How do you know if jeans shrink after washing, and how to prevent it?

Jeans are a popular wardrobe item. They are practical, so you can wear them at any time of the year. Sometimes, however, these versatile pants can cause serious frustration.

This happens after washing, when improper care of the product provokes their shrinkage. To avoid this situation, you need to know certain rules.

Let's take a closer look at whether jeans shrink after washing, especially if they are washed in very hot water (90 degrees).

How to determine in advance if the pants will shrink?

It is impossible to say 100% that the pants will shrink after washing. However, the risks increase in the following cases:

1. The fabric contains a large percentage of cotton. Products that contain synthetic fibers are less likely to shrink.
2. Recommended to wash at high temperatures.
3. After washing, it is planned to subject the pants to an automatic spinning.
4. Stretch jeans do not shrink. These things stretch well.

The more intensively the jeans are processed, the more likely they are to shrink. Read about the rules for washing jeans here.

Tips to Avoid Shrinkage

So that after washing the pants do not become smaller by 1-2 sizes, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Wash the item as little as possible. Frequent contact with water will shrink the fibers of the fabric.
2. Avoid temperature extremes. Do not rinse your pants first in hot and then in cold water. It should always stay warm.
3. Do not wash the product in boiling water. The higher the degree, the more the fabric shrinks.
4. Do not wring out or twist the item after hand wash. When loading the product into the drum of the washing machine, the spin must be turned off.
5. Do not dry your jeans in a folded position. They should be straightened out.
6. Do not place the product near heat sources such as a radiator.
7. Do not use express drying methods.
8. Use fabric softener during washing. It makes the fibers of the fabric soft and elastic, so they do not shrink or shrink.

However, if you follow all the rules of care, jeans wear out quickly, and shrinkage is negligible.

Should you wash them in hot water (90 degrees)?

Jeans will shrink after washing in hot water. The higher its temperature, the stronger the degree of shrinkage:

• washing at 50-60 degrees shrinks by 0.5-1 size;
• washing at 60-70 degrees reduces jeans by 1-1.5 sizes;
• washing at a temperature of 80 degrees and above leads to shrinkage by 2 sizes;
• enhances the contraction of the fibers of the fabric, its alternate treatment in hot and cold water.

Values ​​shown are average values. The exact figures depend on the composition of the fabric, the characteristics of washing and drying the product.

If the jeans are very stretched during wearing, you can fix it by boiling. Perform it as follows:

1. Hot water is poured into an enamel basin, brought to a boil.
2. Jeans are soaked in boiling water.
3. If they float, then they are dipped back using wooden tongs.
4. After 5 minutes, the water is turned off and left to cool. To make this process as slow as possible, the basin is covered with a lid.
5. When the water has cooled, the pants are taken out and sent to dry.

How to wash so that they do not shrink?

To prevent jeans from shrinking during washing, you need to take care of them correctly. Preference should be given to manual cleaning.

The following guidelines must be followed:

• wash pants in cool water, its temperature should not exceed 30 degrees;
• in the process of removing dirt, do not rub or crumple the product;
• wash jeans in a straightened form by soaking them in the bathroom;
• do not wring out the fabric, let it dry naturally.

These simple rules will avoid shrinkage of the fabric. If after washing the item has become smaller, you do not need to despair.

Most often, after 2-3 hours of active wear, the jeans stretch and take their previous shape. For other ways to return jeans to their previous size, read here.

How to shrink the product?

To make the product smaller by 1-2 sizes, it must be properly dried... The pants are laid out on a flat surface, covering it with a terry towel.

Use your hands to level them, giving them the correct shape. When in a horizontal position, the fibers will not shrink during the drying process.

Jeans shrinkage methods:

1. To make denim shrink, it is recommended to wash the item in an automatic machine. Such intense processing will compress the fibers and reduce them by 1-2 sizes.
2. Boiled water wash. The higher the water temperature, the greater the shrinkage. If necessary, the pants can be boiled. The addition of a soap solution enhances the effect.
3. Washing and spinning at high speeds. To do this, use the intensive wash program. The speed must be at least 800 drum rotations per minute.
4. Ironing the product. The higher the exposure temperature, the greater the shrinkage of the fabric. To enhance the effect, you can moisten your pants with hot water with a diluted fabric softener in a 3: 1 ratio.

He will tell you about the methods of shrinkage of stretched jeans this article.

Conclusion

Jeans may shrink or stretch after washing. It all depends on how a person cares for them.

Knowing what factors can cause the pants to shrink or stretch, you can avoid unwanted consequences.