How to stretch knitted gloves if they shrink. How to stretch cotton

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You just recently bought a new sweater or decided to wash your purchase after the store, when suddenly... From the basin or washing machine you take out an item that has significantly increased in size. As a result: after washing the sweater stretched. What to do? Don't worry, the problem can be fixed! We will be happy to tell you how to return the sweater to its former size.

The main reasons for the deformation of our sweaters are improper washing and improper drying. But these are far from the only “culprits” of the problem. Some things stretch even from prolonged wear, some - due to the bad habits of their owner. Some people like to stretch the bottom, the neck of the sweater, and pull out the sleeves to plunge into them to the tips of their fingers. All these manipulations lead to stretching of certain parts of the product.

The rapid deformation of a sweater also depends on the density of the loops. So, if a product is machine knitted, then it is denser and therefore less susceptible to stretching. But cozy hand-knitted sweaters, on the contrary, have weaker stitch density, no matter how hard the needlewoman tries. That's why " handmade“-products are stretched more often under the influence of various circumstances.

Advice! Always before washing, drying and even wearing a sweater, read the information provided by the manufacturer about this product - on the label, packaging, and official website.

For all of the above cases, we have found universal ways to eliminate the consequences.

Is it possible to restore?

Unfortunately, not all deformed clothing can be returned to its original shape.

We will try to correct the situation if the sweater stretches after washing.

A stretched cotton sweater cannot be restored
A synthetic product will not return to its previous shape, but wool is easy to restore!
Cashmere is more difficult, but possible. Wool-blend products can also be restored

We return the product to its shape

There are several ways to return things to their former sizes and volumes. You can choose the one that seems more suitable for your case.

"Wedge with wedge"

So, you washed the item in the washing machine, after which you observe this opus. If the sweater is machine knitted, then you need to do a seemingly crazy manipulation - wash it again in " washing machine"! But this time according to the rules:

1. Place the item in a laundry bag ( you will see this device in the photo), load it into the washing machine drum.
2. Add detergent specifically for washing wool to the compartment.
3. Set to quick wash mode.
4. Set the temperature to the minimum - 30 degrees will be enough.
5. Be sure to turn off the spin! Replace with simply draining the water from the drum.
6. Automatic drying must also be deactivated.
7. When finished, remove the item from the bag and gently wring out the sweater by hand.

Now we'll take care of it." reconstruction"- lay the product on a towel or piece of fabric.
Give the sweater the look that suits you - pull up the fabric on the sleeves, pull it in at the waist, adjust the neckline, etc. This is done like this: place your palms on the product and smoothly, grabbing the material, carefully move them towards each other, avoiding folds. You need to start this kind of work with the seams of the product, then move on to the neckline and sleeves, then tighten the rest.
When the item is completely dry, it will literally harden in the shape you intended, so try not to miss anything when recreating the volume of the item.

And now a little secret for those who want to reduce a machine-knitted item by several sizes: the sweater needs to be washed at high temperature - this is the only change in the above algorithm.

Advice! During drying, be sure to monitor the condition of the towel. As soon as it becomes completely wet, it must be replaced with dry one. When transferring things, do not forget to put them into marketable form again. If you do not change the towels, the sweater will become saturated with an unpleasant moldy smell due to dampness.

Handmade

What to do if the sweater is hand-knitted? And there is a solution to this problem - we will act manually. The instructions are as follows:

Fill the bathroom with some water - warm, but not hot.
Lay the stretched sweater on a water surface, give it time to become thoroughly saturated with moisture.
Once it is completely wet, drain the water.
Wring out the thing.
Wrap the item in a large terry towel and wring it out again. Proceed carefully, do not twist.
Lay the item on a towel in the same way as in the previous point: giving it the desired shape instead of the stretched one.
After complete drying, the product should return to its previous volumes and sizes.

Some claim that a stretched sweater will return to its original size if you dry it on yourself after washing it like this - it will fit like a glove! We believe that wearing a wet thing for a long time is an extremely dubious pleasure, but if you have a mannequin of your parameters at hand, you can put a sweater on it, turn the figure into a horizontal position and leave it to dry on a towel.

Advice! Please note that in this way the sweater can dry for a day, or even more, depending on the density of the material. Speeding up this process by moving the item onto a radiator, heated towel rail or heating device is a sure way to ruin the sweater. The cost of such “acceleration” is too high.

Partial restoration

This is also a common case: after unsuccessful washing/drying/wearing, only a specific part of the sweater has lost its shape. How can we be here? The recovery is similar to the previous ones:

Wet the deformed area by spraying water from a spray bottle.
Lay the item also on a towel or terry cloth.
Give the part the shape it lost.
After a couple of hours, the sweater will be uniform and the right size.

