How To Restore A Sweater That Shrank In The Laundry

We've all been there on laundry day when we have a complete list of things that need to get cleaned and ignore what we put in the washer and dryer. A couple of hours go by, and the dryer buzzes, only to find our favorite sweater has shrunk. It's one of the many things people get wrong when doing laundry. It's frustrating, especially when it's a brand-new sweater. Sometimes sweaters can get lost in the piles of laundry when it's not sorted beforehand. On the other hand, Whirlpool claims clothing shrinks when washed or dried in high temperatures. This is because cotton, wool, or linen fibers tighten from the agitation.

A few ways to prevent your go-to sweater from shrinking are to check the care labels before washing. It'll tell you what washing cycles and temperatures your sweaters need. If you tend to cut off the pesky care tags like most of us do, then try to remember to use cold water for the sweaters. Using cold water will keep the fibers loose instead of tightening them. Although if the damage is already done and your sweater can fit a toddler, we have a great hack to get it back to size.

What's the most gentle shampoo ever made? Baby shampoo can actually help get your favorite sweater back to its standard size. It may seem weird to use baby shampoo to restore a shrunken sweater, but since it's meant to be gentle enough for a baby's hair, it can help delicate wool fibers too. According to CNET, the process is simple; soak your sweater in a bucket of cold water with baby shampoo for 30 minutes. Once the time is up, carefully stretch the sweater back to its original size and let it air dry. The fibers will be loose and stretchy, but be sure not to overstretch the item, or it'll look distorted.

Baby shampoo can work for most soft-fibered sweaters like cotton, cashmere, or wool. But, if the sweater doesn't go back to how it first was, then the fibers might be too tight to loosen up again. If your sweater has restored its shape, you can continue washing them with baby shampoo, but only if they're hand-washed, claims ShampoosHub.com. When the laundry gets washed with shampoo in the washing machine, it can create too many bubbles making it challenging to clear them out and properly clean your clothes.