It's hard to get one of your favorite shirts out of the dryer when it shrinks in there!There are a number of ways you can stretch out your shirt and return it to its former glory.Pull on the shirt to stretch it out after you wash it.If you want to stretch the fabric, you can soak the shirt in hair conditioner and then stretch it out.Limit your use of the dryer and wash your shirts in cold water to avoid future shrinkage.
Step 1: You can wash your shirt by hand or in the washing machine.
If the fabric is wet, stretching out your shirt by hand will be more effective.If you wash the shirt with cold water, it will cause it to shrink even more.Before stretching a shirt, be sure to squeeze out excess water.Don't wring the fabric.Simply press on the shirt.
Step 2: A clean towel is placed on a flat surface.
There should be enough room to put the shirt on the towel.Make sure there are no folds in the fabric by spreading the shirt out.To see the collar, Lay the shirt face-up.
Step 3: Pull on the edges of the shirt.
Try to stretch the fabric by an inch or 2.Pull an equal amount on the ends of the left and right sleeves.Pull the fabric along the top line and collar of the shirt.Pull on the sides to finish.
Step 4: The shirt can be dried on the towel.
Let it dry before you check to see if it worked.It may take several hours for the shirt to dry.
Step 5: Cool water can be used to fill a sink or tub.
You should have enough water in your container to submerge the shirt you want to stretch.The water should be room temperature or cooler.You don't want hot water as it could shrink the fabric.
Step 6: In the tub, put 4 cup of hair conditioner.
Any hair conditioner will work.Give the water a stir once you've poured it in.Baby wash can be used in place of the conditioner.The materials will make it easier to manipulate the fibers in your shirt.Other synthetic materials, like nylon, should work well with hair conditioner.
Step 7: The water for wool should be at least 15 to 30 liters of vinegar.
It provides a little extra protection against damage to wool items, because it is a natural fabric softener.Before you mix the conditioner, make sure to add the vinegar as well.You can mix both ingredients into the water at the same time.
Step 8: The shirt should be washed for 15 minutes.
Push the shirt down on the water to fully submerge it.When pushing it down, try to keep it as flat as possible so the materials in the water don't affect the fibers.
Step 9: The tub should be drained and filled with fresh water.
You don't need to remove the shirt while draining the container.If you don't have fresh water, squeeze the shirt to rinse out the conditioner.The fabric should be soaked for another 5 minutes.Continue draining, rinsing, and soaking until all traces of the softeners are gone.
Step 10: The excess water can be squeezed out by placing the shirt between 2 towels.
Place one towel on top of the shirt.Transfer the excess water from your shirt to the 2 towels by rolling the bundle up.Take the shirt out of the bundle and put it in a dry towel.
Step 11: The edges of the shirt need to be pulled on.
Pull the same amount on both sides of the shirt if you put your hands on the opposite side.The collar and shoulders of the shirt should be stretched down by about 2 inches.
Step 12: To dry the shirt, put it on a fresh towel.
Move the shirt to a fourth towel since your third is wet.Before testing to see how well your stretching worked, allow it to air dry completely.You might need to wait overnight for the shirt to dry out completely.
Step 13: It is a good idea to wash your shirts in cold water.
There are other culprits in the laundry room.Over time, hot water can shrink items.Don't use the cold-water wash cycle if you're worried about the shirts being too small.
Step 14: Cashmere shirts, dry clean wool, and mohair.
It is a better option to dry clean these materials.You can't protect your clothing at home.
Step 15: Follow the instructions on your tags.
There is a reason for those tags to be there.If you stick to what the tag tells you to do, you can avoid damaging your clothes.
Step 16: You're worried about the size of the clothes.
Take the dryer out of the equation if you're in love with a particular shirt and the way it fits you.Hot air will damage the fibers of your shirt over time, even if the tag says it's safe to machine dry.
Step 17: It is possible to remove damp items from the dryer.
Set your dryer to a low setting if air drying takes too long.Once the shirts are just damp, you can remove them from the dryer.To dry them off, lay them out.This will cut down on the damage to the dryer.