How to stretch a wool sweater that has shrunk after washing

How to stretch a wool sweater that has shrunk after washing If a housewife washes a wool product incorrectly, it can become deformed and greatly decrease in size. In such a situation, you will have to urgently figure out how to stretch a woolen jacket that has shrunk after washing in the washing machine. If you don’t return things to their original appearance, then using it will simply be uncomfortable. Let's figure out how to effectively restore damaged woolen clothes at home.

We return items to original size

It is not very difficult to restore the original appearance of wool, because this can be done with the help of improvised means that you always have at home. This list includes plain water, hydrogen peroxide, plain milk and much more. They should be used exclusively according to the instructions, so as not to accidentally damage the item even more.

The result of restoring clothing directly depends on the degree of deformation of the fabric, the presence of impurities in the composition, as well as the aggressiveness of the substance used for processing.

Due to the fact that wool is very hygroscopic, it perfectly absorbs moisture. This is why, after swelling, the fibers of wool fabric remain soft and extremely elastic, highly stretchable even by simple water. How to restore a woolen item after an unsuccessful wash?

Soak the clothes in cool water without adding any household chemicals.
Leave it like this for about 15 minutes.
Gently wring out the item.
Spread on a flat surface, placing a terry towel under the product.
While drying, stretch the clothes in the desired directions without much effort.
Replace the terry towel after it gets wet.
Turn your woolen item over from time to time.

This method can increase the size of a sweater or other wool product by about 1 or even 1.5 sizes. Do not use heating devices if you decide to restore a woolen item in this way.

You can try to restore the original appearance of clothes using an ordinary iron. In this case, the procedure will be different.

Turn the product inside out.
Place it on the ironing board.
Dampen the gauze and then place it on the woolen cloth.
Activate the most gentle iron setting.
Carefully iron the woolen item, stretching it slightly with your hand.

This method will allow you to stretch the product by another 1 size. During restoration work, remember that you cannot press the gauze too hard with an iron, otherwise you will irrevocably damage the wool.

You can also use ordinary hydrogen peroxide, which is easy to find in any pharmacy. This cheap antiseptic not only perfectly disinfects wounds, but also helps make wool fibers stretchable. Follow our instructions to increase your sweater or jumper size by several sizes. take a more concentrated peroxide

Make a special solution by adding 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to 10 liters of plain water.
Pour the resulting product into a basin or bucket.
Place the damaged item in the container for several hours.
From time to time, slightly stretch the item, removing it from the pelvis for the procedure and then returning it back.
After 2 hours, gently wring out the clothes and lay them out on a flat surface.
Periodically stretch the length and width of the item while it dries.

If you don't want the wool fibers to shrink after the moisture evaporates, stuff the inside of the item with terry towels.

If you decide to restore a woolen item using hydrogen peroxide, remember that it perfectly bleaches the fabric. Because of this characteristic, peroxide can be used on light-colored clothing, but should not be used on dark-colored items.

It is also permissible to use a steam generator in order to return the product to its original appearance. What should I do for this?

Carefully place the item on a hanger or lay it on a flat surface.
Turn on the steam generator and use it to work through the entire garment, stretching the fabric with your free hand at the same time.
During operation, keep the handset at least 10 centimeters away.
Separately work on the seams of the product.

After completing the work, do not wait until the item is completely dry, but put it on immediately. This will increase the size of the product by another 1 value.

There is also a method of stretching using ordinary cow's milk. Under its influence, natural wool fibers increase their elasticity, which means that they become easier to stretch. Follow our guide point by point to restore your warped clothing.

Pour cool milk from the refrigerator into a bucket or bowl.

Use milk with a low fat content of 2.5 or lower.

Soak woolen clothes in a container for half an hour.
Rinse the item lightly and then wring it out.
Lay the product on a flat surface and then gently stretch it.

After the procedure, a peculiar milky smell may emanate from the sweater. Getting rid of it is very simple - just leave the item on the balcony for 24 hours for the unpleasant aroma to completely disappear.

Sometimes housewives use a solution of ordinary baking soda to restore their favorite clothes. How to prepare and use it?

Dilute 2 tablespoons of soda in 2 liters of plain water.
Place the woolen item in the solution overnight.
In the morning, wash your clothes on the standard cycle.

After spinning, it is important to place the item on a flat surface to dry. Periodically stretch your clothing in the desired direction to regain its shape.

Finally, you can use a standard hair conditioner, which improves the elasticity of the wool fibers, making them easier to stretch. How to do this correctly?

Dissolve 1 tablespoon of conditioner in 1 liter of water.
Soak the sweater in the container for 10 minutes.
Take out the product, rinse with tap water and squeeze a little.

Use a flat surface to place the item on, stretching it as needed from time to time. This way you will not only increase your clothes by 1 size, but also give them a pleasant aroma of fabric softener.

Reasons for shrinkage of woolen items

A sweater or jumper made of wool is an excellent product for the cold season. Natural woolen items provide excellent warmth, do not wrinkle and hardly wear out. Their only downside is that they are difficult to care for. The main reasons why wool products so often lose their shape are the following:

processing in hot water, the temperature of which exceeds 30 degrees Celsius;
wrong choice of household chemicals. Only liquid concentrates and gels are suitable for washing wool;

Due to the fact that classic washing powder contains alkali, it can destroy the fibers of woolen items.

Using standard "house helper" work cycles can also damage a wool sweater.Such products should be processed either in a special mode for wool, or in a program for delicate washing;
errors in the drying process that can ruin the product. Under no circumstances should you dry wool items on radiators or in direct sunlight.

If you have violated the rules for grooming, it is better to begin restoring the clothing as quickly as possible to minimize damage.

Let's turn to the professionals

Finally, if the item is severely deformed and you cannot fix it, you can always seek professional help. Dry cleaners have long learned to use special chemical compounds for wool, which make the item softer. steam mannequin

In such establishments, they use steam mannequins, with the help of which clothes are enlarged to the size you need. Such a procedure can cost much more than economical restoration at home, but it will allow you to qualitatively restore your favorite item.