Viscose village how to return to its original form. A jacket made of wool that has shrunk - we will stretch it on the carpet. What to do if the item shrinks after washing

The problem of shrinkage of woolen items can be easily solved by applying special means and physical impact.

At improper care woolen may deform. If woolen thing sat down in the wash, still there is a chance to fix everything. I will tell you what methods you can use to return its shape and stretch it to its previous size.

How to return the form to things?

There are two methods how to stretch shrunken woolen things:

• Physical- that is, pulling out a wet product with your own hands, or wet - by steaming with an iron;
• Chemical- with the use of special tools.

The best result will be when combining these methods..

So, what to do if you took a wool product out of the washing machine and noticed that it had shrunk.

• The first action is to stretch it, still wet, with your hands.. Do not dry.

• Next - soaking in products that give elasticity(more on them below).

• The next step is re-stretching. wet product.
• The last step is drying.

3 special tools

Solve the problem and return former size woolen things can be done with the help of the means that are at home:

Image	Instruction
	Remedy 1. Hydrogen peroxide Adds elasticity to woolen threads. The instruction is simple: Pour 5 liters of water at room temperature into the basin. Add 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide and mix the solution with the same spoon. Place the wet, shrunken item in the solution and wait half an hour. Rinse the item. Achieve the desired result by observing the proportions in the solution, as a high concentration will ruin the woolen threads. The price of the product is from 30 rubles. Dark things will brighten from such a chemical treatment, so the method is only suitable for light products.
	Remedy 2: Conditioner for wool fabrics Applying after an unsuccessful wash a conditioner designed for wool (pictured), you will return the clothes to their previous size. The fibers will become soft and pliable: Dilute the concentrate according to the instructions. Soak for a few minutes. Without rinsing, wring out. Pull in different sides hands. Hang to dry on the base. So it stretches under its own weight.
	Remedy 3. Hair Conditioner The use of hair conditioner is quite effective in solving the problem of how to restore a woolen thing. Its main components are similar to the composition of conditioners that give softness to wool. This contributes to easy stretching. Shampoo is for cleansing, conditioner is for nutrition. hair follicles, and the conditioner "works" with the hair shaft. Therefore, use it if a woolen thing has sat down. Your actions: Dilute in warm water(5L) tablespoon of conditioner. Soak woolen clothes for half an hour. Without rinsing, squeeze lightly or wrap in a towel.

physical impact

In the process of stretching, make sure that the clothes do not lose symmetry. How to stretch a shrunken woolen thing after processing with special means?

Method 1: Instead of wringing, use a towel

This method will help lengthen clothes:

• Wet the item.

• Take a terry towel and lay it out on the table.
• Pull out the clothes with your hands and lay them on a towel.
• Roll up and wait 10 minutes - so terry cloth will absorb moisture.
• Change the towel and pull out the clothes again.
• Hang the woolen thing on a rope, securing the base with clothespins. So drying, it will stretch under its own weight.

Method 2: iron

This method works if the product has slightly shrinked and is already dry.. So you can pull out a synthetic thing:

• Straighten your clothes on the ironing board.
• Cover with a damp cotton towel.
• Iron while stretching.
• The function of the iron "steam" will enhance the effect.

Method 3: put on

An excellent method is to let the product dry, keeping its shape when drying.. There are several ways to do this:

• Put on, walk until dry. Pull sleeves and hem to avoid shrinkage.
• Build a structure on which to fix the thing stretched by hand with pins. For example, on a cork board.
• Pull on a mannequin, back of a chair or armchair.

Method 4: for a hat

To stretch the hat that has shrunken after washing, use the common method - dry it by putting it on a kitchen utensil or a ball.

• Find right size jar, pan, ball.
• Soak your hat in cold water with air conditioning.
• Press lightly after 10 minutes.
• Stretch over a suitable object and leave to dry.

In this way, you can return the shape of even a very shrunken headdress. The hat will correspond to the size of the item on which it was dried.

