How to Unshrink Clothes
Fill a sink with lukewarm water., Mix in baby shampoo or conditioner., Soak the clothing in your soapy water., Wring dry., Squeeze extra moisture out between two towels., Stretch the clothes out and hold them in place., Let air dry.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Fill a sink with lukewarm water.
Fill your laundry sink or a bucket with at least 1 quart (1 L) of lukewarm water.
Note that knitted clothes, like cotton, wool, and cashmere, respond to this tactic better than fabrics with tight weaves, like silk, rayon, or polyester.
The water should be roughly room temperature if not a little warmer.
Do not use hot or cold water. -
Step 2: Mix in baby shampoo or conditioner.
For every 1 quart (1 L) of water, mix in roughly 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of baby shampoo or gentle hair conditioner, stirring it into the water until the water takes on a slick, soapy consistency.
Baby shampoo and conditioner can relax the fibers of your shrunken clothes.
As the fibers are relaxed, they become easier to stretch and manipulate, meaning that you will be able to stretch the garment back to an appropriate size. , Immerse the shrunken garment in your soapy solution, making sure that it is completely covered.
Let soak for 30 minutes or so.
If desired, you can begin gently stretching the garment underwater as it soaks, but this is not strictly necessary. , Remove the garment from your soapy solution and roll it into a ball, squeezing firmly to wring out excess moisture.
Do not rinse the garment.
The soapy water needs to continue actively relaxing the fibers as you work on stretching and re-shaping the garment. , Lay a large towel out flat and place the garment on top of it.
Gradually roll up the towel with the garment still inside.
The clothing should soak inside the towel for about 10 minutes.
When done, it should be damp but no longer wet., Unroll the towel and transfer the garment onto a second flat, dry towel.
Gently stretch the garment back into its proper shape and hold the shape in place by securing the edges with heavy objects.
For a more accurate gauge of the size and shape your garment must be, you can trace the outline of a similar, properly fitting garment onto a large piece of parchment paper.
Place the garment you are trying to "unshrink" over this outline and stretch it to fit the marks.
If you have a hard time stretching the clothing out because it seems too stiff, use steam from an iron to make the garment easier to manipulate.
Possible weights for holding the stretched garment in place include paperweights, books, and coffee mugs.
If you do not have any heavy objects nearby, you could use clothes pins to pin the damp clothes to the towel, instead. , Allow the wet clothing to continue drying flat until the remaining moisture has left.
If you have your clothes pinned to the towel instead of weighed down, you could place your clothes on a hanger and let them hang dry in a sunny, dry location.
The gravity can help stretch the garment out further.
If this tactic produces some change but not enough, you could repeat it multiple times until the garment is sufficiently stretched out. -
Step 3: Soak the clothing in your soapy water.
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Step 4: Wring dry.
-
Step 5: Squeeze extra moisture out between two towels.
-
Step 6: Stretch the clothes out and hold them in place.
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Step 7: Let air dry.
Detailed Guide
Fill your laundry sink or a bucket with at least 1 quart (1 L) of lukewarm water.
Note that knitted clothes, like cotton, wool, and cashmere, respond to this tactic better than fabrics with tight weaves, like silk, rayon, or polyester.
The water should be roughly room temperature if not a little warmer.
Do not use hot or cold water.
For every 1 quart (1 L) of water, mix in roughly 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of baby shampoo or gentle hair conditioner, stirring it into the water until the water takes on a slick, soapy consistency.
Baby shampoo and conditioner can relax the fibers of your shrunken clothes.
As the fibers are relaxed, they become easier to stretch and manipulate, meaning that you will be able to stretch the garment back to an appropriate size. , Immerse the shrunken garment in your soapy solution, making sure that it is completely covered.
Let soak for 30 minutes or so.
If desired, you can begin gently stretching the garment underwater as it soaks, but this is not strictly necessary. , Remove the garment from your soapy solution and roll it into a ball, squeezing firmly to wring out excess moisture.
Do not rinse the garment.
The soapy water needs to continue actively relaxing the fibers as you work on stretching and re-shaping the garment. , Lay a large towel out flat and place the garment on top of it.
Gradually roll up the towel with the garment still inside.
The clothing should soak inside the towel for about 10 minutes.
When done, it should be damp but no longer wet., Unroll the towel and transfer the garment onto a second flat, dry towel.
Gently stretch the garment back into its proper shape and hold the shape in place by securing the edges with heavy objects.
For a more accurate gauge of the size and shape your garment must be, you can trace the outline of a similar, properly fitting garment onto a large piece of parchment paper.
Place the garment you are trying to "unshrink" over this outline and stretch it to fit the marks.
If you have a hard time stretching the clothing out because it seems too stiff, use steam from an iron to make the garment easier to manipulate.
Possible weights for holding the stretched garment in place include paperweights, books, and coffee mugs.
If you do not have any heavy objects nearby, you could use clothes pins to pin the damp clothes to the towel, instead. , Allow the wet clothing to continue drying flat until the remaining moisture has left.
If you have your clothes pinned to the towel instead of weighed down, you could place your clothes on a hanger and let them hang dry in a sunny, dry location.
The gravity can help stretch the garment out further.
If this tactic produces some change but not enough, you could repeat it multiple times until the garment is sufficiently stretched out.
About the Author
Pamela Hall
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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