Advice! You can speed up drying of the product by using a hair dryer. But be careful: turn on only cold air! Hot air jets will further aggravate the situation.

More ways

When the previous methods did not help, you can do the following:

If the product has simply stretched out a little when worn, it will easily return to its previous shape if you wash it in cold water and dry it horizontally.

Soak in hot water for 10-15 minutes. You can add liquid detergent for wool items. Wash by hand after soaking. Then immerse it in cold water for 20 minutes, squeezing it out first, but without twisting it. Place a sweater on a horizontal rack above the bathtub and let the water drain. Then lay it out in the correct shape on a towel, sheet or large piece of fabric until completely dry.

You can also try this method: place the product in very hot ( almost boiling water) water for 5 minutes. Then quickly transfer it to a cold one - you can even throw ice cubes into it and add vinegar to such an extent that the water acidifies. He must lie there for 10 minutes. Place on a horizontal rack above the bathtub; when the water has drained, dry the product on a towel in a horizontal position, remembering to give it the correct shape.

If the sweater is 100% natural wool, it can be dry cleaned. They use heat treatment or washing at high temperatures. The disadvantage of this method is that the wool will be matted and poor-quality coloring may suffer.
A very extreme way: dry it on something hot. Maybe the product will shrink, but other problems may appear.

Advice! Do not tumble dry! It can only ruin a woolen item.

So that this doesn't happen again

Naturally, it is best and easiest if you no longer have to deal with this problem. To do this, you need to follow a few simple recommendations:

Knitted items are washed only by hand and only in warm water.
Washing in hot water leads not only to deformation of wool fibers, but also to their fading - high temperatures contribute to the rapid washing out of the dye.
Do not add excessive amounts of detergent.
Try to use liquid products rather than powders. The latter are more difficult to wash out of wool fibers.
Do not twist the product while spinning! This will further lengthen and deform the fibers.
Try to only use detergent that is designed for the material the sweater is made from.
Do not dry knitted items in a dryer, on hangers, or in any other hanging position! It is because of this that it stretches under its own weight.

The only optimal drying option is in a horizontal position, on a towel or other material.
Do not dry wool on a radiator, in the sun or near other heat sources. This causes the fibers to coarse and become stiff, making wearing such a sweater uncomfortable.
You can iron a woolen product only at the lowest temperature and only on the reverse side.
Store the product rolled up in a closet. If it hangs on hangers, this can also cause stretching.

You now know what to do if your sweater stretches after washing. However, try to prevent this from happening - use our care tips.

It happens that your favorite item suddenly shrinks after washing. It is important to follow the recommendations indicated on the label, for example, do not wash the purchased item at temperatures above 40˚C. If, nevertheless, the thing “sits down”, such a nuisance has happened, you can try to correct the situation. To do this, you need to stretch the damaged clothes. How to stretch a shrunken item? First, let's determine what fabric your sweater or T-shirt is made of.

How to stretch a cotton item

The most unpretentious fabric, comfortable and inexpensive is cotton. However, since the fabric is natural, it is subject to shrinkage. The easiest way is to soak a T-shirt or jeans in a vinegar solution and leave it there for a while. Take 3-3 tablespoons of vinegar per ten liters of water. To enhance the effect, you can simply wet a sponge with the same solution and wipe the laid out clothes, stretching the seams, sleeves and collar to the sides.

After this treatment, dry the item on hangers, or simply lay it out on a flat surface until dry. For the same purpose, you can add hydrogen peroxide to a container of water instead of vinegar. If the vinegar smell has not completely disappeared, wash the clothes again in cold water and add fabric softener.

A good stretching method is using an iron. Again, you need to wet the clothes, wring them out a little and dry them so that they are only slightly damp. Then iron from the inside out, trying to stretch it. Be careful here, as the iron can leave dark marks on light-colored items.

How to stretch a woolen item

Wool is more capricious than cotton. Some housewives do not recommend stretching shrunken woolen items at all. However, there are ways. The only condition is that the item should not be too shrunken, otherwise you won’t succeed.

The most gentle method of stretching a woolen item is simple. Wet it and place it on a towel to absorb the water. Then begin to gently stretch the item in different directions, without being too zealous. Let it dry for a couple of hours and repeat the stretching again. By the time the item dries completely, you will have time to stretch it seven times.

There is a good way to stretch wool - convenient and loyal. You should soak the pullover in water with the addition of neutral shampoo. Then squeeze it lightly, wrapping it in a towel. Then stretch it on a board (preferably cork) and secure it with pins around the perimeter. Wait until it dries completely.