Conclusion

Now, knowing how to stretch a thing after washing, you can easily solve this problem. All of these methods are easily accessible and effective. Check out the video in this article for a visual guide. If you have a question or know new way how to return the size of a shrunken thing - write in the comments.

The sweater sat down after washing - what to do? I think a lot of people are familiar with this situation. After all, this is how the wardrobe becomes small on their owner.

However, shrunken elements are not a fact that from now on they cannot be worn. Yes, such a nuisance brings discomfort, but the situation is absolutely fixable.

What is the origin?

Often we are faced with the problem of reducing the parameters of clothes after washing. In order to exclude this possibility in the foreseeable future, we will talk about the main causes of the problem found:

• the main factor contributing to the distortion of the fiber of any fabric is a hot environment, which also has a significant effect on color;

Look at the label, which indicates the allowable degree recommended by the manufacturer for a particular case.

• incorrectly selected auto mode with a spin function at high speeds, so for delicate models, stop at manual push-ups;
• the use of unsuitable detergents or those containing aggressive components leads to the destruction of tissues;

To wash such sweaters, manufacturers household chemicals offer emollient liquid and gel products that make rinsing easier.

• incorrect drying in a vertical position or at the maximum heating temperature of heating equipment.

Very importance the nature of the fiber plays into the choice of treatment and care. It should be understood that silk and natural wool give maximum shrinkage.

Be prepared for the fact that pure wool consists of fibers that roll well, and therefore the products will be too reduced in proportion.

Cotton and knitwear do not perceive mechanical influences well. Incorporation into fiber synthetic materials allows you to compensate for these shortcomings.

Proper care is the key to ideal forms

Read the label after purchase for care instructions. The designation of these mysterious icons is now easy to find on the Internet.

With an inconvenient location of the labels, they can be torn off, moved to another place, or saved as a reminder of the need for special care for a certain element of the wardrobe.

To protect your blouse from various oddities, take into account the following parting words:

• The use of special liquid or gel-like substances for washing and care;
• Refuse the automatic machine and consider manual wringing with light squeezing movements as an alternative in the future;
• The need to lay out our object on a flat horizontal plane to dry;

Drying milestone- Wrap the jacket and gently wring it in a towel, which will minimize twisting deformations while removing excess moisture.

• Work in cool or room temperature environments.

If the above conditions are not met, you can observe the deformation of the sweater after processing in a washing machine.

It is quite difficult to restore the former format after distortion, but try to revive it. You can’t return to the impeccable original look, but trying to return at least one size is quite realistic.

Let's try to make an impact!

To bring back the old vitality, we present a couple of effective and proven methods:

• A second time ;
• Stretch with steam
• Include drugs and detergents on the market;
• Make an attempt self cooking active aqueous solutions.

When performing each of the presented procedures, there is a specificity, so we will consider each stage separately.

We are rewashing…

Regardless of at what stage of cleaning it was allowed, we decide to fix it in the same way. To do this, pre-soak the item for 15-20 minutes in a cold environment without including any chemical components, wring it out and wrap it in a towel.

The next steps are:

• Spread the thing you are looking for on a flat surface and leave it in such conditions for 30 minutes, then every 15 minutes check the jacket and stretch it in the right direction. Particular emphasis should be placed on the cuffs and neck, since these zones are deformed irrevocably;

To securely fix the damaged areas, pin them to the towel on which they dry, and periodically adjust the position in space.

• Fabric shrinkage in vertical position- dry it on a coat hanger so that it stretches under its own weight. For correct distribution proportions in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe hangers, first place a thick towel under them;
• Control the reprocessing sequence to manually correct the process.

Let's steam...

Despite the fact that the thermal effect negatively affects the structure, this approach is also used to return the damaged look to its original forms.

In doing so, pay attention to some details:

• To prepare the jacket, it is soaked, wrung out and not completely dried, only after that they start processing with a hot iron with the connection, if possible, of a steam boost or steaming mode;

It is very important to avoid temperature differences, i.e. work in a hot, then in a cold liquid or vice versa. This difference also gives rise to shrinkage.

