How to stretch a woolen item if it shrinks after washing

Surely every person has at least one item in their wardrobe made from wool. And this is not surprising, because this material is particularly popular, especially if the weather is cold outside. But it happens that a woman does not read the label before washing, which ultimately leads to shrinkage of the product. What to do if the item shrinks after washing? In this case, it needs to be stretched to the size you need. This is done in different ways, which require the use of chemical products or folk remedies. Having correctly answered the question of how to stretch a woolen item if it has shrunk, you will be able to restore it back without turning your favorite sweater or dress into a “stretched” wardrobe item.

General recommendations

To wash merino fabric, choose special products designed for the care of wool or silk. They provide gentle care without damaging the fibers. Gels help protect the product from shedding. Suitable formulations labeled “For delicate fabrics.”

When washing by hand, you can use other means, such as liquid soap. Give preference to formulations with a neutral pH (a measure of the acidity of aqueous solutions). Liquid dish soap can be used. You can use hair shampoo.

When washing merino wool, we advise you to avoid dry washing powders. Their grains easily get stuck in fabric and can cause allergies upon contact with skin. If it is not possible to refuse the dry product, before use, dissolve it in a large volume of water and whip up the foam.

Be sure to read the label before washing. It provides recommendations for caring for a specific type of product.

Our store sells merino items, which indicate how and at what temperature to wash certain clothes. Our staff can also provide useful recommendations on how to wash merino wool. By following these instructions, you will enjoy a high-quality product from Doctor TM for a long time.

Why do woolen items shrink?

Let's figure out what the reasons for this phenomenon are. It turns out that the scales that cover the woolen thread are to blame. They fluff up in hot water, and therefore things shrink after washing. It is important to observe the temperature for this type of fabric; it usually does not exceed 30 degrees.

Wool should only be washed with products designed for washing delicate fabrics. A simple powder contains alkali, which destroys the fibers of woolen threads and the clothes become shapeless.

In an automatic machine, you need to use a special program for wool. Regular washing will greatly damage the item and make it unwearable.

What not to do

Soak the merino product for a long time, at most 5 minutes.
Twist merino wool when washing and spinning, otherwise it will become deformed and stretch.
Use hot water (above 30-40°), boiling. And during washing, sudden temperature changes in the water are not allowed.
Use bleaches. If difficult-to-remove stains appear on clothing, you need to find a way to remove them without aggressive agents.
Dry vertically (on hangers, etc.). Do not use a hair dryer, battery or other similar methods.
Use a clothes dryer. If the item does not indicate that it can be dried in a machine, refuse it. If allowed, choose delicate mode.

Chemicals

Special chemicals help reduce stretched or shrunken sweaters at home. They gently act on the fibers of the material and allow you to give the item the desired shape.

Before stretching, soak your favorite item of clothing for 40 minutes in a special solution. Prepare it in the following way: pour cool water into a basin, 1 tbsp. vodka, 3 tbsp. ammonia, 1 tbsp. turpentine. Gently wring out the fabric and begin stretching.
Dilute 1 part table vinegar in 2 parts water and place the sweater there for half an hour. Then push up and start stretching.
Add 2-3 tbsp to a bowl of cold water. hydrogen peroxide, soak the sweater in the solution for half an hour. Hydrogen peroxide increases the elasticity of fibers, which subsequently easily stretch to the required size.

It is strictly forbidden to expose woolen products to the contrasting effects of hot and cold water. Temperature changes deform the product extremely strongly.

Basic rules for restoring a wardrobe item damaged after washing will help preserve it. Some products made from natural materials are expensive, for example cashmere, so you should not dispose of the item after an unsuccessful wash.

Does merino wool shrink when washed?

After washing merino wool, it shrinks when using hot water or during sudden temperature changes (for example, if you wash in hot water and rinse in cold water), and increases in size if it is not dried properly, twisted, or other errors. Deformation of an item immediately after washing is most often the result of non-compliance with recommendations. Therefore, please read all the information below carefully.

An important point: merino clothing will stretch if you wash it very often. Experts advise doing this no more often than once every 3-6 months.

If you are going to knit something with merino wool, wash at least a small sample first to see how the merino behaves after washing, especially if the yarn is mixed (with other wools or acrylics). After the first wash, the new yarn may change slightly in size (usually it stretches), but subsequent times with proper care there should be no other changes. The size of the knitting needles is also important. Tight knitting also helps the product maintain its appearance.

New clothes may expand slightly after the first wash, but again, a lot depends on the process itself.

During drying, the shape of the product may differ from the desired one. Wait until it dries completely, only then does the item take on its size.

Ways to stretch a shrunken sweater

You can revive your favorite item using a few simple home methods.

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Steam and iron

They should be used with caution, avoiding prolonged heating, so as not to completely spoil your favorite item.

What to do, how to stretch a shrunken wool sweater? We follow the instructions tested by housewives:

Re-wet the shrunken item in water and wring it out.
Place on a horizontal surface, take gauze or any cotton cloth, and cover.
We turn on the steam program on the iron or the steam boost function. We begin to iron the item through the fabric at maximum temperature, while simultaneously stretching the item with our hands.
Repeat until completely dry and the product takes the desired shape.
With the help of a steam generator, the task of stretching the material is noticeably easier. Remember to be careful, the fabric gets very hot and there is a risk of burns. When using the steam generator, wear the protective glove included in the kit.

Re-wash

You will have to wash the product again with pre-soaking. Squeeze it gently, lay it out on a thick towel, and leave for half an hour. Then, every 10 minutes, pull the item in the hem and width directions, with the exception of the neckline and cuffs, there is a risk of overstretching them. We repeat the manipulations 5-6 times.

