If you find that your sweats are a bit too large and you’d like to reduce their size, there are some methods you can use to shrink them down. The effectiveness of these methods can depend on the material composition of your sweatpants or sweatshirt. Most sweats are made from cotton or a cotton blend, which tends to shrink when exposed to heat. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Check the Fabric Content
Before you attempt to shrink your sweats, check the fabric care label. This gives you an indication of the fabric blend and might include specific shrinkage warnings. Natural fibers like cotton tend to shrink more than synthetic fibers like polyester.
Washing With Hot Water
Step 1: Place your sweats in the washing machine. Avoid washing them with clothes that may bleed color.
Step 2: Set the washing machine to the hottest water setting. This is often labeled as “hot” or “cotton.” Use a regular wash cycle.
Step 3: Add a moderate amount of detergent. Do not over-soap, as this can leave residues on your clothing.
Step 4: Start the washing machine and let it run through the entire cycle.
Drying With High Heat
Step 5: Once the washing cycle is complete, remove your sweats from the wash.
Step 6: Place them in the dryer and choose the highest heat setting. However, if the care label advises against high heat, use a medium or low heat setting instead to lessen the risk of damaging the fabric.
Step 7: Let the sweats tumble dry until completely dry. Check periodically to see if they’ve shrunk to the desired size. Over-drying can cause excessive shrinkage and fabric damage.
Alternate Drying Methods
If you do not have a dryer or prefer not to use one, you can try air drying:
Step 8: Instead of using the dryer, wring out your sweats to remove excess water.
Step 9: Lay them flat on a clean towel and roll the towel up with the garment inside to absorb more water.
Step 10: Unroll the towel and lay your sweats out to air dry on a flat surface or hang them up. If you choose to hang them, be aware that they may stretch out slightly from the weight of the water.
Manual Shrinkage
If you find that your sweats have not shrunk enough using the washing and drying methods, you may try to apply heat more directly:
Step 11: Use a pre-heated iron on a cotton setting with steam to apply direct heat. Iron the sweats on a flat surface, pressing down firmly. Always use an ironing board or a protected surface to prevent damage from heat.
After Care
Step 12: After shrinking your sweats, take care to wash and dry them according to their new size and to prevent further unwanted shrinkage. Usually, this means using cold water and air drying or using a low heat dryer setting in the future.
Important Considerations
When you’re trying to shrink clothing, it’s important to remember that the process may not be uniform. Different parts of the garment may shrink at different rates, potentially leading to a change in the garment’s shape and fit.
Further, shrinkage is often permanent, so be sure that you really want to make the change before proceeding. Frequent shrinking attempts can also wear the fabric out more quickly.
Remember that these methods are typically used for cotton sweats. If your sweats contain a high percentage of synthetic fibers or have a care label that advises against high heat, the shrinkage may be less effective or could damage the garment. Always exercise care when trying to alter clothing at home.