At a Glance:
How to Shrink Clothes in the Washer
Samsung 4.0 Cu. Ft. White Top Load Washer
GE® 4.5 Cu. Ft. White Top Load Washer
How to Shrink Clothes in the Dryer
To some, wondering how to shrink clothing may seem counterintuitive. Most of the time, we want to avoid shrinking our favorite outfits at all costs. But today, we’re going to turn the tables and look at how to make clothes shrink—on purpose.
Get the Perfect Fit with Us
Shop Laundry at PlazaWhether you want to shrink a shirt back down to size, shrink fabric for a craft project, or shrink an article of clothing that’s too big, we’ll cover it in this blog to teach you how to achieve this goal easily. Our experts at Plaza Appliance Mart are also going to highlight two of our favorite washers that have excellent features for doing your day-to-day laundry and shrinking clothes when needed.
Two Important Things to Know
Before we go over the process of how to shrink clothes, there are a couple of important things to note. These are ultra-important when trying to successfully shrink your clothes and will save you time and mishaps along the way.
Consider the Fabric Type
When beginning the process of shrinking your clothes, the most important step is to figure out the fabric on the piece of clothing that you want to shrink. You will find that natural fabric like wool, cotton, or silk shrink more effectively than manmade fabrics such as polyester or nylon. The process can vary based on your clothing item’s fabric type.
Depending on the manufacturing process of your clothing, some tags will say “pre-shrunk” or something along those lines, so be sure to check before you begin this process. Being sure of this will prevent many frustrations and save you time and money.
We’ll discuss how the process changes or stays the same depending on which fabric type you desire to shrink, so take comfort in knowing that you will be well-equipped to take on this task.
Take Things Slow
Don’t let your eagerness get ahead of you. Take your time and learn how to shrink your clothes before jumping headfirst. Knowing the ins and outs can help the process run more smoothly. This includes preventing your clothes from shrinking more than you would like them to or shrinking clothes too quickly.
Shrinking clothes is hardly an instantaneous process, so be patient! Across the board, it is best to check your clothes every five minutes when performing the shrinking process to make sure that you are not shrinking clothes past your desired amount.
How to Shrink Clothes in the Washer
We are going to outline a step-by-step guide on how to shrink clothes effectively with a washer. You may find that this process is relatively easy and straightforward, but it is important to follow these steps if you want to shrink your clothes properly.
Shrinking Cotton
So first up, we will start with the easiest fabric to shrink, which is cotton. Remember, the fabric can often bleed when washing or shrinking cotton, so be sure to separate your white cotton from your more colorful ones.
- Wash clothing in the hottest wash cycle on the washer.
- Once the wash cycle is finished, put clothing in the dryer and turn it on the hottest cycle, continually checking your clothes to ensure that it is not shrinking past what you want them to.
- If your clothing looks small enough, simply switch the dryer to low heat and allow it to finish the cycle or until the item is dry. You can also allow the item to air dry the rest of the way if preferred.
- If you choose to air dry your cotton item, be sure not to dry it in direct sunlight, as that will cause your clothing to fade.
Shrinking Polyester
This fabric can tend to be trickier to shrink, but it still can be done. If you want to shrink a polyester garment, here is how to do it.
- Wash garments in hot water in your washing machine. It is recommended to turn your polyester fabric inside out before washing it.
- Switch the garment to the dryer and run on high heat until the garment is completely dry.
- To encourage further shrinking (if the item is not completely shrunk to your preferred size), then you can also iron the garment, but take care in doing this as high heat from an iron can easily burn the fabric.
Shrinking Denim
If you find your favorite pair of jeans too big, there is a simple and easy way to get them back down to size, so they fit just right again! Simply follow the steps on how to shrink cotton fabrics and apply that same technique when looking to shrink denim.
Shrinking Wool
Lastly, we are going to be looking at how to shrink wool. Wool is a very delicate fabric, so before starting this process, add your garment to a pillowcase or mesh bag and tie the top to protect the wool during the washing and shrinking process.
- After adding the wool to a protective bag or pillowcase, you will want to add a small amount of gentle or bleach-free laundry detergent to your washer and turn it on a high-heat, gentle cycle.
- Next, you are going to watch your garment every few minutes and pull it out of the washer. We do this because wool can shrink much quicker than you might expect.
- Once your wool garment has shrunk to the size you would like, remove it from the washer and stop the cycle.
- Lastly, you will lay the garment flat on a table or hang it on a drying rack, being sure not to pull or twist the fabric, as wool that is wet can still be altered, so avoid agitating it too much to prevent any unwanted stretching or damage. Allow the garment to dry completely, and enjoy!
Note: If your wool garment is not fully shrunk after air drying, you can put it back in the dryer on a low heat, short cycle, continually checking the garment to make sure it doesn’t shrink too much.