How to stretch something: a simple method

There is a universal way to stretch any thing. However, it is not always preferable as it can cause inconvenience. After moistening the item, put it on yourself and wait until it dries. The method is quite tough, not everyone can parade in wet clothes for a long time.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the hats. If the hat has shrunk, you can put it on a jar (about three liters in volume) and dry it. In addition, it is believed that it is always better to dry hats this way.

Woolen products practically do not wrinkle, retain heat, are resistant to stains and quickly “ventilate” from various odors. Despite all its unique properties, wool has a significant disadvantage - it can shrink at the slightest violation of the washing technology. If we want to have things made of this material in our wardrobe and wear them for a long time, we need to be able to wash them so as not to stretch the products, and also know how to restore the shape of damaged clothes.

Why do woolen items shrink?

There are several known causes of this problem:

Delicate fabrics, which include wool, primarily require special temperature conditions during washing. The optimal water temperature is 30 °C. The hotter the water, the more likely it is that the product will shrink.
The second reason is the wrong detergent. Wool is never washed with ordinary powder: the alkali contained in it destroys the fibers, they become coarser and shrink, as a result the product is deformed.
Machine washing without using a special program damages woolen items. In addition to the fact that the jacket or hat will decrease in size, the fibers of the fabric may become matted, causing the item to look like felt.

Fabrics made from natural materials shrink the most during washing - wool, cotton and their mixtures.

It is believed that the first woolen items appeared around 1500 BC: it was then, according to archaeologists, that people domesticated sheep and goats and began to use not only skins, as was the case before, but the sheared wool of a living animal.

Sheep wool is most often used to produce wool fabric.

Universal ways to save shrunken woolen items

This is a rhetorical question, since there are too many “variables” in this problem that influence the answer. Sometimes stretching a product is very easy, sometimes it is impossible. It depends:

on the degree of shrinkage;
on the composition of the fabric (pure wool or mixed wool);
from the methods of “resuscitation” used.

How to return an item to its original size if it shrinks

If the item has not shrunk much, then you can stretch it in the following way:

soak the product in cool water for 15 minutes;
remove and squeeze slightly without twisting;
Lay a large towel on the table and lay out a sweater on it.

By correctly laying out the item to dry, you will eliminate the need to iron it in the future.

Natural wool is very hygroscopic (absorbs moisture well), so be prepared for the drying process to last for a day. During this entire time, change the wet towel to a dry one and periodically stretch the affected product with your hands in the directions you need.

The hygroscopicity of wool fabric is simply incredible: it can absorb up to 33% of its own weight in water and still remain dry to the touch.

Because wool dries slowly, it can be tempting to speed up the process. Under no circumstances use a heater, hair dryer, placement on a radiator or other express methods. All this will only do harm.

When shaping the sweater, make sure that after stretching it does not become deformed in width

How to make a blended sweater bigger with an iron

For sweaters and other items made of mixed fabric, a method such as steaming is suitable.

Spread a clean sheet on the ironing board and place the product on its surface.
Steam it with an iron through damp gauze, stretching it with your free hand to shape the sleeves and length the bottom.

If a jumper or blouse is dear to you, then take note of another method that can be called extreme. It consists of putting a wet thing on yourself and walking around in it until it dries. In the process of such “natural” drying, you should try to pull the sleeves and the lower edge of the product in order to stretch them along the length. The good thing about this method is that the impressions from the drying process are guaranteed to lead to a solid understanding of the rules for washing woolen items: you won’t want to repeat them.

How to stretch a shrunken wool sweater using hair conditioner - video

How to stretch out pants

If shrinkage occurs along the length, then it is not difficult to correct the situation.

If the fabric of woolen trousers becomes shiny during wear, steam the area with an iron through gauze, and then clean with a stiff brush and salt.

How to restore the original appearance and size of a shrunken coat

Hardly anyone dares to wash their expensive cashmere coat on their own. That is why we will talk about relatively small children's products made from mixed coat fabric. They are the ones who most often suffer from the baby’s carelessness and the mother’s inexperience. Washing a soiled coat in the car is a simple matter, but most often this method leads to the fact that the clothes go to the neighbor’s child, who is a couple of years younger. You can still try to bring the coat back to life.

First you need to soak the item in the following solution: 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide per 10 liters of cold water.
Keep the product in it for two hours. Peroxide will help the fibers become more elastic.
While the coat is soaking, gently stretch it with your hands.
After completing the water procedures, lightly wring out the material and lay it on a towel to dry. As you already know, towels should be periodically replaced with dry ones, and the thing itself should continue to be stretched with your hands until completely dry.

