How to Stretch a Cotton T Shirt

Co-authored by Ayad Mirjan

Last Updated: November 14, 2022 References Approved

Whether you pulled a blunder with the clothes dryer or the shirt was never big enough in the first place, there are ways to stretch a cotton t-shirt to the size you want it (within reason, of course). Cotton does have some give, especially when wet, so before you throw it out in frustration, try out a few of the ideas below.

Method 1

Method 1 of 7:

Conditioner Stretch

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Get the entire t-shirt wet in a bowl of lukewarm water. You can do this by soaking it in the sink or in a large bowl. Make sure to use room temperature-to-lukewarm water and saturate every area of the t-shirt that you want stretched. The level of the water should well cover the t-shirt.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Ayad Mirjan
Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.}
- Be sure to use room temperature-to-lukewarm water. If you use water that's too hot or cold, the fibers won't be prone to stretching.^{[2]
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2
Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of hair conditioner per 1 quart (1 liter) of water. Once added, mix it up with your hand to make sure the conditioner doesn't stay in globs and fully dissolves into the water. The hair conditioner will soften the fibers, making them easier to stretch.^{[3]
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Research source}^{[4]
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Expert Source

Ayad Mirjan
Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.}
- If you don't have hair conditioner around, you can use baby shampoo.
- A cheap conditioner is fine; don't waste your fancy hair products on your t-shirt.
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3
Keep the t-shirt flat and submerged for 10-15 minutes. It's easiest to put the t-shirt on top of the bowl or sink and then gently press it into the water, making sure the conditioned water gets into every fiber of the t-shirt. If it's wadded up, areas of the shirt will shrink differently.
- Hold it flat toward the bottom of the bowl, keeping it from gathering, for a minute or two to ensure every fiber gets infused with the conditioned water. The more it gets saturated, the more it will stay on the bottom of the bowl on its own. Leave it there for 10-15 minutes.
- You can even let your shirt soak for 25-30 minutes.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ayad Mirjan
  Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
  Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.}
4
Rinse the shirt. Take the shirt out of the bowl, dump the water out, and refill it with clean, cool water (or just use a different bowl). In much the same way as you would rinse your hair after using conditioner, you've got to rinse the shirt, too, otherwise it will be covered in a sticky residue.
- Take your time. Spend 5 minutes or so rinsing the shirt, again making sure the clean water penetrates every fiber.
5
Find a flat place to lay out the shirt. An area such as the top of your dryer, a granite counter, or the top of a freezer works well. Lay down some towels first to protect the shirt (and the surface, if you don't want it wet).^{[6]
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- Squeeze the water out of the shirt to keep it from dripping everywhere and to speed up the drying process. Try not to wring your shirt, though!^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ayad Mirjan
  Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
  Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.}
6
If there is a graphic on your tee that you don't want to stretch, iron it now. Stretching a t-shirt can distort the image on it. However, if you dry the picture first, it won't stretch as much as the bottom and sides of your shirt (the areas you want stretched) because they're still wet.
7
Place your forearms inside the part of the shirt that you want to stretch. If you want it wider, stretch the shirt outwards making sure not to put too much pressure in one spot. This can leave a strange "dent" sticking out in one place on the shirt. If you find that your arms are not strong enough to get the right amount of stretch, try using your legs, a sturdy pole of some sort, or getting someone with more arm strength to help you.^{[8]
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- If you just want it longer, stretch from the neck and the bottom, pulling it longer in opposite directions. Work from left to right, making sure all sides of the t-shirt are equally stretched.
8
Spread the stretched shirt out on a towel to dry. If you're worried about it shrinking, place weights on the edges. If you're looking for a larger bust or stomach, you can place objects within the t-shirt to stretch those areas out even more.
- The shirt will retain its shape until it is washed and dried again. If you want to keep it at its new size, make sure not to put it back in the dryer.
- Keep your shirt away from direct sunlight while it dries.^{[9]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ayad Mirjan
  Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
  Expert Interview. 11 August 2021.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 7:

