Welcome to another edition of Laundry Talk Tuesday....Today I am covering why your clothes may SHRINK or STRETCH when washing.
YES, this happens in your washer not your dryer!!
You have read the care labels of your clothes and they still seem to stretch and shrink for some reason. Most of how our clothes react during cleaning happens way before you ever purchase them. Some clothes are pre-shrunk and some will shrink after washing depending on your washer and dryer settings.
Every type of clothing fiber reacts differently. Wool, cotton and even bamboo have lots of stretch built into them. Side note if you have never tried bamboo sheets or shirts you are missing out. My husband's favorite brand is Cariloha. We discovered this brand on a cruise to the Caribbean but now they have a local store in Austin, TX.
Loose fabrics type will stretch more when exposed to heat and agitation from a washer.
What can you do to avoid Stretch and Shrinking?
1) Read care labels before purchasing clothing
Look for key words like pre-shrunk. Some companies will stretch the fabric during production to use loose fabric. This reduces the price you pay for the item.
2. Follow guideline for washing vs dry cleaning. Most labels tell you to wash in cold water with similar colors. Many items tell you to tumble dry low or to lay flat to dry.
3. Using cold water will not prevent all shrinking!!!! Using cold water is however less damaging to fabric than hot water.
4. The gentle cycle of a washer or hand washing is also less damaging to your clothes. Setting with longer cycle have more agitation time which can cause your clothes to shrink.
5. Front loader or top loaders without a center agitator are also less damaging and will cause less shrinking than your standard top loader. The tumble action in high efficiency washers is more gentle on clothing.
6. Air drying clothes is the most gentle method and will provide the least amount of shrinkage to your clothing. Drying clothes also on a lay surface will prevent shrinking.
7. If you can't air dry your clothing use the lowest setting on your dryer. Remove your clothing from your dryer while clothes are slightly damp and allow them to air dry. Lots of heat on clothes is hard on them.
8. Wearing clothes for extended periods of time between washes can also stretch your clothing. I personally do not suggest wearing your jeans/pants more than 3 times in a row. You will notice after about 3 washes they have naturally stretched out and fit looser.
