Cotton (cotton), a natural vegetable fiber from the seed pods of the cotton plant, can be a deformed fabric material. Due to cotton's tendency to expand when wet and shrink when dry, many people experience a "cotton catastrophe" after washing, from shirts that shrink to jeans that are tight-fitting. But sometimes, we need to shrink the cotton fabric on purpose. Luckily there are some simple ways to do it.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Shrink Cotton by Boiling
Step 1. Select the fabric
Make sure the fabric is 100% cotton. Please note, this shrinking process is permanent, so you have to be absolutely sure that you really want to shrink the shirt when using this method.
If the label says “preshrunk” (already depreciated), your efforts may or may not be in vain. Give it a try, but be aware that any shrink method is unlikely to be very effective. It could also be that the clothes shrink only in certain areas. Are you sure it's worth a try?
Step 2. Bring clean water to a boil in a large saucepan
Leave enough room to put the cloth in the pan without spilling the water. If you want, add a glass of white vinegar to prevent the color from fading.
Step 3. Soak a cotton cloth in boiling water for about 5 minutes
Since there's a chance that some of the color will fade, you'll need to shrink different clothes separately (unless they're the same color). Stir the cloth with a wooden spatula to make sure everything is evenly submerged.
If you want the shirt to shrink a bit, bring the water to a boil, remove the pan from the heat, and wait 5 minutes before putting the shirt in. The colder the water, the less shrinkage. If you put the shirt in immediately after the pot is removed from the stove, the shirt may shrink up to 2 numbers below it
Step 4. Carefully remove the shirt from the water and put it in the dryer
Set the dryer to the highest heat setting and turn it on until the clothes are completely dry.
Now the clothes will feel very hot. Be careful! Use oven mitts, tongs, or a towel to protect your hands. Don't touch anything directly unless it's cold
Step 5. Repeat this step a few times if necessary until the shirt shrinks to the desired size
The cotton fabric will shrink drastically in the first run, but may still shrink a bit more in subsequent runs.
Method 2 of 3: Shrink by Hot-Wash/Hot-Drying
Step 1. Prepare the clothes
Again, make sure the material is 100% cotton and that you are absolutely sure you want to shrink it. If the material isn't 100% cotton, the shirt may still shrink, but maybe just a little.
If the clothes are made of 100% cotton but are preshrunk, you have to reconsider. The shirt may not shrink at all, or only shrink in certain areas, or it may shrink well
Step 2. Just put the clothes you want to shrink into the washing machine
Don't start the washing machine with clothes or other materials that you don't want to shrink or materials that may smudge. In hot temperatures, colors may fade. So, you better avoid it.
Step 3. Set the water temperature for washing and rinsing to “hot” and start washing
Some people suggest adding an enzyme solution to the washing machine, but this has not been proven. However, you can add a glass of white vinegar to avoid the color fading.
Step 4. After washing, put the clothes in the dryer
Again, set the dryer to the highest heat setting and wait for it to dry completely. If you just want to shrink it down to –1 size smaller, inspect the shirt halfway through the process. You certainly don't want to shrink it too small.
A good cotton shirt will shrink 1-3%. Not too much, but if your sleeve length is 60 cm, then the 0.6–1.8 cm long sleeve will disappear
Step 5. Repeat these steps until the shirt shrinks to the size you want
The first shrinking process is the most effective, but you can shrink it a little more with a few washes.
Method 3 of 3: Shrink Cotton by Ironing It
Step 1. Boil cotton in water
For this step, follow one of the methods described above.
Step 2. Once the shirt is out of the water, place it on the ironing board
Step 3. Cover the cotton shirt with another cloth
This step is important to prevent direct heat exposure which can damage the clothes.
Step 4. Iron the cotton shirt until it is completely dry
When you're done, your shirt will shrink.
Tips
- Use a wrinkle-resistant cotton fabric as this material shrinks more easily.
- Do not use preshrunk cotton. The shrinkage is minimal and may be uneven.
- If you really want to shrink a cotton shirt, try taking it to a laundry service. Chances are they have a trick to solve this problem.
- Only use fabrics that you really want to shrink.
Warning
- Be careful when shrinking clothes or fabrics that have a screenprint or printed design on them. Most likely the image will be damaged during the shrinkage process.
- Be careful when putting or removing clothes from boiling water.
