Who hasn’t found a shrunken t-shirt or sweater coming out of the machine? Fortunately, there is a method to recover your favorite garment… And it is effective for many materials.
Did your favorite wool or cashmere sweater, or your must-have T-shirt, accidentally slip into the laundry basket and then go in the washing machine by mistake? It can happen to all of us. If you want to know how to salvage a garment that has shrunk, you’ve come to the right place. Please don’t throw it away! With these solutions, you will be able to keep all your favorite clothes that have shrunk, even the most delicate ones.
A cotton garment can shrink after going through the washing machine, although this is rare. The accident may occur during a program that is too hot, for example. To recover it, soak your garment for at least 30 minutes in a basin of warm water with two to three tablespoons of baby shampoo. Let it dry naturally. Do not hesitate to stretch it a little to restore its shape.
For a wool garment, mix in a basin warm water with about 10 tablespoons of glycerin. Put your sweater in the mixture for 2 hours. Rinse the sweater and wring it out without twisting it so as not to break the stitches. You can use a towel, for example, to soak up as much water as possible. Stretch your woolen jumper back to its original shape, and lay it flat to dry on your rack (putting a towel underneath). Good to know: you can replace glycerin with shampoo.
For cashmere, the technique is a little different than for wool. In a basin of lukewarm water, add two to three tablespoons of conditioner. Leave to soak for several hours then rinse. Wring without twisting the fibers, ideally in a towel. Dry it flat with a towel underneath. A tip, remember to stretch it gently at the bottom and along the sleeves, and stuff the sweater with a towel while it dries so that it keeps its shape.
For garments made of synthetic fiber or viscose, the best solution: rewash the garment (at 30 degrees) and stretch it to restore its shape. Otherwise, you can soak it in a basin of water with a little baby shampoo, then stretch it out when drying. Be careful, viscose does not support heat. To avoid taking any risks, do not hesitate to go to the dry cleaners.