• Carry out careful manipulations and stretch the thing in the right direction when working with a hot iron;
• Gently iron the areas to complete drying corrected areas.

If your jacket is made from a mixed composition, then this option will work great on problem areas.

What has been known for a long time...

Special methods that our grandparents have known since childhood allow not only to make the threads soft and elastic, but also to change the size of the blouse in any direction.

To do this, they prepare their own mixtures in which the sweater is soaked, rinsed and sent to a horizontal surface to dry:

• For 5–6 liters of water, 3 tablespoons of ammonia, 1 tablespoon of cologne or vodka, 1 tablespoon of turpentine;
• For 30 minutes, dip the thing in a solution of vinegar and water, the proportions of which are 1: 2;
• Add a couple of tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to a bucket of water.

Some nuances...

You can try to return the fabric to its original form with the help of some elementary simple tricks. To do this, we offer the following rescue options:

• For correction wool sweater soak it in cold water for 15 minutes after washing the product. It is not worth twisting intensively, shake slightly and spread on a flat surface, giving the shape that you need. In the process of drying, periodically correct the position;

For achievement best result when the thing dries wet dresses himself.

• In addition to wool, silk is a rather fastidious fabric, which, like wool, is saved by soaking in water for 2-3 hours with the addition of hydrogen peroxide or vinegar;
• Sweatshirts made of combined fabrics with the inclusion of synthetics are easily reanimated and also soaked in cool water. To restore them, you can use delicate washing and rinsing in a typewriter without adding any kind of rinse aid;
• Cotton fiber sweatshirts are wetted vinegar solution, after which the thing is placed in a stretched state.

Before washing...

Here, in principle, and all the details in which we wanted to inform you. Therefore, no shrinkage will be terrible for your outfits. We just want you to take note of:

• Information about the product, which is placed on the clothing tag;
• Work at a temperature not higher than 30 degrees;
• Buy wool items a size larger, taking into account the possible ability to become narrower;
• Avoid drying on clotheslines or near the heat of household appliances;
• Protect things from the influence of direct sun rays, which leads to burnout and disruption of the structure; steam treatment is recommended to be carried out through a segment.

Take care of your sweatshirts! And then their well-groomed and presentable appearance help you produce good impression at first sight!

TOTAL

Did the jacket shrink after washing? Now it's not a problem! We give a choice, based on existing opportunities, several options for salvation. As practice shows, one of them will definitely become winning.

However, keep in mind - follow the rules for caring for a sweater if you have it from a capricious material. This approach allows you to be 100% sure of the safety of your wardrobe.

Woolen clothing is sensitive to care and should be handled with care. Violation of the washing rules leads to the fact that she sits down. Time-tested recipes that are easy to apply at home will help restore the previous look.

Manufacturers officially declare that a shrunken product cannot be returned to its previous appearance. But there are home remedies to help deal with this problem.

Their effectiveness depends on several factors:

1. Compound. The fabric with the addition of synthetics is easier to influence. Wool without impurities in the composition is more difficult to pull out.
2. Shrinkage degree. A slightly reduced wardrobe item can really be enlarged. If a thing has turned from an adult into a child, it will not be possible to return the previous dimensions.
3. Stretching technique. They try everything in turn, starting with the less aggressive ones. It is impossible to say in advance what will work in a particular case.

When choosing an approach, not only the composition is taken into account, but also the specifics of wardrobe items. For example, trousers and hats are enlarged with different techniques.

Generic Methods

There are several universal tricks that allow you to return the previous look. They are suitable for any items: sweaters, trousers, hats, scarves, gloves. These methods are tried first because they do not harm the material.

Soak

Small shrinkage is eliminated by a simple delicate method: aging in cold water. For this:

1. Pour cold water into the basin and immerse clothes in it for 15 minutes.
2. Remove and lightly wring out just to remove excess moisture.
3. A terry towel is spread on a hard horizontal surface (table, floor), wet wardrobe items are laid out on top.
4. As the towels get wet, they are replaced with dry ones, and the clothes are stretched by hand to the desired size.