Clothes made of wool will be the size of your child for a long time if you learn how to properly wash, dry and stretch shrunken clothes

A method for restoring a hat that has become too small after washing

The easiest way to restore the size of a woolen hat is to stretch it onto a three-liter jar. Before doing this, you need to soak it in cold water for a few minutes.

Adding hair balm to the hat's soaking water will give the fibers a soft fluffiness. Such a hat will not make your forehead itch later.

After soaking, place the cap on the jar turned upside down and leave to dry naturally, away from heat sources. If you don’t have a can at home, dry the hat directly on your head, wearing a shower cap underneath.

By drying a shrunken wool hat in a three-liter jar, you can restore its shape and size

What can you do with shrunk socks and mittens?

Such a misfortune is doubly unpleasant if it happens in severe winter, and socks or mittens that have shrunk after washing are the only ones. To help the grief, you will need:

vinegar;
spray;
many newspapers;
any strong clips or clothespins.

Instructions:

Soak things in water (you can add hair balm).
Stretch them a little with your hands.
Remove and squeeze without twisting.
Spray wet items with vinegar from a spray bottle.
Place more crumpled newspapers inside and secure the edges of the cuffs with clothespins to prevent the newspapers from falling out. You will have to change the paper sometimes, and the more often you can do this, the faster everything will dry. The smell of vinegar disappears quite quickly.

Woolen items are useful to wear for people suffering from rheumatism, osteochondrosis, orthopedic diseases and circulatory disorders.

Vinegar and crumpled newspapers will help restore the shape and size of mittens or socks made of wool.

A wool jacket that has shrunk - we will stretch it on the carpet

To reliably and safely stretch the jacket without losing its shape, we will use the “grandmother’s” method. It will require a solution of the following ingredients:

5 liters of cold water;
5 tablespoons of ammonia;
1 tablespoon of turpentine;
1 tablespoon cologne.

Operating procedure:

Soak the affected product for an hour and a half in the solution.
Rinse in clean water at the same temperature and squeeze a little.
Baste the jacket to a piece of thick fabric. To do this, spread a cloth on the table - a tablecloth, a sheet folded in 4 layers, a terry towel. Lay the jacket on top of the fabric, stretch it with your hands and begin sewing it along the contour to the fabric below. Make stitches in 2 cm increments. While sewing, constantly adjust the position of the jacket.
Stretch the fabric to which the jacket is sewn onto the frame (as indicated in the original recipe). In modern realities, you can do it simpler: lay out the fabric with the jacket on a cleaned rug and attach it to it with pins, pulling it tightly. To do this, you will need a helper to hold the fabric taut while you pin it to the carpet.
Dry your jacket this way.

Precautionary measures:

this method is absolutely not suitable if there are small children or playful animals in the house;
count and write down the number of pins used: you should collect the same number later.

Proper care of deformable items

Deformed (shrunken and stretched) items require even more careful handling than ordinary woolen items.

Wash them only by hand, gently kneading them in water, do not twist or wring them out, but dry them only on a towel.
Things that are well laid out for drying, as a rule, do not need ironing, and if this is still necessary, then iron through gauze, without steam.

To avoid having to stretch shrunken clothes, remember the simple rules for washing wool:

recommended water temperature - no higher than 30 °C;
use a special gel-like product for washing wool products, but if this is not available, then hair shampoo will do;
do not rub the fabric or twist it while squeezing, so as not to stretch the fibers;
dry flat, without hanging;
Do not use additional heat during drying and do not dry on a radiator.

Special markings - the world-famous mark of the International Wool Secretariat, guaranteeing its quality - are allowed to be applied if the wool is obtained from a living healthy animal and contains no more than 7% of other fibers.

Wool is environmentally friendly, useful, worthy and valuable at all times. Now she is experiencing a new peak of popularity. And although new means and technologies have appeared that allow you to carefully wash clothes from it in a machine, clothes often become deformed and decrease in size. You can fix this using the tips from the article. Wear woolen items with pleasure and take care of them properly.

Have you ever had to deal with a situation where a T-shirt or dress shrunk and ended up being slightly out of size after washing? By violating well-known rules, we often find ourselves in situations that are unpleasant and bring discomfort - this also applies to washing.

By neglecting the instructions that the manufacturer creates for us and leaves on the tags, we end up with a damaged or shrunk item. Many modern housewives are wondering: what to do if the item shrinks after washing?

This problem has remained relevant for many years: what to do if your dress or T-shirt shrinks? How to bring shrunken curtains back to life? When asking such questions, look for the correct answers to them.

