Fave jumper shrunk in the wash? Here's *exactly* how to fix it
SOS, you've shrunk your wear-all-winter-long knit sweater and turned your favourite oversized, slouchy cardigan into a cropped cardigan! Don't worry, we've all (unfortunately) been there before. Luckily, if you want – or rather, need – to know how to unshrink your clothes, you've come to the right place.
Picture the scene: you finally get around to tackling your growing pile of laundry only to misread the washing instructions on the label. Fast forward a few hours later and your favourite clothes emerge from the washing machine or tumble dryer considerably smaller than when it went in. Cue heartbreak.
It's a lesson you have to, regrettably, learn the hard way. But, fear not, because there is a fix that will restore your favourite pieces back to their former glory and original size. Praise be! It even works on wool jumpers, perhaps the hardest material to return back to original size.
Nope, it's not a myth, you really can reverse the dreaded ‘shrunk in the wash’ situation. And all you need to do is follow these five easy steps. So, pack away your tiny violins and forget about mourning your shrunken garms and let's crack on. Here's our easy guide on how to unshrink clothes, along with a few handy wardrobe pro tips to prevent it from happening again.
How to unshrink clothes
Fill your sink with lukewarm water and 1/3 cup of hair conditioner. Add your shrunk item of clothing and let it soak for about 10 minutes.
Pull out the plug and let the water drain. When the sink is empty, press the item of clothing against the sides of the sink to remove any excess water, but do not wring it out.
Lay your clothing flat on an absorbent towel and lay another towel on top. Press down gently on the towel sandwich to blot out and soak up as much water as possible.
Slowly begin to stretch your garment back into its original shape and size.
Lay it out flat on a clothes airer to dry naturally – do not hang it up or this will pull it out of shape.
HowCast has a helpful step-by-step video if you'd prefer a visual demonstration:
Why do clothes shrink?
The mother of all questions: why do materials, particularly wool, shrink in the wash while other fabrics come out in pristine original condition? Well, that's because wool contains an outer layer of scales.
We spoke to the National Cleaners Association who told us, “Heat, moisture and mechanical action cause the wool fibre to shrink and the edges of the scales to interlock, preventing the fibre from returning to its original position.” In other words, when you pop it in the wash or dryer it causes the fibres to shrink together. They then can't release from each other and are unable to expand out again.
How to prevent clothes from shrinking
Whether it's a mohair jumper, cashmere cardigan or your favourite knitted dress, there's really only *one* easy rule to follow when it comes to washing knitwear: don't put it in the washing machine or the dryer! And, as for the rest of your clothes, make sure to read the washing instructions label carefully before just chucking it in your machine on any old cycle.
This leads us to...
How to wash wool correctly
The safest bet to prevent shrinkage is to hand wash each piece separately in cold water with sunlight soap or soap flakes (if you're using flakes, make sure to dissolve the flakes in hot water first).
Start by soaking the item in cool room-temperature water mixed with your soap product of choice.
Rinse the item three times under cold water and make sure to get all the soap suds out.
Next, very gently squeeze all of the water out of the piece without wringing it out and lie flat on a towel to dry. This process works like a charm every time and the wool's shape will stay intact.
So there you have it, the dos and don'ts of washing wool and how to successfully unshrink your knitted staples.
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