Soaking with conditioner

If plain water failed, another method is used. You will need any hair conditioner or a special laundry conditioner:

1. Cold water is poured into the basin.
2. Dissolve 30-50 ml of balm in it.
3. Place the clothes in the basin for 15 minutes.
4. Squeeze lightly to avoid dripping.
5. A terry towel is laid out on a flat horizontal surface, things are laid out on top.
6. As the towels get wet, they are changed to dry ones, and the product is stretched by hand to give the desired look.

Soaking with ammonia

The technology is the same, only ammonia is required. It is bought in a pharmacy:

1. in the pelvis with cold water dissolve a few tablespoons of ammonia.
2. Wool is immersed in the solution for an hour.
3. A terry towel is laid out on a flat surface, on which a slightly wrung out product is placed.
4. Towels are replaced with dry ones as they get wet, and the material is pulled out by hand to increase the size.

Soaking with hydrogen peroxide

Peroxide helps to restore the elasticity of the fibers, which helps to restore desired shape product. Hydrogen peroxide is sold in pharmacies.

This technique is only suitable for a light wardrobe, as the paint turns pale from exposure to the product:

1. Add a tablespoon of peroxide to a basin of cool water.
2. The clothes are soaked for 30 minutes.
3. Slightly wring out and lay out on a clean terry towel, giving the hands the desired look.
4. As the towels get wet, they are replaced with dry ones, and the thing is pulled out to increase the size.

The best method for shaping the shape is to pin it to a flat, hard surface. In this case, you do not have to stretch manually.

All techniques with soaking and stretching are the same in their technology, the difference is only in the components of the solution. Wool perfectly absorbs moisture, so complete drying takes a long time (up to a day). You can not speed up this process by drying with a hairdryer, fan, hanging on the battery. This will deform the fibers.

Ironing

This technology is convenient to use for jackets, jumpers, sweaters. You will need an iron with a steam function and a clean thin cloth, for example, gauze:

1. On ironing board place a clean, dry jacket. The board is pre-covered with a clean cloth.
2. Gauze is moistened and squeezed.
3. Cover the product with wet gauze.
4. Steam with an iron through gauze, stretching with your hands in the right directions.

Using the mannequin

If there is a mannequin in the house, they can stretch the sweater after washing. They do it like this:

1. The jumper is soaked in cold water, if necessary, adding peroxide, ammonia or balm.
2. Slightly wring out and put on the mannequin.
3. Hands stretch along the length and secure with pins, sticking them into the body.

In this way it is convenient to stretch the sleeves, trousers, the length of sweaters and jumpers.

If there is no mannequin, it is advised to dry on yourself. This is unpleasant and leads to the risk of getting sick, so it is better not to use this method.

Ways to increase the size of specific things

Depending on which item of clothing is damaged, other methods of restoration are also selected. The soaking technology is the same for all knitted items; the techniques of stretching during the drying process are different.

A cap

To increase a shrunken hat, you will need a three-liter glass jar or a device similar in size:

1. Soak the hat in cold water. You can add hair balm, special conditioner or ammonia.
2. Squeeze lightly.
3. Pull over an upside down jar.
4. Leave until completely dry.

Instead of a jar, you can use another matching accessory: pan, ball, balloon. For children's hats, use a smaller jar, for example, a two-liter jar.

Socks, mittens, gloves

Small accessories are shaped in a different way. You will need a spray bottle, vinegar, newspapers or other paper:

1. Soak socks in clean cold water. If desired, add hair balm, conditioner or ammonia.
2. Squeeze lightly and sprinkle with vinegar from a spray bottle. Use 6 or 9% vinegar. If there is only essence, it is diluted to a weak concentration.
3. Socks (mittens, gloves) are tightly stuffed with newspapers or other paper, giving the desired shape. The paper is periodically replaced with dry paper.

Instead of newspapers any will do filler that will give the desired shape to the socks.

For light hair, this method is not suitable. Paint with newsprint ruin the material. For light, clean paper is used.

