How to Shrink Clothes

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: October 7, 2021 References

Shrinking oversized clothing at home can be tricky since every garment shrinks differently, if at all. It's also important to take the proper precautions to prevent damaging your garment or shrinking it too much. In general, it might be best to get rid of your clothes that don't fit and purchase new clothes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Shrinking New Clothes

1
Read the labels on the garment. Different fibers, like wool and cotton, have different ways of shrinking, so you will want to determine what the garment is made of before washing it. Wool, for example, is a delicate material and is very susceptible to shrinking in the dryer. Cotton, on the other hand, is tougher, and will need to be in the dryer at a higher setting.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.} Silk will generally shrink about 8-10% in the wash.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Determine whether or not the garment is pre-washed. New clothes will usually shrink on the first wash. Pre-washed clothes tend to stay the same size and may need to be altered.
2
Wash the garment in hot water. You can do this by hand or in a washing machine.^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
- If you decide to do it by hand, heat a pot of boiling water. Place the garment into the water and let it boil in the water for several minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Don’t use fabric softener.^{[4]
  X
  Research source}
Advertisement
3
Place the garment in the dryer. For a cotton garment, run the dryer on high heat, checking occasionally to see whether it has reached the desired size. Once it has, remove it from the dryer and allow it to air-dry to prevent further shrinking.
- Leave the garment in the dryer if you want more shrinking time.
- Polyester and wool garments should be dried on medium heat until they have fully dried.
4
Try the garment on. Determine whether it has reached the desired size. A benefit about fixing the size of your clothes is that you can usually shrink it further or stretch it out if you went too far.
5
Repeat this process. Do this as many times until the desired size is reached. Remember that most shrinking will happen during the first wash. If you still want the garment to be smaller, then consider getting it altered.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Shrinking Pre-Washed Clothes

1
Wash the clothes on high heat. Wash the clothes in hot water. Refrain from using any fabric softeners or other chemicals that may reduce the chance of shrinkage.
- Just because a garment is labelled pre-shrunk, doesn’t mean it can’t be shrunk.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
2
Dry on high heat. Select the longest cycle available for the highest level of shrinkage. Careful not to abuse your clothing by damaging them in high heat dryers.
- Dry cotton garments on high heat
- Dry polyester or wool garments on medium heat.
3
Pursue an alteration. Since pre-washed, or pre-shrunk clothes usually stay true to size and form, you may need to get the garment altered or alter it yourself.
- Alterations are preferable to shrinking when possible, especially if you wish to shorten the length of a garment without reducing its width. Remember that running delicate clothing through a washer and dryer may damage the quality of the fabric.^{[6]
  X
  Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Avoiding Your Clothes from Stretching

1
Avoid dry hanging. Drying your clothes using a clothesline can potentially stretch out your fabric. Avoid this by going to a laundromat and having your clothes properly dried. This could ruin your intention of shrinking if you previously washed using high heat.
2
Do not hang sweaters. Any heavy wool-based fabric like sweaters should not be hung in your closet. This type of material will stretch easily when hung because of the weight and make of the garment.^{[7]
X
Research source}
3
Use a dry-cleaner when advised. Although some think they can take shrinking into their own hands, you could potentially damage the elasticity when drying at home. The elastic in your clothes should not suffer from home-drying techniques.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Increase the life and size of certain clothes and delicate garments by bringing them to the dry cleaners.
4
Fasten buttons and zippers before washing. Your clothes could get caught on a loose button or zipper in the wash. This can stretch out pieces of your clothing. Avoid this from happening by paying attention to what state your clothes are in before put into the wash.^{[9]
X
Research source}

Expert Q&A
Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow

Question

How long does it take for cotton to shrink?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Cotton shrinks very fast on the first wash, so you will want to check on these garments periodically as you dry so that they don't get too small.
Question

Can you shrink clothes on purpose?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Totally, if you bought something too big for you, or you were given a gift that doesn't fit right. Just keep in mind it's easier to shrink clothing if it hasn't been washed before. Also, the material will restrict how much shrinking you can do. Cotton will only shrink by 20%, while something like wool will shrink dramatically in a hot wash.
Question

My friend wore one of my shirts and stretched it out. She 6 sizes bigger than me, maybe more. Can I shrink it back?

Angela Cooper

Community Answer

You can try. If it doesn't work, you can take it to a tailor. They can put the garment back to its original size.