We reveal the secrets of natural fabrics: does linen shrink when washing?

Linen clothing has many positive characteristics. It allows the skin to breathe, perfectly absorbs moisture, never goes out of style, does not cause irritation.

At the same time, many people are afraid to buy linen clothes for themselves due to the fact that they can shrink considerably after washing.

Does linen shrink when washing and can linen shrinkage be avoided? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article.

Do linen items shrink?

Linen items may shrink after washing. However, this happens if the basic rules of clothing care have been violated.

To avoid problems, you need to follow simple recommendations:

1. Do not use too hot water. The higher the temperature, the stronger the shrinkage.
2. Do not use aggressive detergents.
3. Avoid temperature differences.

Linen is a natural fabric. In the process of its manufacture and sewing, it undergoes various mechanical influences, due to which it stretches. After the first contact with water and detergents, flax fibers return to their original state.

For this reason all new linen items are slightly reduced in size... This must be taken into account when shopping for clothes.

Linen manufacturers are aware that they tend to shrink. Therefore, most high-quality factory items undergo a special treatment aimed at softening the fabric.

Thanks to the use of modern technology, things do not change in size after the first wash, but only if all recommendations are followed.

How to wash?

To prevent linen clothes from shrinking by 1-2 sizes after the first processing, you need to take care of them correctly... There are specific recommendations for hand and machine wash.

You can learn how to properly wash linen here.

In the washing machine

So that after removing the linen item from the washing machine you do not have to be surprised at its small size, there are several rules to follow:

1. Wash at a temperature not exceeding 40-60 degrees. Flax is a very strong fiber, it can even withstand boiling, but after such processing, shrinkage can be significant (up to 2 sizes).

   Therefore, they resort to extreme heating only in case of urgent need.

2. Use of mild detergents. They should not contain chlorine or whiteness, corrosive acids. Both conventional powders and liquid detergents are suitable for washing linen.
3. Choose a gentle washing program. The lower the speed of the centrifuge, the better. The number of revolutions per minute - up to 600.

It is not recommended to load the washing machine drum to the maximum. If there is free space in it, then the particles of the detergent will be better washed out. In addition, linen strongly absorbs water, so the weight of the laundry increases by 2-3 times when wet.

Manually

Hand washing is less likely to shrink fabric. Therefore, clothes made of 100% linen should be washed by hand.

Basic requirements to be met:

1. The detergent may contain silicates, soda, surfactants. They contribute to the high-quality cleaning of fabrics from stains, even with a gentle hand wash. An important condition is their thorough dissolution in water.
2. If it is necessary to use bleach, then oxygen compounds are preferred.

   Bleach does an excellent job with yellowness and grayness, but it has a detrimental effect on natural fibers, leading to their rapid wear. Therefore, it can only be used as an exception.

3. If the linen does not have an intense color, it is washed with laundry soap.
4. The water should be warm, but not hot. You need to choose a container in which things will have enough space. It will not be possible to wash and rinse products in a small basin.
5. Clothes can be soaked. The optimal exposure time in water is no more than 60 minutes.
6. Before washing, products are sorted by color and type of fabric. It is good if plain linen and cotton items are soaked together.

Before you start washing, you need to study the manufacturer's information, which is indicated on the product label.

First contact of new clothing with water

Particular attention should be paid to the first wash of a linen item, since it is this treatment that can provoke the strongest shrinkage.

Take note of the following information:

• preference is given to hand washing, as it is more gentle;
• if the fabric is colored, then it is pre-soaked in a weak vinegar solution (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water);
• after 15-30 minutes, the item is rinsed and sent to dry - this allows the dye to be fixed in the material;
• if the thing has not been worn or used, then you do not need to add washing powder;
• You can use fabric softener to soften the fabric.

How to restore the size of a shrunken item?

If after washing the linen item has slightly sat down, then you do not need to worry. You can return it to its original size using a regular iron, ironing the product through damp gauze.

When the shrinkage is 1-2 sizes, you can resort to such recovery methods as:

1. Soak the product in a cool solution of hydrogen peroxide (for 1 liter of water - 1 tsp. Of the product). After half an hour, the product is rinsed and dried on a flat surface, periodically pulling the fabric with your hands.
2. Water. The clothes are slightly moistened using a spray bottle. In this form, they put it on the body and walk until it is completely dry.
3. Soak fabric in hair conditioner. For 1 liter of water take 1 tbsp. l. means and soak the shrunken tissue in the solution. After 15 minutes, the linen is rinsed and sent to dry, spread out on a flat surface. From time to time, the fabric needs to be stretched by hand.

Such methods will help to increase the item by 0.5-1 size.

How to dry?

It is important not only to wash properly, but also to dry the linen product. Key recommendations:

• after hand washing, do not twist the fabric, do not fold it into a bundle;
• do not lay out products in the sun, because ultraviolet light contributes to the compression of fabric fibers;
• do not dry things on heating devices, protect from exposure to hot air masses;
• products can be hung on a rope, leaving in a dry room with good ventilation and low humidity;
• it is better to refuse the use of clothespins, since after them creases remain on the fabric, which are difficult to iron.

For information on how to properly dry clothes after washing, read here.

Useful Tips

Information that will be useful for all owners of linen products:

1. If, after washing, the item needs to be ironed, then you should not wait for it to dry completely. When wet, folds are smoothed out better.
2. It is recommended to turn the laundry inside out before washing.
3. Linen by itself cannot cause an allergic reaction. If skin irritation occurs, change the detergent.
4. The more intensely the fabric is dyed, the cooler the water in which it is washed should be.
5. If, to remove stains and disinfect linen clothes, it was necessary to resort to boiling them, then a sharp temperature drop should not be allowed. The product is placed in warm water and the fire is turned on. The fabric should warm up gradually.

   After finishing the processing, the gas is turned off and the item is left in the water until it cools down to room temperature. Only then can the product be rinsed and hung out to dry. This sequence of actions will avoid shrinkage.

Related videos

Tips for washing and caring for linen products are presented in the video:

Conclusion

Linen will shrink slightly during the first wash. In the future, you can avoid changing the size if you adhere to simple rules: wash clothes in cool water, at low speeds and without the use of aggressive detergents.