Trousers

Pants can sit down in length. In this case, they are pulled out by hanging loads.

Special hangers for trousers with clothespins are suitable:

1. Pants are kept in a basin with cool water for 15 minutes. For best effect add peroxide, ammonia or balm.
2. Press without twisting.
3. Hang over the bath by the belt.
4. A hanger is attached to the bottom of the trousers with clothespins.
5. A load is hung on the hook of the hanger, which will stretch the legs.
6. Leave until completely dry.

Instead of hangers, other devices are also suitable. The goal is to pull the legs down.

Coat or jacket

Stretching a jacket or coat is not easy due to the size and density. The presence of a lining adds complexity. For this technique, you need a dense fabric, threads, needles, pins.

A place for drying is chosen and prepared in advance - a clean floor carpet:

1. The jacket is soaked in cool water with the addition of peroxide, ammonia or conditioner.
2. Lay out on a hard, flat surface dense fabric: tablecloth, sheet.
3. The jacket is sewn to the canvas along the contour, stretching it to the desired shape.
4. The material is stretched as much as possible and fixed tailor's pins on the floor carpet. One person pulls the structure, the second attaches the pins.
5. After complete drying, the jacket is steamed with an iron.

Reasons for shrinkage

Wool is a delicate material that requires special care. To avoid deformation of products, washing is carried out according to certain rules:

• Low temperature (30 degrees). Hot water causes the fibers to shrink.
• Special detergent. Apply gels with the appropriate mark. They do not contain harsh chemicals that destroy the structure.
• Suitable program for washing machine . Usually it is called "wool", "silk" or " delicate fabrics". These programs are set when cleaning demanding materials. If the device does not have such programs, the parameters are set independently. To do this, choose a short cycle at a minimum temperature, with a low number of revolutions and no spin.
• Drying in a horizontal form, away from heaters. Hot air causes the material to deform.

Before cleaning, study the label. It always indicates the permissible influences: suitable temperature, permitted chemicals, drying and ironing rules. Some items cannot be washed, only dry cleaned.

Caring for Refurbished Items

If a thing that has shrunken after washing has been stretched, further care she must be careful. Once deformed fibers will change their shape again if washed and dried incorrectly.

Rules for the care of clothes after deformation:

• Do not use a washing machine. In the future, you can wash products only by hand, with gentle movements.
• Use special detergents, preferably liquid or gel.
• Do not squeeze or twist. Only light compression is allowed to remove liquid.
• Dry horizontally on an absorbent cloth.
• Avoid batteries, hair dryers, fans to speed up drying.
• Iron through gauze, at a minimum temperature, without steaming.

These rules are universal for all knitted wardrobe items, but for those who have previously sat down, their observance is especially important.

It is not always possible to stretch a shrunken woolen thing. But in many cases, home recovery methods return the original size. For this, techniques of chemical and physical influence are used: they are soaked in special solutions and stretched during the drying process. The combination of these methods restores wool garments to the desired look.

There are frequent situations when, as a result of ignoring the advice of the manufacturer on the clothing label, the thing seriously shrinks, loses its original shape and attractiveness. It would seem that what to do if after washing the jacket of the village - many people simply give up and throw away the spoiled thing, and it’s good if they don’t repeat their mistakes in the future. However, if a thing has sat down after washing, this is not at all a reason to say goodbye to it completely, because clothes can be restored at home. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t encountered such a problem before and don’t know how to stretch a shrunken woolen item after washing - this manual will help you understand how to return the shape of woolen things after washing, as well as how to wash things so that they do not sit down. Get ready to remember!

Rules for the competent restoration of clothes after shrinkage

Before you restore a wool item after washing, you must familiarize yourself with the following rules:

• Woolen items are better restored after shrinkage if, in addition to wool, the material contains cotton or viscose. Without them, you can also stretch clothes, but it will be more difficult to do.
• after washing, it can be restored only in cool water, the temperature of which should not exceed 30 degrees. Wool is afraid of high temperatures, it can deteriorate from them.
• In the process of processing woolen things, you can not change the temperature of the water, otherwise the fibers may fall off.
• How to restore a shrunken thing after washing? To achieve positive result, use only those detergents that are intended for of this type fabrics, in this case for wool.
• In no case should you twist the woolen fabric, as this will greatly deform its fibers.
• If the wool shrinks during washing, wringing out after processing should be carried out only with dry towels.
• It is necessary to dry the woolen product treated after shrinkage only in a horizontal position.

