Restoring a stretched sweater to its original size

Things should not only be worn carefully, but also properly cared for, dried and washed at the correct water temperatures.

If you select the wrong mode in the washing machine, the product may become deformed, lose its shape, or stretch out.

It is possible to correct the situation, especially if the sweater has stretched after washing , but it is better to know in advance what to do in this case and in what sequence. Much depends on the shape of the knitting, the quality of the threads and other parameters.

Reasons why a sweater may stretch

Most often, the obvious reasons why a woolen sweater is stretched or deformed is improper washing when the temperature conditions are not maintained.

In addition, products lose their shape due to prolonged wear and deliberate stretching of the sleeves and neckline. That is why it is important to familiarize yourself with the label and decipher all the signs and recommendations for caring for clothing.

The production of knitted sweaters also plays an important role. Factory production produces denser machine-knitted products that retain their shape longer.

If the sweater was knitted by your grandmother or mother, the loops are weaker, which leads to rapid deformation. No matter how tightly the craftswoman tries to knit a jumper, when washing hand-knitted clothes there is a risk of either shrinking or stretching.

Important! Woolen items are better able to be restored after an unsuccessful wash, but synthetic fabrics like acrylic cannot be returned to their original shape.

Clothes will deteriorate if you hang them on clothespins, and the weight of them will turn into a bag with excessively long cuffs and a pulled down collar.

Is it possible to return to the previous form?

Unfortunately, not all mechanically damaged tissue can be repaired. There are certain materials that cannot be restored at all or only in certain cases:

• acrylic, cotton material and things with a synthetic base do not restore their shape in any way;
• You can try to restore cashmere, wool and mixed fibers with a large amount of wool.

We restore the size using a washing machine

If a woolen sweater has stretched out during washing, then the “knocks out” method can help it get back into shape, that is, you will simply need to wash it again, but in compliance with the mandatory rules.

• Rule 1: Always use a special mesh bag.
• Rule 2: Regular powder is not suitable. Buy a special product for wool fibers that will not spoil the color.
• Rule 3. Choose the “Wool” or “Wool” mode. If there are none, then set the value to 30 degrees. Drying and spinning are not necessary.
• Rule 4. After washing, lightly wring out the jumper, and to prevent it from stretching again, lay it on a terry towel or folded sheet and leave to dry at room temperature.

Important! You need to lay out the sweater evenly, giving it the desired shape. A wet towel or folded sheet should be replaced with new ones during the drying process.

If these conditions are met, then the entire recovery procedure should be completed. iron the wool product.

There are times when women who have lost weight want to reduce their clothing size. Then woolen products are washed under the same conditions, but at temperatures of 40 and 50 degrees.

Rules for drying things after washing

Proper drying will help restore the shape of a product that has stretched. Pay attention to the information labels. This way you will save a lot of time and nerves.

Manual method of restoring shape

If a sweater has stretched out after washing, not all housewives know what to do with a hand-knitted gift from grandmother or mother. There is also a method for restoring a knitted wool sweater without the help of a washing machine.

To do this you need:

• Fill half a bath with warm water. It is important that it is not hot, but warm water.
• Place stretched clothes there and let them soak in moisture.
• Wring out the sweater after some time.
• Place on a sheet or large terry towel.
• Give the correct shape.
• Let dry at room temperature.

ADVICE! Drying knitted wool sweaters using this method takes at least a day, or even more. At the same time, transferring it to a battery, and especially ironing, is a sure way to ruin the product once and for all.

When you need quick drying, use the hairdryer on a cool setting to prevent clothes from shrinking. Hot air causes wool fibers to deform.

Partial restoration

If after washing, drying or wearing only a certain area of ​​the sweater has lost its shape, then you can use the following method:

• wet the damaged fabric of the item with a water spray;
• carefully lay the sweater on a towel or terry cloth;
• give the lost area its previous shape;
• After a few hours, the sweater will acquire a uniform structure and a suitable size.

A hairdryer will help speed up the drying process. But only cold air flow is allowed for this. Hot jets can only damage the fabric and make it unusable.

Restoring the shape of individual sweater elements

It happens that a jacket stretches after washing not completely, but in the sleeve or neck, in which case it can simply be washed in a washing machine or by hand. Then the restoration of the jumper sleeves or neckline will occur automatically.

If you are short of time, follow the instructions:

• Take a sprayer for indoor plants and fill it with water.
• Lay the jacket on a towel or folded sheet.
• Wet the deformed part and let it lie there for a while, carefully spreading it out.
• Let the jacket dry.

If you cannot achieve the desired result, it is best to re-wash the entire item.

Important! You should avoid machine drying, as it greatly affects the condition of the wool fibers.

How many more ways

In addition to knocking out a “wedge with a wedge,” there are other methods of restoring clothing. They are often required for wool blends or cashmere sweaters, but are not suitable for synthetic fabrics.

• Method 1. Fill one bowl with hot water and another with cold water. Place your clothes first in a container with hot liquid for about 7 minutes, and then in cool liquid. Housewives recommend adding lemon juice or vinegar and even ice to a bowl of cold water. After this, the jacket is carefully wrung out and spread on a towel to dry on its own.
• Method 2. If you have a bad habit of pulling down the cuffs, putting your entire arms in sweaters, a simple hand wash in cool water and line drying will help restore them to their former shape.
• Method 3. Take the item to the dry cleaner if it is expensive and you are afraid of ruining it. They use special heat treatments that will return the clothes to their former appearance. However, you need to understand that it is better to do this if the jacket is 100% wool. In the case of wool mixture, the product may be matted and unkempt.
• Method 4. The clothes are soaked for 15 minutes in a bowl of almost boiling water and wool fiber detergent, after which they are lowered for the same time in a container of cold water. Next - spin and dry on a towel.