Regardless of whether the item is wool or silk, it can always be restored if you listen to the recommendations of experts.

There are many reasons why your dress, T-shirt, shirt or even pants may shrink. The most common of them are presented below.

If you choose the wrong washing temperature, the fabric may lose its structure as a result. In addition, the mechanical impact of the “washing machine” will have a detrimental effect on cotton and knitted clothing.

Do not despair ahead of time, because you can always find a way out of every situation, even the most deplorable one. Sit back comfortably and try to remember all the recommendations of professionals that can be useful to you in a situation when your T-shirt, dress, curtains and other things suddenly shrink.

Correcting the situation and returning the fabric to its original form is actually not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

Clothes and shoes that have shrunk after improper washing can be restored using basic techniques.

Depending on how advanced your case is, you can try several rescue options, or you can use just one, and it will be a winner.

A shrunken dress or other wardrobe items can be stretched in eight ways.

When a wool T-shirt or shirt shrinks, it is wise to soak it in cold water after washing. It will take some time - about 15 minutes - for the thing to adapt. After this, remove it from the container, do not twist it - just shake it - and lay the item on a flat surface. Don't miss the moment! The dress can be stretched with your hands even before it begins to dry, thereby giving it the shape that you need. The silk can also be adjusted periodically to prevent it from returning to a shrunken position.
There is another option, which involves soaking in water, but in this case the woolen T-shirt will not fold out - you will need to put it on yourself when wet. If you want to stretch an item and can still afford to wear it wet until it dries, use this tip.
Silk and wool are quite finicky fabrics that can cause difficulties. In this case, you can use a folk remedy: add a few tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to the water and place the item there for two hours. After this, curtains or clothes are not wrung out, but simply laid out on a towel.
A T-shirt made from combined fabrics or synthetics can also be easily restored. Here you can soak your clothes in cold water and then put them in the washing machine - choose a delicate wash and cold water. It will be possible to stretch the thing in this way if you do not add powder.
Cotton curtains will stretch if you prepare a vinegar solution for this procedure. Using this method, you will achieve the desired results. It's simple: soak a clean rag in vinegar and gently rub the fabric with it. When finished, hang the curtains by hanging them on one side to allow them to stretch.
Silk can be stretched using folk remedies. It’s still the same vinegar, but we change the technology: take 3 tablespoons of vinegar per 10 liters of water, mix and immerse things in it for about 20 minutes. Next, we take out the clothes: if they are curtains or outerwear, you can wring them out lightly, but while they are drying, do not forget to regularly adjust and shape the fabric that you need.
There is also an absolutely opposite option, when curtains or silk can be affected not by low temperature, but by high temperature. Of course, most people believe that heat is the main problem that causes our clothes to shrink, but if you do it right, you are guaranteed a positive result. What to do? We first soak the silk in cold water, and then iron it hot and stretch it as we need.
If your clothes cannot be ironed for some reason, use steam. Carry out all the steps with the precision described above, but do not iron the items, but treat them with steam.

Advice! Having carefully studied all the technologies that can be used to stretch items that have shrunk after washing, do not forget about preventive measures.

There are situations when it is better to prevent a problem than to deal with its consequences for a long time and painfully.

Prevent fabric shrinkage

Of course, you can say that having the necessary knowledge, you are not at all afraid of any shrinkage. But why waste your time and energy trying to deal with shriveled things if you can prevent this from happening in the first place?

Experts advise:

Always pay attention to the tags on clothes before washing them. By adhering to the recommendations described, you will not be able to fit into your favorite dress;
try to wash at a temperature of about 30 degrees - no higher. Take care of your things and they will last long in return;
It is better to buy woolen clothes a size larger, since after the first wash they will shrink in any case.

You shouldn’t go to extreme measures and then frantically look for a way out of the situation - it’s much easier to take care of your things right away. But if an unpleasant situation happens to you when the fabric shrinks after washing, don’t despair - now you know exactly what to do!

Very often we do not pay attention to the washing rules and the information on the clothing tag. We simply sort by color and put it in the washing machine, setting the device to the usual mode. As a result of such actions, things may decrease in size or even deteriorate. How to stretch a T-shirt? What to do if your jacket shrinks after washing? You will find answers to these questions in our article.

Why do clothes shrink in size?

Basically, things shrink after washing due to an incorrectly set mode in the washing machine and incorrectly selected water temperature. Due to such actions, the fabric fibers change their structure, and the centrifuge of the washing machine affects this process even more.

At the end of the wash, you get clothes several sizes smaller than they were before.

Important! Natural fabrics made from cotton, wool or combined fabrics with synthetics are most susceptible to shrinkage. Particular attention should be paid to washing woolen items.

