How to Shrink Shorts

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: September 29, 2022 References

Shorts that are loose and ill-fitting can be really uncomfortable to wear. Instead of donating them and buying new ones, try shrinking them first! Depending on the material they're made of, you can try shrinking the entire pair by putting them into the dryer or by boiling them in hot water. For a pair that fits well in some places but not in others, try using a mixture of hot water and fabric softener to spot-treat the baggy areas.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Shrinking Cotton, Denim, and Other Natural Fiber Shorts

1
Check the label to see what kind of material you’re working with. Shorts made of natural fibers, like denim, cotton, silk, linen, and wool, will shrink pretty easily and don’t need as much high-heat application as synthetic fibers would.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.} Cotton blends might require a little more heat, but in general, it’s best to try the simplest method of shrinking first so that you don’t accidentally shrink the shorts too much.^{[2]
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- If you’re working with new, never-been-washed shorts, try just washing them first with warm or hot water—the agitation from the machine should cause the shorts to shrink without you having to apply any extra heat at all.
- If the care tag says the shorts should be air dried, try putting them in the dryer for 10 minutes and then air dry them the rest of the way.
2
Remove dirt and stains from your shorts before shrinking them. Because most natural fibers just need to be put into the dryer to shrink, you don’t want to risk potentially “baking” in stains and discolored areas. Take a moment to check your shorts to ensure they’re clean before you begin. Treat the stains with a special spray; you could also use white vinegar and baking soda to make a paste. Let the spray or paste soak into the stain and then wash the shorts like you normally would.^{[3]
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- Sweat stains, food stains, grass stains, and other kinds of stains should be treated and washed as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage.
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3
Put the shorts in the dryer for 15 to 20 minutes to start the process. To avoid shrinking your shorts too much, dry them in short bursts. Use high heat and set the timer to automatically turn off the dryer after the designated time. You can put dry shorts into the dryer, but you’ll get a bigger shrinking effect if you put them in wet.^{[4]
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- Dry the shorts by themselves for the fastest effect. Putting them in with other clothes will take a lot longer and make it harder to know if they’re shrinking as much as you want.
Take Note: If you’re shrinking silk or linen shorts, put them in the dryer for just 5 minutes at a time to keep them in good condition and avoid ruining the sensitive fabric.
4
Check the shorts and dry them for longer if you want them to be smaller. After the timer goes off, take the shorts out of the dryer and try them on (but be careful to not burn yourself!). If they are still a little big, put them into the dryer for another 10 to 15 minutes. Once they get to the appropriate size, let them air dry the rest of the way if they’re still wet.^{[5]
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- Once your shorts are as small as you’d like, you’re good to go! Remember that you can always pop them back in the dryer if they stretch out during the day.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Treating Shorts Made of Synthetic Fibers