Samsung 4.0 Cu. Ft. White Top Load Washer
- Model: WA40A3005AW
- Dimensions: 44” H x 27” W x 29.31” D
- Total Capacity: 4 Cu. ft.
Shrinking clothes is a delicate process, and you need a laundry appliance that will treat your clothes just as delicately — this Samsung top load washer will do just that! The Diamond drum interior will treat any fabrics gently, so your cardigans, silks, and linens won’t snag or tear during the wash and rinse process. The five temperature levels range from hot to cold, so you can shrink your cotton, wool, and mixed fabrics with the right setting.
ActiveWave™ Agitator
One of the biggest components to successfully shrinking clothes is not only the hot water but the agitation of the fabric, so with this feature, you will not only reduce noise and tangling but will provide powerful cleaning through the ActiveWave Agitator.
Extra High Water Level
Ensure that your clothes are thoroughly soaked before starting the washing cycle.
8 Preset Washing Cycles
With eight different preset washing cycles, you can take comfort in knowing that every washing need can be accomplished for your busy lifestyle.
Customer Review
“This washer washes great. It has a large capacity. It finishes fast and is very quiet. I absolutely love this washer. It really cleans the clothes good. The vibration reduction feature makes it quite with no vibrations. I have been washing on normal load with cold water and my clothes are still perfectly clean. Love this washer.”
GE® 4.5 Cu. Ft. White Top Load Washer
- Model: GTW465ASNWW
- Dimensions : 44” H x 27” W x 27” D
- Total Capacity: 4.5 Cu. ft.
With this GE top load washer, you’ll get a customized washing experience you’re in complete control of, which is needed when shrinking those new pair of jeans down a size or two to fit you.
6 Water Temperatures
From traditional washing to high heat, you will be able to achieve every washing need with GE’s six different water temperatures.
Dual-Action Agitator
Creating a dual-action level of performance, this agitator will not only powerfully clean your clothes but also assist in proper agitation when looking to shrink your clothes.
14 Wash Cycles
Successfully shrink or wash any fabric type with these 14 different wash cycles that come equipped on this washer.
Customer Review
“This washer has an agitator and I love it. It washes each load quickly and everything comes out cleaner. My previous washer did not have an agitator and it took almost an hour to finish a load. I’m very happy with this purchase.”
How to Shrink Clothes in the Dryer
We’re going to give a quick rundown on how to shrink clothes in the dryer; we’ll cover each of the fabrics we went over above!
Shrinking Cotton or Denim
Shrinking these two fabric types may be the easiest out of the bunch. You really don’t need to do a full wash cycle unless you want a more rigorous amount of shrinking. Simply adding your cotton or denim items to the dryer on high heat should cause a small amount of shrinking. If you would like a more extensive amount of shrinking, refer to the notes above.
Shrinking Polyester
Polyester or other blended fabrics can be trickier to shrink using only a dryer, so it is recommended to get the fabric wet using water on high heat before placing clothing in the dryer. If you do not have access to a washer, simply soak the garment in hot water for 30 minutes and then add to the dryer on a high-heat cycle, ensuring that the item has not shrunk beyond what you want it to.
Shrinking Wool
If you want only a small amount of shrinkage to happen to your wool garments, simply spray them down with some water and add them to a dryer on a low heat cycle. Check every three to five minutes to ensure you have achieved your goal.
Shrinking clothes doesn’t always have to be a nightmare, especially when it’s done right. And now that you know how to shrink clothes in laundry appliances without ruining them, get a washer that will be just as delicate with your jeans, shirts, leggings, and sweaters. If you are in need of a new laundry appliance, check out one of our Plaza Appliance Marts in the Charlotte area in person or browse online for our washer and dryer models today!
Why Trust Plaza Appliance Mart?
Plaza Appliance Mart is a local, family-owned, appliance store in North Carolina where you can get personalized, expert service that you won’t find at the big box stores. Plaza Appliance Mart is YOUR source for competitive prices with knowledgeable in-store professionals here to help you every step of the way, whether you need to replace an old appliance, or if you’re remodeling and need an entire kitchen full of new brand-name products. And, our delivery and installation specialists will assure that your new appliances arrive safely and are installed properly.
If you were to ask the employees at Plaza Appliance Mart about their roles in the company, they’d say they’re not just employees, they’re family. So as you might imagine. a team of professionals like this who are already so tightly knit and bonded together make for a perfect partner with the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. Apart from their community ties, Plaza Appliance is an accredited Better Business Bureau company with an A+ Rating.
Shop Washers at Plaza Appliance Mart
Stop by Plaza’s Charlotte, Huntersville, Matthews, or Pineville locations to see what a difference buying local with an experienced staff can make. Or shop washers online! Our friendly experts are always happy to help you learn more about how to shrink clothes — whether you call us at 704-568-7600, use our online chat feature, or visit us in person.
Learn More: Are Samsung Dryers Worth Getting?