If suddenly such an unpleasant situation has already happened to you, you should know how to stretch a woolen item if it has shrunk after washing, and return it to its original size.

What to do if a woolen item shrinks?

A jacket or sweater made of wool is a very common item. They are highly susceptible to shrinkage after the washing process. Few people pay attention at what temperature such things should be washed. As a result, you can get a product out of the washing machine in a size suitable only for a first-grader. How to stretch a thing so as not to spoil its appearance? We offer several effective methods that even a child can handle.

Option #1:

Take a bowl of water and soak the sweater in it for 5-10 minutes.
Lay the product horizontally, without straightening folds or creases.
Wait until excess water drains from your clothes.
Lay down a terry towel and place a damp sweater on it.
Stretch it slightly in width and length.
Stretch the jacket from time to time until it is completely dry.

Important! Do not pull the product along the edges; you need to stretch it in small sections, moving from the center to the edge of the product.

Leave the clothes to dry horizontally.

Option No. 2

There is another similar way to stretch clothes, although the technology is slightly different from the method outlined above:

Place an item of clothing in a basin of water and leave for 5-10 minutes.
Wait for the excess water to drain and put the product on yourself.
Attach a weight to the sleeves at the bottom to stretch them.

Important! Putting on a wet sweater can be unpleasant, so the best option would be to use a mannequin.

Option #3

Don't know how to stretch a shrunken woolen item? To do this, you can use hydrogen peroxide. If medical liquid is not in your home medicine cabinet, it will not be difficult to purchase it at a medical kiosk. When exposed to peroxide, wool fibers become more elastic, which means it will be easier to stretch the jacket.

Important! It is advisable to use this method only for light-colored clothes, since peroxide has a fairly effective bleaching effect.

Procedure:

Add peroxide to clean water in a ratio of 5:1.
Soak the wool product in the resulting liquid.
Leave to soak for about 1 hour.
Lightly squeeze excess water from the product.
Put the sweater on yourself or on a mannequin.

Important! The jacket should be worn until it is completely dry.

Option No. 4

Don't know how to stretch a sweater to length? This method is convenient and simple, and it will also very carefully help stretch a shrunken pullover:

Add a little shampoo to cold water.
Wet the jacket in the resulting soapy liquid.
Squeeze out excess water until the jacket is damp.
Prepare a small board in advance.

Important! The edges of the board must be sanded, otherwise puffs may appear on the jacket.

Stretch the wet jacket lengthwise on the board and secure at the edges with pins.
Leave to dry in this position.

How to stretch a synthetic item?

It's not just woolen items that can shrink in size. Often, a T-shirt, tank top, dress and other items of clothing that contain synthetic and natural fibers can shrink after washing. Find out how to stretch a thing with a combined fiber composition below.

Method No. 1

Very often, due to incorrect washing temperatures, shirts and dresses of mixed fiber composition decrease in size. To stretch the polyester, the item must be washed again:

Place the dress in a basin of water and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Wash the dress in the washing machine again, selecting the delicate cycle.

Important! When washing, do not use powder.

After finishing washing, hang the dress upright to dry using a hanger.
While drying, stretch the product in length and width from time to time.

Method number 2

This method is very often used in dry cleaning - clothes that have shrunk after washing are treated at high temperature. To use this method to stretch a T-shirt or other shrunken item at home, do the following:

Place the shrunken item in a bowl of water for 10-15 minutes.
After the time has passed, remove the clothes from the basin and wait for the water to drain.
Place a towel on the ironing board and place wet clothes on top.
Iron the dress with a hot iron, slightly stretching it in length and width.

Important! If the iron has a steam function, stretching the dress will be much faster.

How to stretch a cotton item?

Cotton is a very common and fastidious fabric. Products made from it are very convenient and have a low cost. However, the material is made from natural fibers and is therefore very susceptible to shrinkage. Incorrectly selected water temperature during washing and the drying process will deform the product.

The following methods will help you figure out how to stretch a dress in width.

Option #1

Such products can be stretched using the old, but proven “grandfather” method. The process does not require much time and effort:

Pour table vinegar into a small container.

Important! To prevent clothes from having a strong pungent odor after treatment, use 3% vinegar.

Moisten a soft sponge or foam rubber with vinegar and wipe the shrunken dress.
While processing the dress, stretch it across the width.
Hang it to dry vertically, stretching it to the desired size from time to time.

Option No. 2

You can also stretch cotton with vinegar by using it as a component of a special solution:

Dilute vinegar in water at room temperature, maintaining an approximate ratio of 3:1.
Dip the product into the prepared solution and leave to soak in the liquid for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the dress from the basin and wait for the excess water to drain.
Hang the product on hangers and stretch to the desired size.