Repeat these rules every time before stretching the sweater after washing to avoid making big mistakes - they can lead to the fact that the item really has to be thrown away. Now we need to figure out what to do if the woolen thing has sat down after washing, and what ways to restore your favorite clothes can be used at home. Read on to find out what to do if your pants have shrunk after washing, as well as how to restore woolen fabric.

9 Proven Ways to Stretch Shriveled Clothes After Washing

I wonder how to restore a woolen thing that has shrunken after washing? You can choose one of nine ways that you like. Each of them will allow you to return the clothes to their original shape, choose:

1. Pour warm water up to 30 degrees into a capacious container, then immerse the product to be stretched into it. Leave it for 10 minutes, gently wring it out, lay it on a flat horizontal surface and cover with a terry cloth on top. This method of how to fix a shrunken item after washing is suitable not only for wool, but also for other fabrics, therefore it is considered universal. This method will also be suitable if the trousers have sat down after washing.
2. How to stretch the wool after washing, so as not to damage the delicate material? Pour about 5 liters of warm water not hotter than 30 degrees into a container, add 3 tablespoons to it ammonia, 1 tablespoon of ordinary alcohol and the same amount of turpentine, mix thoroughly until a homogeneous solution is obtained. Put your item in the prepared solution and leave it in it for 40 minutes. When time will pass, rinse the item in water of the same temperature and lay it flat to dry, cover with a terry towel.
3. How to stretch a thing that has shrunken after washing if there was no alcohol at hand? You can use hydrogen peroxide, which is easy to find in the first aid kit. To do this, dilute a couple of tablespoons of peroxide in 10 liters of water and dissolve it thoroughly. Next, dip the stretched clothing into the container with the solution and gently rinse it while stretching it evenly into different forms, thereby giving things correct dimensions. When finished, leave the garment in the solution for 2 hours, then dry as described above.
4. What to do if the coat has shrunk after washing, but there is no peroxide? You can prepare a special solution that will work no worse. To do this, dissolve the powder intended for washing wool in water. Further, in this solution, the product is soaked for 15-30 minutes, rinsed in clean water over time, carefully squeezed out, put in a bag and left for a day in the freezer. When 24 hours have passed, the item must be removed and dried at room temperature. The product will be restored in size.
5. If the woolen item has shrunk after washing, and the extent of the problem is not very large, the use of ammonia can solve the problem. To do this, dissolve ammonia in water, while the components must be in equal quantities. The stretched product should be immersed in the solution for 120 minutes, after the indicated time has passed, rinsed in water of the same temperature. She will definitely resize.
6. What to do if the wool has shrunk after washing, and the clothes white color? You can use milk to restore the original size and shape. Just soak stretched thing in milk for 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly in water, the temperature of which does not exceed 30 degrees Celsius.
7. So, the jacket has sat down after washing, what if nothing helps, but you really want to keep the thing? There is a proven recipe, which is quite simple to use - dissolve 20 grams in 2 liters of cold water baking soda, stir thoroughly and immerse the stretched product in the solution for 12 hours. When the time has passed, the thing must be washed and immersed in a new solution, which includes 10 spoons tartaric acid for 2 liters of water. In the second solution, the clothes must be turned over regularly so that the liquid covers them evenly. When 2 hours have passed, the item should be removed, rinsed and dried thoroughly.
8. Wool sat down after washing what to do? To begin, turn the garment inside out, lay it on a flat horizontal surface (preferably on an ironing board), and then iron it with a warm iron on the steam setting. In this case, it is necessary to simultaneously stretch the thing in the right directions.
9. There is one more unusual way how to deal with trouble if the jacket has shrunk after washing. It is necessary to wet the thing spoiled during washing in cold water, wring it out and put it on. It is necessary to walk in cut clothing until it is completely dry. After that, it must be hung vertically and wait 2 hours.

