Just The Tip Tuesday: How To Unshrink Clothing
We’ve all been there…ignoring the “Hand Wash Only” warning on the tag. Or needing a shirt to dry faster so we hit with high heat rather than allow it air dry. So if you’ve ever shrunk one of your favorite tees, you might be able to unshrink it using HAIR CONDITIONER! It works to unshrink anything made of cotton.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Fill a bucket with lukewarm water. Then add a few big squirts of conditioner, and mix it in. You can also do it in the sink.
2. Toss the piece of clothing in there for 15 to 30 minutes and let it soak. The conditioner should help the fibers loosen up and expand.
3. Take it out and gently squeeze the water out of it, but don’t twist or wring it out. If it’s full of conditioner, you can rinse it a little, but not too much.
4. Gently stretch it out . . . lay it out on a clean, dry towel . . . and roll it up. Rolling it should keep it in place, so it won’t shrink back down.
5. Wait until it’s mostly dry, and gently stretch the fabric again to get it back to its original shape.
6. Lay it out on another towel until it’s fully dry. You might need to roll it up or weigh it down with something again, just to make sure it doesn’t shrink. But hopefully, you’ll end up with a shirt that fits again.
If it’s not a washable fabric like cotton, take it to a dry cleaner They might be able to help.