Important! After treating a dress with vinegar, a strong odor may emanate from the product. To eliminate it, wash the dress with added conditioner, but at the correct temperature.

How to stretch out shrunken jeans?

Denim pants are worn by children and adults. Denim items are very comfortable everyday wear. Due to frequent wear, such products are washed more often than others. After washing with powder, no matter the quality of your jeans, they will definitely shrink.

In order not to encounter the problem of how to stretch the fabric, you should know the basic rules for washing denim:

To prevent jeans from shrinking and remaining the same size, you need to wash them in warm water not exceeding 40 degrees.
The longer the wash time, the more the pants will shrink.
Regardless of how dirty your jeans are, wash them for no longer than 30 minutes.

Important! If you machine wash your jeans, be sure to follow the wash instructions on the label.

How to stretch something that has shrunk after washing?

If your jeans have shrunk after washing, you should place them wet on an ironing board and steam them with a hot iron.
While ironing, periodically stretch the jeans in all directions.
Once you achieve the desired result, leave them to dry.

Important! If the jeans cannot be stretched completely to the desired size, put them on yourself and walk around. In this case, you can sit down several times.

How to stretch a jersey T-shirt?

Knitted items, like any other fabric, shrink due to improper washing: water temperature and harsh detergent. You can return knitted items to their original appearance using one of the following methods.

Method No. 1

A great option on how to stretch a T-shirt a size larger, spending a little time and effort:

Pour warm water into a basin and immerse the knitted T-shirt for 15 minutes.
After a while, place the product in the washing machine and turn on the centrifuge mode.
Take the knitwear out of the machine and stretch it to length and width.
Leave clothes to dry vertically using hangers.

Important! Drying should be done at room temperature. On the battery, the product will shrink again - maybe not by 1 size.

Finally, iron with a warm iron, slightly stretching to the desired size.

Method No. 2

The following procedure will help to stretch a knitted dress in width:

Soak the knitted dress in warm water for 30 minutes.
Squeeze out excess water from the product.

Important! Do not twist the knitwear, as the product will subsequently stretch unevenly.

Place the damp item on a terry towel, straightening out any creases and folds.
Roll the towel with the dress and leave it in this position for 20-30 minutes.
After the time has passed, place the clothes on the ironing board and iron them.

Important! You need to iron the knitted item until it is completely dry, stretching the right places.

Leave the dress to dry horizontally on a dry towel.

Important! If your clothes don't stretch well, apply a small amount of hair conditioner to them.

In order not to bother yourself in the future with the question of how to stretch an item that has shrunk after washing, remember some simple rules:

For clothes that are susceptible to shrinkage, wash only by hand or in a washing machine using a delicate cycle.
If your washing machine is equipped with a drying function, it should be used with extreme caution. From such actions there is a very high probability that the product will decrease by a couple of sizes.
Choose a detergent specifically designed for sweaters and dresses that are prone to shrinkage.
The water temperature for washing clothes should not exceed 40 degrees.
Washing and rinsing clothes should be done at the same temperature.
You can prevent things from becoming deformed with vinegar. If possible, add it during washing at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 3 liters of water.
If your dress has shrunk in size, remember the following: it should be dried exclusively in a horizontal position, periodically stretching it in length and width.
Only woolen dresses and sweaters can be dried in a vertical position.

Don't be upset if after washing your favorite dress or trousers become one size smaller. This problem can be easily dealt with using time-tested methods. In our article, we have provided the most effective and labor-intensive methods to restore the original appearance of clothes that have suffered from improper care.

In life, you can often come across the fact that your favorite T-shirt turns out to be a couple of sizes smaller after washing. What to do in this case? Is your favorite thing really destined to go to the trash heap? Take your time. There is one effective way that will help stretch a T-shirt and return it to its original size.

You will need

Washing basin;
- a piece of gauze or thin cotton fabric;
- iron;
- clothespins for drying clothes.

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Instructions

Pour some warm water into the washing basin at a temperature of no more than 40°C. Soak the shrunken T-shirt in water for 10-15 minutes.

After this time, manually wring out the T-shirt and shake it lightly. If your T-shirt has slogans on it, don't wring it too hard. This can damage the inscription and cause it to lose its original appearance, wear out and disappear over time.

Using an iron and gauze (thin cotton fabric), steam the T-shirt on both sides alternately, stretching it slightly, but do not dry it completely. Be careful with the lettering if it is on the T-shirt. It's best not to iron it at all, as the high temperature of the iron can ruin its appearance.

