Adjusting fit with a hot wash?

Eva

I don't have a tumble dryer, and have never felt the need for one, since I hang all my clothes to dry. But I have a pair of cropped skinny jeans that I would like to shrink a bit (width-wise mainly, but if they get a bit shorter that wouldn't be a problem).

I am thinking of trying to shrink them in the washing mashine on a hot wash cycle. Do you think that would work? Has anyone tried that and what were your results? The fabric is mainly cotton with a bit of spandex.
Thank you!

5 years ago

General

9 replies

Latest reply was from MsMaven

Inge

(website)

Moderator

I have no idea, Eva, but hopefully other Fabbers will chime in.

5 years ago

always trying

Veteran

I have tried it as i have lost some weight and it did not work. I tried it with jeans, cotton 2% spandex, and an old denim jacket. The pants barely shrank and the cotton jacker came out a little distorted, like only parts shrunk.

5 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Personally, I don't think it will work - but you can try it.

5 years ago

Eva

Active Member

Thanks everyone for your replies!

Always Trying, that's what has kept me from trying so far, I was worried the jeans might lose their shape or get distorted like your denim jacket, so thanks for warning me about that!
I guess I will have to ask around who owns a dryer...

5 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I have wool (not cashmere) socks that are effectively boiled wool, because of a washing machine that regularly used 90 (celcius) degree water. American water heaters probably don’t go that hot. Even if yours does, you’d have to get the water heater before starting the wash cycle, unless you have a European-style machine that heats the water itself.

If this experiment doesn’t work, you could always use the dryer at a laundromat.

5 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

Really hot water can ruin spandex. I used to have a Slovenian washer that I could crank up to 200F since it had an internal heater. The temp was great for getting or keeping whites sparkling white, but it ruined an entire load of gym socks.

5 years ago

Eva

Active Member

FashIntern and DonnaF, I do have a European washing machine. I didn't know the US ones worked with a different system, so I learned something new today!

The highest temperature my washer can do is 90°C (194°F), but I was planning to try a 60°C (140°F) wash (the care label in the jeans recommends a max. temperature of 40°C/104°F).

5 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

Come to think of it, I also ruined a pair of white jeans with spandex by soaking and washing in too high a temperature since Oxiclean works better that way. I didn’t want to set the stain so I know it wasn’t the dryer.

Btw, I use my dryer way more than most on YLF but haven’t had a problem with shrinking. My dryer is gas and I mostly dry on low/delicate and never dry until an item is bone dry. I remove most items while they are slightly damp and hang them to complete drying.

5 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

Fabric threads run length wise and cross wise. When you sew you lay the pattern out in so that pants, skirts, and sleeves are laid out length wise. Sewers May explain this better than I can on my iPad. As I remember, fabric will shrink more lengthwise. So pants will get shorter faster than shrink across body width.

Now, do I have this backwards?

5 years ago

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