If you have recently noticed that your favorite shirt or jeans are a little tighter on you, there are two versions that may apply. Either you put on weight abruptly or you use the wrong washing program in washing machine causing your clothes to shrink. In case the second version is valid, there are some Useful tips to help you improve your washing conditions to avoid damage and shrinkage of your clothes.
Read the care label
To keep your clothes in good condition you should always read it care label and follow the instructions. Each label has a number of symbols that inform you about the best way of care and the ideal washing temperature. If the garment is made of different materials, it would be good to follow the instructions for the most delicate fabric . Some fabrics need to be washed by hand or with in order not to shrink dry cleaning.
If you have washing machine with steam function , taking care of your clothes becomes much easier. Since you no longer need to wash your hands. In addition, you save money as most models have steam operation include a variety of programs for delicate fabrics. For example, cashmere should normally be taken to dry cleaner for dry cleaning .
Check the reaction of the fabric
In case a garment does not have care label and you are not sure if the fabric is in danger of shrinking, try spraying a little water on the garment before putting it on washing machine . If the fabric shrinks significantly, it means that the garment is not suitable for washing with water. However, keep in mind that many fabrics intended exclusively for dry cleaning can be washed at low temperatures in a modern washing machine..
Avoid washing in hot water
Some fabrics, such as cotton, wool and linen, shrink if washed in hot water. So avoid washing your clothes at high temperatures. If you want to remove difficult stains from your clothes and you intend to soak them, make sure you have checked the temperature again and also do not leave them in the water for a long time. Thanks to technological advances and laundry detergents, you can use washing cycles with lower temperatures and wash all delicate fabrics effectively even without pre-washing.
Avoid high temperatures in the dryer
The rules that apply to washing must also be followed for drying in a dryer. The care label of the clothes will help you to choose the appropriate drying program while in this case too the high temperature will cause damage to the clothes.
The symbols for drying are identified by dots that appear inside a circle. A dot indicates drying in the program for sensitive. Two dots indicate normal drying. Of course, there are fabrics that should not be put in the dryer at all . In this case, natural sun drying is preferred, however do not forget to check if your clothes withstand sun exposure or not.
How to restore clothes to their original form
If one of your favorite clothes shrunk during washing, there is a good chance that you will return it to its original form by following the procedure below.
Fill a basin with lukewarm water and dissolve one tablespoon of baby shampoo per 1 liter of water. Place the clothes in the basin and stretch them while soaking them. The baby shampoo has the property of relaxing the fibers of the fabric while the stretching will bring the garment to its original state. Soak them for as long as needed.
Then gently squeeze the clothes without rinsing them with water – you can wrap them in a towel by pressing them gently to absorb the water. Then spread them out to dry on a rack. Avoid hanging them on hangers, as they can deform your clothes.