Hang the slightly damp and steamed T-shirt, neck down, on the drying line using clothespins. Pull it again from all sides and let it dry completely.

Carefully choose the material of the product. This is necessary in order to avoid excessive shrinkage in the future. Also, when making a purchase, you should pay attention to the product’s resistance to deformation. To do this, grab the T-shirt by the opposite edges and pull in different directions. Then release. A high-quality T-shirt will return to its original shape and will not shrink when washed. If the T-shirt remains stretched, then after the first wash it will lose its appearance. This is a cheap t-shirt and not worth buying.

How simple

What clothes can be stretched?

It is guaranteed that you can stretch fabric that shrinks, that is, made from cotton or wool, especially knitted fabric. But synthetic material, both hard and containing elastane, will either return to its original size or lose the integrity of the fibers. You should also not experiment with silk and viscose fabrics, since these threads lose strength when wet. As for mixed materials, their ability to stretch depends on the percentage of fibers of different types and the structure of the fabric, and is best tested experimentally on a small area of the product. You should also remember that you should not increase by more than one size - even if you manage to do this, fabric that is too thin will look unsightly.

How to prepare a product for stretching?

First of all, you need to carefully examine the thing, including against the light. The fabric must be intact, without scuffs or tears (even sewn), clean and free of stains. After this, you should clarify to what size you will stretch. It is best to make a pattern; for this you can use a similar item that fits you well. You can also take new measurements using the following reference sizes (for blouses, T-shirts, straight dresses):

Neck circumference.
Chest circumference (add approximately 6 cm for a loose fit).
Bottom width (add at least 3 cm).
Total length.
The length of the sleeve.

When changing the size, you need to control the new depth of the armhole. It can be measured directly or calculated as one third of half the new chest volume plus 5 cm. The neck width may also change; it cannot be more than the neck circumference divided by three.

To stretch, the product will need to be wet, so prepare a container of the appropriate size, liquid soap, neutral shampoo or hair conditioner. You will also need two terry towels, stainless pins and some weighted objects, such as large books. All zippers on the product must be tightly fastened, button fastenings and structural cuts must be sewn up with small stitches.

How to stretch a T-shirt, jacket, dress

Step 1. Prepare the required amount of soap solution, using a tablespoon of detergent for every liter of water. For cotton products, you can take liquid soap; for wool, you will need hair care products - mild shampoo or conditioner. The solution should be at room temperature.

Step 2. Immerse the product in the soap solution until it is completely covered and leave for half an hour.

Step 3. Without rinsing the item, twist it thoroughly (even if twisting is not recommended for this material), rolling it into a tight rope.

Step 5. After twisting, straighten the item, lay it out on a terry towel, roll it together into a tight roll, twisting it from the middle to the center, and leave for 10 minutes.

Step 6. The damp but not wet product is stretched and laid out on a dry terry towel. If you have the desired pattern, place it underneath and fix the required dimensions with pins, moving from top to bottom. If there is no pattern, first pin the shoulder seams, check the size of the neckline, and press down the damp fabric with some weight. Then the product is stretched down and to the sides to the desired armhole depth and chest width, these points are fixed with pins and the fabric is pressed down again. Finish stretching with the bottom of the sleeves and the entire product, after which it is left to dry in a horizontal position. After about an hour, you can remove the load and, without breaking the item off the towel, hang it on a rope to dry.

How to make jeans bigger?

To stretch denim pants, you can use the above method. An easier way is to stretch the pants on yourself. To do this, you only need a spray bottle of water and a large mirror. The sequence of operations will be as follows:

Put on your jeans, try to button them up and determine which areas need stretching (waistband, buttocks, upper legs, etc.).
Without removing your pants, spray these areas thoroughly with water.

After this, do gymnastics, including amplitude movements of the legs, squats, bends, and stretching.

Remove the almost dry trousers, additionally pull the problem areas and secure them with a weight, leaving it for two days.

A more radical method that allows you to get the perfect fit and even increase the length is to completely soak the jeans directly on yourself. It should be remembered that wet jeans can stain everything they come into contact with, and the procedure itself will not be very comfortable, and it is advisable to carry it out in hot weather. You will need a large enough container (bathtub), water at a comfortable temperature for you and an old terry towel.

Fill the bath with enough water to cover the entire “jean zone” when sitting, and add bubble bath.
Put on your pants, try to button them, and sit in the bath, first placing a towel on the floor.

After 15 minutes, the fabric will begin to stretch, and you will be able to button up your pants if you were unable to do so before. For 10 minutes, use your hands to intensively stretch the areas that are tight.