Some desperate housewives can simply use a steam generator to reduce the size. The method is quite risky, since it may then require restoration of the sleeves or collar after uneven drying.

Features of restoring a denim jacket

For denim clothes, many modern washing machine models have special modes that wash at 40 degrees, so if you don’t want problems, study the labels, use special bags and programs.

If it turns out that the jeans are stretched, there are several proven ways to “reanimate” your favorite item.

Method 1

Choose an intensive wash for a stretched item or the highest possible temperature, after which you can run a steam generator or iron over it. Hot steam will revive the item.

Method 2

If individual elements need to be enlarged, add conditioner in a ratio of 3 to 1 to a bowl of warm water, spray on the desired areas with a spray bottle and let dry in the washing machine, using a hairdryer or on a radiator.

Method 3

Sometimes things can no longer be saved. Then what remains is my grandmother's proven method: place the jacket in a large saucepan of boiling water and cook over medium heat for half an hour. Carefully remove with special tongs, squeeze in the washing machine and dry. The color will become less vibrant. And the clothes will fit.

When drying, avoid hanging it by the hanger with clothespins or throwing it over a rope. This will leave marks or streaks on the shoulders.

Features of restoring a cotton sweater

When starting to salvage a cotton sweater, remember that this is not an easy task, so it is wise to immediately contact the dry cleaner. If this is not possible, we offer you several simple methods.

If there are no designs on the jacket, place it in a bowl of hot water (but not boiling water). Then, after 10 minutes, the stretched product must be wrung out and dried. Drying can be done in the washing machine or simply by hanging.

Advice! Want to keep the shape of your cotton clothes? Start ironing before it is completely dry or use steam. When completely dry, cotton clothing becomes very wrinkled and can only be ironed with water.

You can also soak your product in hot water with a special conditioner that will not allow it to stretch.

In a washing machine, a cotton jacket will shrink when washed at more than 60 degrees. At your discretion, you can also squeeze the product, which will give additional shrinkage.

In the case of colored cotton sweaters, everything is more complicated, since here you can only try to wash the clothes in a bag at 40 degrees. If the condition is not met, the entire jacket will fade and lose its appearance.

Important! Remember that cotton clothes fade in color, so when washing, do not mix them with other clothes unless you plan in advance to dye everything that goes into the drum.

A stretched jacket can be washed in a washing machine with a spin cycle and at high temperatures, and dried on a radiator or with a hot iron. Perhaps this will at least slightly improve the situation.

How to prevent sprains

An item that is worn for a long time, washed and dried incorrectly, inevitably becomes deformed. It’s easy to take care of your clothes so they don’t stretch. Here is a list of rules that should be followed to preserve their appearance and shape:

Rule 1

Read all the conditions for caring for clothes on the special label. It indicates temperature conditions, the possibility of washing in a machine or only by hand, and the need for spinning. Similar information can be found on the clothing manufacturer’s website or in an online store.

Rule 2

Woolen items are washed with special means in warm water no more than 30 degrees. The powder destroys the fibers and the item loses its appearance.

Rule 3

Sweaters should not be hung on clothespins or on a rope after washing. This leaves unsightly marks. Things under their own weight take the shape of a bag.

Rule 4

Woolen and cashmere items are not dried using radiators or hot air. This will make the sweater rough and lose its appearance. You definitely won't want to wear it anymore.

To prevent things from stretching, carefully read the instructions and labels on the clothes before washing. If they are not preserved, select the “Delicate Wash” mode or wash the item by hand.

It is best to dry clothes using hangers and on special racks at room temperature. Most of the clothes can be returned to their original shape.

Sweaters made of acrylic and other synthetic fibers are difficult to manipulate.

So that this doesn't happen again

Naturally, it is best and easiest if you no longer have to deal with this problem. To do this, you need to follow a few simple recommendations:

Ironing should be done very carefully!

• Knitted items are washed only by hand and only in warm water.
• Washing in hot water leads not only to deformation of wool fibers, but also to their fading - high temperatures contribute to the rapid washing out of the dye.
• Do not add excessive amounts of detergent.
• Try to use liquid products rather than powders. The latter are more difficult to wash out of wool fibers.
• Do not twist the product while spinning! This will further lengthen and deform the fibers.
• Try to only use detergent that is designed for the material the sweater is made from.
• Do not dry knitted items in a dryer, on hangers, or in any other hanging position! It is because of this that it stretches under its own weight.

The greater the distance between the loops, the more likely there will be stretching.

• The only optimal drying option is in a horizontal position, on a towel or other material.
• Do not dry wool on a radiator, in the sun or near other heat sources. This causes the fibers to coarse and become stiff, making wearing such a sweater uncomfortable.
• You can iron a woolen product only at the lowest temperature and only on the reverse side.
• Store the product rolled up in a closet. If it hangs on hangers, this can also cause stretching.

You now know what to do if your sweater stretches after washing. However, try to prevent this from happening - use our care tips.