How to Stretch a Cotton T Shirt
Get the entire t-shirt wet in a bowl warm water., Add 1/4 cup of hair conditioner the water., Keep the t-shirt flat and submerged for 10-15 minutes., Rinse the shirt., Find a flat place to lay out the shirt., If there is a graphic on your tee that...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get the entire t-shirt wet in a bowl warm water.
You can do this by soaking it in the sink or in a large bowl.
Make sure to use cool water and saturate every area of the t-shirt that you want stretched.
The level of the water should well cover the t-shirt Be sure to use cool water.
If you use hot or cold water, the fibers won't be prone to stretching.
They tend to loosen up more with warm water. -
Step 2: Add 1/4 cup of hair conditioner the water.
Once added, mix it up with your hand to make sure the conditioner doesn't stay in globs and fully dissolves into the water.
The hair conditioner will soften the fibers, making them easier to stretch.
If you don't have hair conditioner around, you can use baby shampoo.
A cheap conditioner is fine; don't waste your fancy hair products on your t-shirt. , It's easiest to put the t-shirt on top of the bowl or sink and then gently press it into the water, making sure the conditioned water gets into every fiber of the t-shirt.
If it's wadded up, areas of the shirt will shrink differently.
Hold it flat toward the bottom of the bowl, keeping it from gathering, for a minute or two to ensure every fiber gets infused with the conditioned water.
The more it gets saturated, the more it will stay on the bottom of the bowl on its own.
Leave it there for 10-15 minutes. , Take the shirt out of the bowl, dump the water out, and refill it with clean, cool water (or just use a different bowl).
In much the same way as you would rinse your hair after using conditioner, you've got to rinse the shirt, too, otherwise it will be covered in a sticky residue.
Take your time.
Spend 5 minutes or so rinsing the shirt, again making sure the clean water penetrates every fiber. , An area such as the top of your dryer, a granite counter, or the top of a freezer works well.
Lay down some towels first to protect the shirt (and the surface, if you don't want it wet).
Squeeze the water out of the shirt to keep it from dripping everywhere and to speed up the drying process. , Stretching a t-shirt can distort the image on it.
However, if you dry the picture first, it won't stretch as much as the bottom and sides of your shirt (the areas you want stretched) because they're still wet. , If you want it wider, stretch the shirt outwards making sure not to put too much pressure in one spot.
This can leave a strange "dent" sticking out in one place on the shirt.
If you find that your arms are not strong enough to get the right amount of stretch, try using your legs, a sturdy pole of some sort, or getting someone with more arm strength to help you.
If you just want it longer, stretch from the neck and the bottom, pulling it longer in opposite directions.
Work from left to right, making sure all sides of the t-shirt are equally stretched. , If you're worried about it shrinking, place weights on the edges.
If you're looking for a larger bust or stomach, you can place objects within the t-shirt to stretch those areas out even more.
The shirt will retain its shape until it is washed and dried again.
If you want to keep it at its new size, make sure not to put it back in the dryer. -
Step 3: Keep the t-shirt flat and submerged for 10-15 minutes.
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Step 4: Rinse the shirt.
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Step 5: Find a flat place to lay out the shirt.
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Step 6: If there is a graphic on your tee that you don't want to stretch
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Step 7: iron it now.
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Step 8: Place your forearms inside the part of the shirt that you want to stretch.
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Step 9: Spread the stretched shirt out on a towel to dry.
Detailed Guide
You can do this by soaking it in the sink or in a large bowl.
Make sure to use cool water and saturate every area of the t-shirt that you want stretched.
The level of the water should well cover the t-shirt Be sure to use cool water.
If you use hot or cold water, the fibers won't be prone to stretching.
They tend to loosen up more with warm water.
Once added, mix it up with your hand to make sure the conditioner doesn't stay in globs and fully dissolves into the water.
The hair conditioner will soften the fibers, making them easier to stretch.
If you don't have hair conditioner around, you can use baby shampoo.
A cheap conditioner is fine; don't waste your fancy hair products on your t-shirt. , It's easiest to put the t-shirt on top of the bowl or sink and then gently press it into the water, making sure the conditioned water gets into every fiber of the t-shirt.
If it's wadded up, areas of the shirt will shrink differently.
Hold it flat toward the bottom of the bowl, keeping it from gathering, for a minute or two to ensure every fiber gets infused with the conditioned water.
The more it gets saturated, the more it will stay on the bottom of the bowl on its own.
Leave it there for 10-15 minutes. , Take the shirt out of the bowl, dump the water out, and refill it with clean, cool water (or just use a different bowl).
In much the same way as you would rinse your hair after using conditioner, you've got to rinse the shirt, too, otherwise it will be covered in a sticky residue.
Take your time.
Spend 5 minutes or so rinsing the shirt, again making sure the clean water penetrates every fiber. , An area such as the top of your dryer, a granite counter, or the top of a freezer works well.
Lay down some towels first to protect the shirt (and the surface, if you don't want it wet).
Squeeze the water out of the shirt to keep it from dripping everywhere and to speed up the drying process. , Stretching a t-shirt can distort the image on it.
However, if you dry the picture first, it won't stretch as much as the bottom and sides of your shirt (the areas you want stretched) because they're still wet. , If you want it wider, stretch the shirt outwards making sure not to put too much pressure in one spot.
This can leave a strange "dent" sticking out in one place on the shirt.
If you find that your arms are not strong enough to get the right amount of stretch, try using your legs, a sturdy pole of some sort, or getting someone with more arm strength to help you.
If you just want it longer, stretch from the neck and the bottom, pulling it longer in opposite directions.
Work from left to right, making sure all sides of the t-shirt are equally stretched. , If you're worried about it shrinking, place weights on the edges.
If you're looking for a larger bust or stomach, you can place objects within the t-shirt to stretch those areas out even more.
The shirt will retain its shape until it is washed and dried again.
If you want to keep it at its new size, make sure not to put it back in the dryer.
About the Author
Anthony Torres
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
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