If the jacket has shrunk in the wash, you will not panic and think about throwing the item away. You also know that, since the above tips are suitable not only for woolen clothes, but also for other fabrics, except perhaps Maximum temperature water may change slightly upwards.

Publication date: 03/09/2017

Let's clarify right away: shrinkage and stalling are different processes, therefore a shrunken and felted thing is not the same thing. Shrinkage is a decrease in linear dimensions, a shrunken sweater becomes shorter and / or narrower. When stalling, the qualities of the knitted fabric change: it becomes less elastic, more dense and even rigid, the structure itself is deformed. Such changes are only possible with natural materials, synthetics, as a rule, retain their original shape. If things made of cotton and linen can also sit down, and not necessarily knitwear, then mostly woolen ones fall off. Knitted fabrics tend to shrink more often, whether hand-knitted or machine-knitted, but also woven fabrics may shrink. knitted clothes can sit down, but not fall off, while things that fell down are always shrunken.

Why do things sit and fall?

The fabric, woven or knitted, consists of threads formed by the fibers of the raw materials - wool, cotton, flax. These threads have different degrees of twist, and the fibers - different length. The stronger the thread is twisted and the shorter the fibers that make it up, the better the shape of the knitted thing is preserved. Conversely, the weaker the twist and the longer the fibers of the wool, the more options shrinkage is possible. Roving (straight, untwisted wool tape/thread) or long-staple merino yarns shrink the most.

Things sit down and fall down when they are subjected to critical impacts on the threads from which they are connected, usually with improper washing. Heat, alkali plus mechanical action - just what you need to make wool. It is this combination of factors that underlies the needle felting technique, in the same way felt is made. Erasing wool sweater in a hot concentrated solution of the active detergent, and even with the use of friction (manually or in a washing machine on indelicate programs), you recreate ideal conditions technological process felting. The fibers of the threads are tangled and firmly linked together - as a result, the fabric becomes uniform and dense. But even during washing without friction (and felting), a woolen thing can shrink when the temperature drops, so you need to rinse it in the same warm water as you wash it. Do not forget that when rinsing in the automatic machine, cold water is always used.

The tighter the knit, the less likely the fabric will shrink. If the thing is openwork or knitting is loose, wash it very carefully, since the chance of shrinkage is rather big, the thing can decrease by 30% or half.

How to return the shape to shrunken and fallen things?

Folk methods offer, in fact, two options. The first is the mechanical stretching of a shrunken thing to its original dimensions. The nuances of this method are different, but the principle is as follows: the moistened canvas is pulled in different directions while drying. wet wool loses strength, therefore, stretching a thin canvas with all your might, you risk tearing it.

The second option is the impact directly on the deformed wool fibers. This includes soaking in solutions of hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, steaming or softening clothes after washing. The proportions of the solutions are slightly different, their recipes are easy to find on the Internet.

The outer layer of each fiber of wool has the same outer scaly layer as human hair. It is these scales that interlock, starting the stalling process. With the use of fabric softener, we are trying to achieve the same effect that we expect using hair conditioner: to smooth, glue, compact the hair scales so that they do not cling to the neighboring ones.

Steam also gently affects the structure of wool fibers, moisturizing and straightening them, helping to unravel.

When are these methods effective?

Folk methods work well for returning shape to shrunken things in the following cases:

• the canvas is knitted from medium or strongly twisted threads;
• woolen threads consist of short fibers;
• washing took place at a temperature not higher than 50-60 ° C, and when rinsing, the temperature did not decrease.

At temperatures above 50 °C, the structural wool protein keratin denatures and folds, and the “brewed” wool fiber loses elasticity and the ability to return to its previous shape. Therefore, if the knitted fabric was washed in a very hot water and fell down, to restore its dimensions, structure and appearance unfortunately not possible.