How to Shrink Polyester Clothing in Only 8 Steps

How to Shrink Polyester

We’ve all been there at some point. You went into a store and bought a beautiful T-shirt only to realize that it is too big for you.

But don’t worry. Fortunately, you can shrink your T-shirt without having to go back to the store and ask for a smaller one.

And the steps are quite easy to follow and learn. You just need a few minutes before you get the hang of it!

Can you shrink polyester at home? my answer is sure you can. We make definitive guideliness about it.

So, here we will be going through the steps you must follow if you want to learn how to shrink polyester in just a few minutes.

Shrinking Polyester: Easy Guideline For Beginners

One of the best things about shrinking polyester is that you don’t need any exclusive products.

The products that we will be using, you can find in almost any household. So, it’s not like we’ll have you go to a local store or anything.

To do this, here are the steps to shrink that big T-shirt you just bought:

1. Read the Instructions

Before we move any further, you want to read that hidden tag on the T-shirt to see if there are any rules you must follow when washing it.

That is the most valuable piece of information you will get from reading that tag.

So, make sure to read from top to bottom to find out the fiber content of your garment. This will allow you to know how it will perform and how you should properly wash it.

2. Wash the T-shirt in Hot Water

Wash the T-shirt in Hot Water

This is the least troublesome way to shrink polyester. It doesn’t require any special tools and can be done by an adult.

To do this, you want to put your T-shirt in a clean sink or anything that can hold water. Boil some water in the stove and then pour hot water all over your clothes.

Now you want to let it sit in the sink until you notice the water is cold.

3. Wring It Out

Wring It Out

Be careful here as your clothes could still be hot from all the boiling water. But once it has cooled off, you want to wring them out.

Make sure to wring it out as much as you can, so all the excess water inside the T-shirt does not make its way into your floor.

4. Use the Washing Machine

Use the Washing Machine

Now that you have successfully wrung it out, the next step you must follow is to throw your T-shirt into the washing machine.

For better shrinkage results, we recommend setting it to the longest washing period. But if you simply want to shrink it by just one size, then you should stick to the normal cycle.

Once you know how small you want to make it, add some detergent to it and let the washing machine do its job.

5. Pop It into the Dryer

Pop It into the Dryer

Once the clothes have gone through their cycle, you now must pop them into the dryer. Here, you just want to set it to the highest setting possible.

Keep in mind that this will shrink your T-shirt by another size.

If your T-shirt is already shrunk to your desired size, you simply have to follow whatever instructions are written on the tag.

6. Check the Clothes

Check the Clothes

Once the cycle has been completed, take your clothes and see whether it has shrunk to your desired size.

If your T-shirt did not shrink at all, don’t worry! We still have other methods to help you shrink your clothes!

7. Use an Iron

Use an Iron

So far, we’ve only gone through pretty basic methods, but now we’re going to spice it up a little bit. Using an iron is possibly one of the most convenient ways to shrink your clothes.

To do this, you have to wet your clothes using hot water. Wring them out to get rid of any unnecessary water.

Then, let your iron warm up before you do anything with it. High temperatures could easily damage your clothes, and low heat settings won’t do anything for your garment.

Now you want to lay your clothes on an ironing board. Hold the iron tightly and go over it evenly.

Be careful not to hold the iron on the same spot for too long as this could severely damage your T-shirt if you mess up by just a few seconds.

By doing this, your clothes should shrink by 1 size.

8. Let the Water Evaporate

Let the Water Evaporate

Your T-shirt is still wet, and by using an iron, steam will be created as soon as it heats the T-shirt. That is primarily the reason why your T-shirt shrinks by doing so.

So, once the excess water has faded into nothingness, your T-shirt should be smaller.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here, you can find some of the most asked questions about how to shrink polyester, and what you should in case you don’t want to.

Will polyester shrink in the dryer?

Polyester, for the most part, is resistant to shrinkage. However, if you pour hot water all over it and then throw it into the dryer, then it will shrink.

But if you just throw it into the dryer without adding anything to it, then it will not shrink.

Does 100% polyester shrink when you wash it?

No, 100% polyester doesn’t shrink that easy. If you wash it just like it says on the tag, then it should not shrink at all.

Is it ok to put polyester in the dryer?

Yes, it is ok as long as you follow the instructions written on the tag. And just to make sure, always use low temperature when you throw your clothes into the dryer.

Can you wash polyester in hot water?

Polyester is meant to be resistant against shrinkage. But high heat can shrink your T-shirt quickly. As such, we recommend using cold water instead of hot water to wash polyester clothes.

How can I shrink polyester without a washing machine?

One of the best ways to shrink polyester without using a washing machine is to use an iron. Using an iron is just as efficient as a washing machine.

Final Words

Learning how to shrink polyester is easy and does not take much time either. One of the best ways to shrink polyester is to wet your clothes and then use an iron to shrink it.

Although there are other ways around this, using an iron is an excellent and straightforward method to shrink any polyester. Nonetheless, you can try these two methods and see which one works best for you.

And now you know how to shrink your clothes; you can shrink as many as you want and never worry again about a T-shirt if it is too big for you.

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