1
Check the label to see what material the shorts are made of. Synthetic fibers are harder to shrink than natural fibers, so a little more heat will go into the shrinking process. Spandex and polyester are really hard to shrink, so keep that in mind if that’s what you’re working with. Rayon and other cotton-synthetic blends will shrink more easily with the right application of heat.^{[6]
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- If you don’t recognize the name of the fabric listed on the label, do a quick internet search to see if there are specific shrinking recommendations for that type of material.
2
Boil enough water to completely saturate the pair of shorts. Use a tea kettle, a pot on the stove, or a large glass bowl in the microwave to heat up water. If you’re using a pot or glass bowl, you can submerge the shorts directly in the bowl (just make sure to remove the pot from the stove and turn off the burner before you submerge the shorts). If you’re using a tea kettle, place the shorts into a heat-proof container and pour the boiling water over the top of them.^{[7]
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- Be careful to not burn yourself! Use oven mitts or something similar when touching the hot containers.
3
Soak your shorts in the hot water until it returns to room temperature. This should take about 30 minutes and doesn’t require you to do anything else in the meantime. Just set a timer and leave them alone so the hot water can start working its magic on the fibers.^{[8]
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- Heat is an essential part of shrinking clothes, especially synthetic fibers. The more heat used, the more your shorts will shrink.
4
Wring out the shorts to remove any excess water. Once the water has cooled down, go ahead and pull the shorts out of the water. Take a moment to quickly squeeze and wring out the shorts so they aren’t dripping wet.^{[9]
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- The container the shorts were in may still be hot to the touch. Test it before grabbing it if you’re planning to move it anywhere.
5
Wash the shorts in the washing machine on the hottest cycle possible. This is particularly important if the shorts were dirty. Drying them when they aren’t clean could bake in grime and sweat, making it impossible to remove stains later on. Use a small amount of laundry detergent and run the smallest load possible in your washing machine. Make sure to use hot water only for this process.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
- If your shorts were already clean before you started the shrinking process, you can skip this step. Go ahead and move the shorts straight to the dryer.
Tip: If your shorts are new, wash and dry them apart from the rest of your laundry to prevent any dye from transferring to the rest of your clothes.
6
Dry the shorts on the highest setting for 50 to 60 minutes. After the washing machine has turned off, move the shorts into the dryer. Try to do this as quickly as possible so the shorts don’t start to dry in the washing machine.^{[11]
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- Avoid using the moisture-sensitive drying option, as the machine will shut off as soon as the shorts are dry.
Fixing Shorts that Shrunk too Much: Get the shorts wet, stretch them out to the desired size on a flat surface, place heavy items at the corners to hold them in place, and let them air dry. The shorts should “unshrink” during the drying process.^{[12]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Spot-Shrinking Your Shorts

1
Mix together hot water and fabric softener in a spray bottle. Use ³⁄₄ cup (180 mL) of hot water and ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of liquid fabric softener. Pour the liquids into a spray bottle, put on the lid, and shake it up so everything mixes together.^{[13]
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- For the water temperature, use the hottest water you can get from the sink. You want it to be steaming but not boiling.
- Be careful to measure out the fabric softener. If you accidentally use too much, it could make your clothes feel grimy, especially since they won’t get washed before they go into the dryer.
- This method will work best with cotton or denim shorts.
2
Spray the mix onto the area that needs to be shrunk. Lay your shorts out flat and start spraying the areas that are too big, like the waist, the crotch, or the legs. Make sure each spot is fully saturated with the fabric softener and water mixture. To protect the parts that don’t need to be shrunk, lay a towel over those areas so the spray hits the towel rather than the shorts themselves.^{[14]
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- Make sure to spray any ill-fitting spots on the back of your shorts as well as the front.
3
Put the shorts into the dryer or let them air-dry, depending on the fabric. For synthetic fibers, put the shorts into the dryer on the highest heat setting for 10 to 15 minutes. For natural fibers, let them air dry to avoid shrinking the entire pair of shorts too much. If that doesn’t have much of an effect, reapply the spray and put the shorts into the dryer for 5 to 10 minutes.^{[15]
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- A bonus of using the fabric softener is that your shorts will smell great when they come out of the dryer.
4
Repeat the process 2 to 3 more times to get the desired result. Depending on the shorts, it may take a few cycles to get them to the right size. Make more spray mixture if needed, and spray and dry the shorts again.^{[16]
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- If after 3 cycles the shorts have not changed, it may be time to consider taking them to a tailor.
5
Try putting the shorts on and sitting in a hot bath to shrink them. This is a little less conventional, but if the spraying method didn’t work, this may do the trick to shrink the shorts in all the right places. Fill up a tub with hot water (but don’t make it so hot that it’ll burn you when you get in). Put on the shorts and get into the tub for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the water from the tub and let the shorts dry while they’re still on your body. They should shrink in the areas that are too big, while the areas that fit well already should stay that size.^{[17]
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- Try to avoid sitting on your bed or other soft surfaces while your shorts are drying. Put down a towel or hang out outside until they dry completely.
Try an Alternative: If you don’t like the idea of wearing the shorts in the bath, try soaking them for 30 minutes in hot water. Then, put them on and wear them as they dry. The shorts should conform to your body more than they did before.^{[18]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

Can you shrink cotton shorts?

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, cotton is fairly easy to shrink. The first time you wash and dry them, they should shrink about 20%. It may be a little tricky to shrink them a lot further if they've already been washed and dried a whole lot.