Iron Stretch

1
Wet the entire t-shirt in cool water. In a similar fashion as the method above, wet your entire t-shirt, making sure every fiber is soaked. Hold it flat towards the bottom of a bowl or a sink to ensure it's evenly wet.
- No need to soak the t-shirt; simply drench it in cool water. Once you're convinced it couldn't be wetter, you're ready to move onto the next step.
2
Lay it on a flat area for ironing. Wring it out a bit to get rid of excess water to prevent dripping and soaking your surface or ironing board. Make sure whatever you're ironing on can handle heat. An ironing board is best, but you could also use the counter top or floor if you're careful.
- If you'd like, give it a few tugs now to get the stretching process started. You'd be surprised just how much you can do with just your bare hands.
3
With your iron on medium-low, start going over the t-shirt using pressure. With the iron in one hand and the shirt in another, start pulling and pressing the shirt out with the iron. Don't just go over the shirt, use the iron as a means of force, the t-shirt stretching as the iron passes over it, forcing it outward.
- Make sure to go in every direction – pulling up, down, and to the sides. Flip the shirt over when you're done and begin on the back, too.
- This method isn't great for significant stretching; it's best used if you just need the shirt to fit a little better or be a little longer.
4
Leave it to dry. Make sure it's flat and give it a final tug one last time. Spread it out, and place weights around the edges if you'd like. This just makes sure it stays at the size it is now, just how you like it.
- To make sure it stays at this size, avoid drying it. From now on, this shirt should be air-dried. You may occasionally have to stretch it out again, but avoiding drying will keep it larger.

Method 3

Method 3 of 7:

Shower Stretch

1
Wear the t-shirt in the shower. Clothes stretch more when they're wet. So, the next time you're in the shower (a hot shower is best), wear your shirt. Tug on it in all the areas you want stretched. Talk about a productive shower!
- This sounds a little silly, but think about it: if you stretch it out as you're wearing it, you'll be able to stretch it in the areas you actually want it stretched, into just stretching it all over. So if you need a shirt that's only longer or only bigger in the bust, say, this is a decent idea.

Method 4

Method 4 of 7:

Tug Stretch

1
Tug on the t-shirt often. Cotton shirts are pretty malleable. If you tug and tug on it, the t-shirt will eventually stretch. If you wear it all the time, constantly pulling on it will stretch it out bit by bit. Just make sure not to overdo the stretching, as it will eventually look obviously out of shape.

Method 5

Method 5 of 7:

Weight Stretch

1
Use weights to manipulate the t-shirt's size. If you've used one of the above methods, you may want to use weights on the t-shirt to keep it stretched out for a final certain measure. On the edges of the shirt, place mugs, books, or bags of rice, keeping the t-shirt in it's stretched-out position^{[10]
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You can also place items inside the shirt. Need it stretched out for your chest? Place a couple of baseballs inside, stretching out that area. Need wider arms? Place a cylinder or small bowl in the sleeves.

Method 6

Method 6 of 7:

Body Stretch

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Have a larger friend wear the t-shirt. Here's the kicker: a friend who is too close to your size won't adequately stretch the t-shirt; a friend who's too big either won't be able to put it on or will stretch it out too much. But if you have a friend who's in that Goldilocks zone (just right), ask them for the simplest favor they could ever give you. All they have to do is wear your shirt for an hour or two; or just sleep in it.

Method 7

Method 7 of 7:

Chair Stretch

This method works well for small or fitted T-shirts.

1
Get the entire T-shirt wet. Either use the washing machine or dunk it into a tub of water.
2
Pull the wrung but wet shirt over the back of a dining chair. Or, choose another appropriately-sized chair that won't be damaged by the water.
3
Allow the shirt to dry. As it dries, the shape of the chair will stretch the t-shirt nicely for you.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you stretch a cotton shirt with conditioner?

Ayad Mirjan
Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist
Ayad Mirjan is a Dry Cleaner and Laundry Specialist and the Founder of OrangeBag®, a toxin-free, sustainable, Los Angeles-based laundry and dry cleaning delivery service. Ayad has over four years of experience in the industry and he specializes in providing easy laundry and dry-cleaning solutions to professionals, families, and businesses. Ayad received his Bachelor's degree from The University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Henley Business School. He is also a board member of the Entrepreneur's Organization Accelerator (EOA).

Ayad Mirjan

Dry Cleaner & Laundry Specialist

Expert Answer

Submerge your shirt in a bowl of warm water. Then, stir in 1/4 cup (59.1 mL) of hair conditioner. Let the shirt soak for 25-30 minutes, squeeze out the extra water, and hang-dry it away from direct sunlight.
Question

If I use the shower method, will it affect the graphic writing on my T-shirt?

Community Answer

If you're pulling the shirt right where the graphic is, there's a chance you'll get some cracks in it; since you're using the shower method, you can just avoid pulling too close to that area.
Question

What is the size of the chair on the chair method?

Community Answer

Use a chair that is big enough to stretch the shirt to the size you want it.