How Do You Shrink Clothes?

Having a garment that is too big can mean the difference between frequent wear and relegation to the back of the closet. Luckily, it is possible to shrink many items at home with a few household appliances. It is even possible to shrink certain areas of an item of clothing, such as shirt cuffs or collars, without shrinking the garment overall. Anyone looking to shrink clothes without taking them to a professional tailor can benefit from these simple tips.


Measuring Clothes
While it is not necessary to get an exact measurement of the clothing item before attempting to shrink it, it is a good idea to determine how much shrinkage is necessary. Depending on the fabric, at-home shrinking methods can only remove a few sizes. Therefore, it is a good idea for the owner of the garment to decide whether or not shrinking the item at home is sufficient for it to fit.


Determining Fabric Type
The difference in how well clothes shrink largely depends upon their type of material. Some fabrics are able to shrink more than others, while people can also ruin some clothes with any attempt to shrink them.



Type of Fabric
Shrinks Easily?
Cotton

Yes

Wool

Yes

Polyester

Shrinks, but not easily

Silk

No



Cotton clothing is by far the easiest to shrink at home, but the age of the item can also have an impact. Older clothing is likely to resist shrinking, while newer items shrink more easily.


Selecting a Method
Once there is a clear idea of how much shrinking is necessary, as well as whether or not the fabric is amenable to shrinking, it is time to choose a method. There are a few different ways to shrink clothing at home with a washing machine, a dryer, or with an iron.

Dryer Method
If an item only needs to shrink a size or two, a standard dryer alone can do the job. This method also helps to preserve the color of the clothing because it does not require washing with hot water. Instead, whoever is shrinking the clothing should wash the garment in cool or cold water and then put it in a hot dryer. It is a good idea to check on the clothing part-way through the cycle to see if it has shrunk enough. Once the garment reaches the correct size, the person performing the shrinking should remove it from the dryer. If the garment is still wet, letting it line dry the rest of the way prevents further shrinkage.

Washing Machine and Dryer Method
For clothing that is more than two sizes too big, using both the washing machine and dryer for shrinking gives the garment a better chance of becoming smaller. A person should use the washing machine on its hot water setting before putting the clothing in a hot dryer and proceeding through the dryer method. It is important to note that this method can lead to color fading in some fabrics.

Other Methods
Some shrinking methods are only appropriate for certain types of clothing. For instance, some jeans use a specific type of fabric that allows for shrinking that tailors to the owner's body. With these jeans, the wearer actually gets into a warm bath wearing the jeans and lets the fabric mold to his or her own shape. As the jeans dry, they shrink to fit. This technique does not work for standard, prewashed jeans.

It is also possible that only a certain part of an item needs to be smaller. This can happen frequently with cuffs and collars that are too large. In order to shrink a small section of a garment, consumers can use the dryer technique on a smaller scale. Rather than putting the item in the dryer, it is possible to use a hair dryer or an iron to shrink only one small area.


How to Buy Clothes on eBay
Whether your shrinking attempts were unsuccessful or you simply want to replenish your wardrobe, there are many deals on clothing available on eBay. You can browse items for women or men and use the eBay filters to sort by size, price, and type of clothing. Because there are so many different brands available on eBay, it is a good idea to check the actual measurements of the clothes for sale rather than relying on labels. This way, you can be sure to get a great fit the first time around.


Conclusion
Shrinking clothes at home is a great money-saving technique. It means that losing weight no longer has to necessitate a new wardrobe and gives the consumer the freedom to buy a larger size of an item that he or she loves, even if it is a bit too big. While results may vary depending on the type of clothing as well as the fabric, following the tips for shrinking clothes is the best way to try out the process.