Your wool sweater that Aunt Odette offered you went through the washing machine with the sweatshirts! Result: she has shrunk and is now three sizes smaller! It’s the coup de grace, an extra designer sweater, worth a fortune! Don’t blame yourself, it happens to everyone. You don’t need to call your aunt for valuable tips, she’d be offended… Here are 6 tips Grandma could have given you: They’re simple, and only require products you have around the house.
These hacks will loosen up your shrunken sweater, just like your family relationships. You can use it again, in the correct size!
What causes sweaters to shrink?
Let us dwell for a moment on the phenomenon of reduction that has just occurred. Wool sweaters are made of… wool. It is the fabric that keeps them warm, thanks to its ability to retain heat between stitches. Successive turns can loosen the jersey and cause it to lose its original shape. This is why hand washing is highly recommended. However, some fibers allow the sweaters to be machine washed at low or cold temperatures. The important thing is that the heat does not attack the fibers and tighten the mesh. The sweater then becomes tiny. Fortunately, some products you have at home will allow you to remedy this and relax the material.
Also read: Why should clothes be dried in the open air even in winter?
When your favorite sweater shrunk! – Source: spm
The most important thing is to look for those materials that will thwart the phenomenon just described. It’s all about softening, relaxing, without running to the dry cleaners. You can get out of this mess on your own.
Here are the technical sheets of 6 tips that will allow you to recover a wool or acrylic garment that has become too small after going through the washing machine.
White vinegar is a product that is taking up more and more space among households that want to use natural solutions for their domestic problems.
That’s how:
- Prepare in a basin, warm water in sufficient quantity for your sweater with white vinegar. The proportion is one cup of coffee per liter.
- Submerge the garment and allow it to soak overnight.
- The next day you will see the change. Also take the time to stretch the clothes a little, for a few minutes.
- Rinse well with clean water and do not wring! Place the sweater on as many terry towels as needed. Then let it dry at room temperature.
Your sweater is de-felted, that is to say that you have treated your wool yarn and it has returned to its normal state.
To allow your tissue to regain its flexibility, another method is to use conditioner.
- In a bowl, pour a good spoonful of your favorite conditioner, added to warm or even cold water.
- Leave to act and soak for four hours.
- From time to time, manipulate your tissue by gently stretching it.
- Rinse the sweater with clean water.
- Add the equivalent of a glass of white vinegar during the rinse.
- Place garment between two terry towels and air dry.
That is ! You will be able to enjoy a wool sweater in the right size again!
Our third technique requires a natural, moisturizing product that relaxes the fibers. We are going to use its virtues to soften the fabric and mesh of your shrunken garment. The wool fibers will be able to soften and the phenomenon of shrinkage will disappear. If you don’t have one at home, don’t worry, you can easily find it in pharmacies or supermarkets, in the makeup section.
Use of glycerin – Source: spm
You will proceed as before, immersing your garment in a mixture of one liter of hot water but this time adding a tablespoon of glycerin. To rinse, use the vinegar, then pat dry and stretch to finish.
Of all the tricks, here is the most fun! It does not require any specific ingredient, just hot water and your “fun” participation… Who has not dreamed of one day taking a shower fully dressed like in the movies? Ready ?
Put on that famous sweater that has become too narrow in size. Of course it will stick to your skin a bit, but don’t worry under the effect of hot water for a quarter of an hour or less, it will resume its forms. Dry it carefully and then put it on. Dry, he’ll be happy to warm you up again this time!
Whatever the season, we always enjoy a good white bean fricassee. Don’t know what to do with the cooking water? The heat and emollient substances released during its preparation will allow your shrunken sweater to regain strength and shape. After filtering, submerge it for fifteen minutes in the liquid, let it act and then rinse and dry completely.
Known for centuries for its benefits for skin and hair, you can take advantage of this plant to detangle your sweater. Take care that the raw product is not mixed with other components. It will act on the flakes of the wool and restore its legendary flexibility to the fiber. One cup of coffee per liter of hot water and then proceed as with the other 5 tips.
Use aloe vera to soften a shrunken sweater. source: spm
The cashmere sweater is appreciated for its rarity, its delicacy and its silky character. What a shame to have ruined it in the dryer with other delicate jumpers. He will also be able to recover a normal size by applying one of the methods that we have just proposed. If you have any fear, he starts by giving you a shower! On the other hand, never insist on stretching it, for fear of breaking the scales of the wool fiber, and be strict about rinsing sparingly and hanging flat.
To prevent this problem from recurring, it is advisable to take care of the classification of the clothes before they go through the washing machine. Take the time to read and reread the labels. This allows you to avoid any risk of shrinkage and to know the real composition of your clothes. As a general rule, never leave your sweaters in the dryer and choose to hang them flat.
Also read: The first thing to do before turning on the washing machine: you risk a lot if you forget
A cotton garment can also be recovered using one of the 6 tips offered. Cotton fiber flakes are stronger than wool and require hotter water and more products: add a cup or two of coffee. Keep flat drying and hanging principle.
You have understood that what you thought was a disaster is totally surmountable, thanks to the 6 tips that we have just offered you. Even for the cashmere sweater or the cotton polo shirts, “you are not afraid of anything anymore!”. You only need to have the few ingredients mentioned above on hand and follow our tips to recover shrunken clothes.
Also read: Put a drop of this product in the washing machine: you will save money at the end of the month
