How to Prevent Your Clothes from Shrinking

We’ve all been there… went to put on our favorite shirt only to find that it’s two sizes too small. Shrinking is a real problem that we all face, but it is preventable! Follow these steps on how to prevent your clothes from shrinking on your next wash day!

Reduce the Frequency of Washing and Drying

Washing your clothes too often damages not just the color, but the fit of your clothes. That’s why it’s best to reduce the frequency of your wash days! Try keeping your clothes as clean as possible so that you don’t have to wash them as often. This is a great way to extend the life of your clothes and cut down on shrinking!

Read and Follow Labels

Perhaps the most important way to keep your clothes from shrinking is to read and carefully follow the labels. Clothing manufacturers put those instructions on each item for a reason. They aim to help you properly maintain and take care of your pieces so that they last a lifetime. Make sure that you know what each symbol means so that you can adequately launder your clothing!

Wash with Cold Water

It’s no secret that washing your clothes with cold water is less damaging to your clothes. Hot water can cause your clothes to shrinks because the warmth makes the fiber in the material relax. That’s why it’s crucial that you wash your clothes with cold water, which is also less likely to face or wrinkles your fabrics!

Use a Gentler Cycle

Clothing shrinks due to the stress placed on fabric and seams. That’s why it’s key to dry your clothing on a gentle or delicate cycle. And this is especially true for natural fibers like cotton, wool, and cashmere.

Dry on Low Heat

Make sure that you use the lowest heat setting on your dryer! The less heat, the less shrinkage, which means that a medium or high setting, could potentially damage your clothes. Even better, if your washer has the option to do a tumbling air dry, consider this option, which is best done with small loads.

Or better yet, leave the laundry to the professionals and schedule your laundry service with our team at Fluff & Fold. Pricing depends on the size of your load of laundry!