20 minutes. Then you need to take out the T-shirt, shake it gently to get rid of excess moisture, and lay it out on a flat surface to dry. Here it is important to straighten the product, manually “stretch” it, giving it the desired shape.
For seasoned people, the following option is suitable for restoring the shape of your favorite wool item. The T-shirt should be kept in cold water, and then put on and worn until the fabric is completely dry. Therefore, if you have free time and you are not afraid of catching a cold, feel free to apply this advice. Then the T-shirt will immediately become the ideal size.
You can try to save a jacket made of silk fibers using the proven “grandmother’s” method. Water is drawn into the basin, and two or three tablespoons of peroxide solution are added here. The item is soaked for two hours.When the time comes, there is no need to wring out the shirt. It will be enough to cover the table with a towel and put a T-shirt on top. The canvas will absorb excess moisture, the clothes will dry and you will be pleased with the previous size.
It is extremely rare for a synthetic T-shirt to shrink, but if this happens, do not despair. It’s even easier here - soak the T-shirt for 15 minutes in “ice” water, and then throw it in the washing machine. It is necessary to run a delicate or hand wash, temperature mode – no higher than 30°C. No need to add powder.
Cotton fabric can be saved with table vinegar. Moisten a clean cloth in acetic acid and treat the material with this cloth. Then you need to hang the item on a clothesline and attach a couple of weights to the bottom. This will allow you to stretch the T-shirt one size.
A shrunk jacket can be saved by soaking it in 10 liters of water with three tablespoons of vinegar for half an hour. Afterwards, all that remains is to take out the product, shake off the water from it and hang it on the balcony. When the item dries, there will be no trace of the vinegar smell left.
The completely opposite option is not to cool the T-shirt, but, on the contrary, to warm it up. High temperature in many cases itself is the cause of shrinkage, but if you iron the material according to all the rules, this can help restore the shape of the product. This method is suitable for silk fabrics. It is necessary to wet the item, heat the iron and iron the jacket from the wrong side, stretching it to the desired size.
If the manufacturer prohibits ironing a T-shirt, try steaming it. During steam exposure, you should also stretch the fabric with your hands.

To return the item to its previous appearance, try a method that is more suitable for your situation. In any case, it is easier to prevent a problem than to solve it later.Therefore, when washing clothes, strictly follow all care instructions indicated on the product tag.

Avoid shrinkage

In most cases, it is possible to prevent fabric shrinkage. Therefore, in order not to suffer later and not waste your own time and effort restoring the item, it is better to prevent deformation from the beginning. Experts recommend:

Before washing for the first time, be sure to study the information on the T-shirt label and in the future always follow the care instructions;
wash items made from fabrics prone to shrinkage at a temperature not exceeding 30°C;
buy wool clothes one size larger. In any case, the item will “shrink” after washing, and this way you can avoid the problem in advance and easily pull on the washed T-shirt.

Do not subject items prone to shrinkage to high-temperature washing and spinning at maximum speed, then the fabric will not lose its shape and will retain its original appearance.

So, it’s better not to take things to extremes. It’s completely unpleasant to buy something, and after washing it find out that it suits your child better. So always study the label. If the manufacturer prohibits machine washing, you should refuse to use a washing machine. When the maximum permissible cleaning temperature is 40°C, there is no need to try to outwit the system and set the usual 60°C. However, if the T-shirt still “shrinks,” be sure to try to return the product to its original appearance by applying the methods described above.