How to Shrink Jeans Without a Dryer

Co-authored by Rani Gorgis

Last Updated: December 14, 2021 References

Nobody wants to walk around in falling-down, old jeans, and there are simple ways to shrink your jeans at home without a dryer. You can transform your slouchy old pair of jeans into form-fitting hip-huggers by bathing in your jeans, using a hot iron on them, or letting them boil on the stove.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Bathing in Your Jeans

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Fill up a bath with scalding water and put on your jeans. You don’t want to burn yourself, but fill the bath with the hottest water you can handle. Once the bath is full, use your finger to test whether it’s ok to climb in.^{[1]
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Research source} Once you can hold your finger in for 5 seconds without burning it, the bath should be ready.
2
Sit in the bath in your jeans until the water cools. It might feel a little odd to be bathing in a pair of jeans, but the heat will do its magic of shrinking the jeans to your exact figure while you wait. Once the water starts cooling, climb out of the bath onto a bath mat or towel to avoid making a mess. Stand there and drip dry for a moment before leaving the bathroom.^{[2]
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3
Walk around in your wet jeans until they dry. Though this seems like it might take forever, your body heat is actually a great drying agent, and the jeans should dry in around 20 minutes or less, faster than if they were simply hanging to dry. However, you don’t want to be freezing cold walking around in wet jeans, so try to do this in warm weather or with the heat on in your house.^{[3]
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- As a way to make the time pass and speed up the drying, try listening to music and dancing around to generate body heat; your jeans will dry even faster.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Ironing Your Jeans

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Wash your jeans in hot water. You can hand wash jeans or put them in the washer to soak and clean them. If using a washing machine, you can turn the jeans inside out before loading them in to protect them from wear.^{[4]
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Research source}^{[5]
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Expert Source

Rani Gorgis
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Expert Interview. 12 April 2021.}
2
Hang the jeans up to dry until they are damp. Check on the jeans about an hour after hanging them up. You want the jeans to no longer be dripping water, but to still be damp to the touch. For reference, the jeans should be dry enough that you could put them on, if a bit uncomfortably. If they’re not dry enough, check back in 30 minutes.^{[6]
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3
Turn the damp jeans inside out and iron them until dry. Turn the iron on the highest setting, and move the iron up and down each pant leg slowly until they start to feel dry. Move on to the waist and hip area, next.^{[7]
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Research source} Then, turn the jeans right-side out and repeat the ironing process until the pants are fully dry.^{[8]
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- At this point, you can try the jeans on and see how they are feeling.
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Iron specific areas of the jeans that still need shrinking. If there are any specific spots of the jeans that still feel too big, you can mist those spots with a spray bottle filled with hot water and target them with the iron directly. This can be helpful if you want to shrink specific areas, like the waist area or lower legs, for example.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Boiling Your Jeans

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Boil a large pot of water. Fill the pot halfway, so that it does not overflow when you are ready to put the jeans in. Make sure the pot is large enough for the pair of jeans you intend to shrink. Put the stove on high heat, cover the pot, and wait until the water is boiling.^{[10]
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2
Submerge the jeans into the boiling water for 20-30 minutes. Use a pair of tongs or another kitchen utensil to push the jeans down into the water. Then, bring the water to a simmer and cover the pot.^{[11]
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- Boiling your jeans will shrink them faster than putting them in the washing machine, so adjust the time depending on how much shrinkage is required, and leave them in for a shorter amount of time if you are unsure.^{[12]
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3
Hang the jeans out to dry in the sun. You can simulate the heat and drying capacities of a high-heat dryer by placing your jeans in the sun. Put them up on a clothesline, or lay them out on a clean surface in the sun. Once the jeans are dry, try them on to see if they fit.

Warnings

Wearing jeans that are too tight can be bad for your circulation and cause health problems. Avoid shrinking jeans to the point where you experience pain or tingling when you’re wearing them.^{[13]
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