How do you know if jeans shrink after washing, and how to prevent it?
Jeans are a popular wardrobe item. They are practical, so you can wear them at any time of the year. However, sometimes these versatile pants can cause serious frustration.
This happens after washing, when improper care of the product provokes their shrinkage. To avoid such a situation, you need to know certain rules.
Let's take a closer look at whether jeans shrink after washing, especially if you wash them in very hot water (90 degrees).
Content
How to determine in advance whether your pants will fit?
It is impossible to say 100% that pants will shrink after washing. However, the risks increase in the following cases:
- The fabric contains a large percentage of cotton. Products containing synthetic fibers are less likely to shrink.
- Suitable for washing at high temperatures.
- After washing, it is planned to subject the pants to an automatic spin cycle.
- Stretch jeans do not shrink. These things stretch great.
The more intensive processing the jeans undergo, the more likely they are to shrink. Read about the rules for washing jeans Here.
Tips to avoid shrinkage
To prevent pants from becoming 1-2 sizes smaller after washing, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Wash the item as little as possible. Frequent contact with water causes fabric fibers to shrink.
- Avoid temperature changes. You should not rinse your pants first in hot and then in cold water. It should always remain warm.
- Do not wash the product in boiling water.The higher the degree, the stronger the shrinkage of the fabric.
- Do not wring or twist the item after hand washing. When loading the product into the drum of the washing machine, the spin cycle must be turned off.
- Do not dry jeans folded. They should be straightened.
- Do not place the product near heat sources, for example, near a radiator.
- Do not resort to express drying methods.
- Use fabric softener when washing. It makes the fibers of the fabric soft and elastic, so they do not shrink or shrink.
However, if all care rules are followed, jeans will wear out quickly and shrinkage will be negligible.
What if I wash them in hot water (90 degrees)?
After washing in hot water, jeans will definitely shrink. The higher its temperature, the greater the degree of shrinkage:
- washing at 50-60 degrees shrinks by 0.5-1 size;
- washing at 60-70 degrees reduces jeans by 1-1.5 sizes;
- washing at temperatures of 80 degrees and above leads to shrinkage by 2 sizes;
- The contraction of fabric fibers is enhanced by alternating treatment with hot and cold water.
The values given are average values. The exact numbers depend on the composition of the material, the characteristics of washing and drying the product.
If your jeans have become stretched during wear, this can be corrected by boiling. Do it as follows:
- Hot water is poured into an enamel basin and brought to a boil.
- Jeans are soaked in boiling water.
- If they float, they are immersed back in using wooden tongs.
- After 5 minutes, turn off the water and leave to cool.To make this process happen as slowly as possible, the basin is covered with a lid.
- When the water has cooled, the pants are taken out and sent to dry.
How to wash so they don't shrink?
To prevent jeans from shrinking during washing, you need to care for them properly. Preference should be given to the manual cleaning method.
The following recommendations must be followed:
- wash pants in cool water, its temperature should not exceed 30 degrees;
- When removing dirt, do not rub or crush the product;
- wash jeans straightened out by soaking them in the bathtub;
- Do not wring out the fabric, let it dry naturally.
These simple rules will help you avoid fabric shrinkage. If after washing the item becomes smaller, there is no need to despair.
Most often, after 2-3 hours of active wear, the jeans stretch and take their previous shape. Read about other ways to return jeans to their previous size Here.
How to shrink the product?
To make the product smaller by 1-2 sizes, it must be dried properly. The pants are laid out on a flat surface, covered with a terry towel.
You need to smooth them out with your hands, giving them the correct shape. Being in a horizontal position, the fibers will not shrink during the drying process.
Methods for shrinking denim:
To ensure that denim shrinks, it is recommended to wash the item in an automatic washing machine.Such intensive processing will lead to compression of the fibers and their reduction by 1-2 sizes.- Washing in boiling water. The higher the water temperature, the greater the shrinkage. If necessary, the pants can be boiled. Adding a soap solution enhances the effect.
- Wash and spin at high speeds. To do this, use the “intensive wash” program. The speed must be at least 800 drum rotations per minute.
- Ironing the product. The higher the exposure temperature, the more significant the shrinkage of the fabric. To enhance the effect, you can wet your pants with hot water with fabric softener diluted in it in a 3:1 ratio.
He will tell you how to shrink stretched jeans this article.
Conclusion
Jeans may shrink or stretch after washing. It all depends on how a person cares for them.
Knowing what factors can cause your pants to shrink or stretch, you can avoid unwanted consequences.