A shrunken woolen item can be stretched vertically to its previous length. Hang to dry on soft hangers, attaching weights to the pins. Due to the additional weight, the material will stretch, you need to make sure that the fabric is distributed evenly.

For precision, it is recommended to pin the sweater onto a thick fabric, giving it the required size, which will make the stretching process easier.

Many people know the unpleasant but effective procedure of stretching a sweater - putting it on and wearing it until it dries. Then it will definitely stretch to your size.

Use the recommended methods individually or in combination.

Block it

If you knit, then the following method will work for restoring a shrunken wool sweater. Rip the product apart at the seams, moisten each part. Prepare elements in the form of a pattern from cardboard and baste the wet parts of the product to them. Leave to dry. Then all that remains is to sew them together.

By showing your imagination, you can give a second life to damaged things.

We make stylish ones out of old woolen sweaters. We take the item we like as a basis, sew on it from others - a variety of interesting details: pockets, buttons, elastic bands. Update a basic sweater, change the length of the sleeve or item to the desired length.

Warm woolen skirts are popular now. You can construct it from a shrunken thick wool sweater. We cut off the required length, insert an elastic band, and sweep. In an hour you will get a chic, warm skirt.

Apply appliqués made of felt, suede, corduroy in the form of geometric shapes, flowers, cute animals to product defects (holes, puffs). It will look bright and unforgettable.

A shrunken sweater can easily be turned into a feminine dress by sewing a skirt and cuffs made of delicate lace or guipure to the bottom and sleeves.

Instructions and quality of the item are the key to maintaining its shape

It has been noticed that high-quality products made from merino wool, if all recommendations are followed, perfectly retain their shape. We delight our customers only with proven items. We have clothes made from 100% merino wool, as well as with the addition of acrylic. We offer you good clothes at manufacturer's prices!

Always follow the care instructions written on the item's label! It may differ for different merino products.

We will give you general recommendations on how to wash merino wool and specific types of products. This is especially useful if you have a hand-knitted item or have lost the tag.

Handwash

Instructions on how to wash merino wool by hand:

Prepare suitable water and pour washing gel into it, foam. Temperature - no more than 40°, preferably 30-35°. If the merino item is very bulky, take care of a large container - this could be the bathroom.
Submerge the item and leave it in the liquid for 5 minutes or less.
Slowly rinse the product in water at the same temperature. You also need to rinse carefully 2-3 times under a gentle stream. The draining water should be clean and free of soap.
Squeeze out excess water without twisting the item.

How to stretch wool trousers?

In order to return the trousers to their previous condition, they must be hung. And attach an equal weight to each pant leg.

Pants need to be soaked in cold water for fifteen minutes. Then squeeze it lightly and hang it on the dryer by the belt. And then attach a load to each trouser leg so that it is evenly distributed over the entire trouser leg, and not on one edge. Most often, a hanger with clips is used for this.

Machine washable

It is better to wash small merino items in a machine: socks, mittens, light blouses. This way they retain their shape well.

We do not recommend machine washing wool with other materials. One fabric suitable for washing with woolen items is denim. Wash items of different colors separately.

How to machine wash merino wool:

Turning the item inside out will protect it from severe fluffing on the outside and the formation of pellets.
Pour the gel into the special compartment.
Select the correct cycle: delicate mode or for knitted items. Make sure that the t is set to no more than 40°, the number of revolutions is no more than 600. It is important that the drum rotation does not damage the merino fibers. If you can’t set up a machine wash, give it up in favor of hand washing.
Then remove the product from the machine. You cannot leave it with wet laundry, otherwise the item will lose its shape.

Rinse

This is a very important procedure for caring for wool products. If rinsing occurs in a machine, then any suitable conditioner must be added to a special tank. It will soften the water, protect the item from wrinkles, and also give the item a light, pleasant smell.

To rinse with your hands, you can also use wool conditioner, or you can remember your grandmother’s trick and dilute glycerin in a basin at the rate of half a tablespoon per 5 liters of water. Rinsing in such a solution protects things no worse than store-bought detergent.

Drying and ironing

It is important to know not only how to wash 100% merino, but also how to dry it and whether it can be ironed. The retention of the product’s shape also depends on this.

Important points:

It is better to wrap the item in a dry terry towel to remove excess moisture. You can gently press on the roll to squeeze out the water. Clothes can also be blotted with a cotton sheet.
To dry, you need to lay the product out flat on a flat surface.
It is advisable to dry in an open space, there should be no heat sources nearby.
Wait until the item is completely dry before putting it away or putting it on.

Merino items usually do not wrinkle, so ironing is not necessary. If you need to do this, use a steam iron, but set it to ironing wool (select the appropriate temperature). Helpful Tips:

Do not move the iron as you would when ironing regular items. Place it in the desired place, press down for a few seconds and remove, do this with all the wrinkled places.
Pre-cover your 100% Merino item with a damp towel to protect the fibers.

How to Rinse and Dry Wool to Avoid Shrinkage

Washed items should be rinsed in clean warm water (same temperature). Remember: you cannot wring or twist woolen items! Instead, place them in a bowl and then tilt the bowl slightly. After 15 minutes, unnecessary water will drain off and the woolen items will be ready for further drying.

To prevent woolen items from shrinking, dry them straightened and laid out on a horizontal plane, for example, on a table previously covered with several layers of clean white fabric or a towel.

After four hours under woolen items, replace the wet cloth with a dry one. Don't forget to carefully straighten your woolen items again. Dry the damp cloth, it will be useful for a new replacement. This method allows you to dry woolen items quickly enough, but they will not shrink and will continue to delight you with their appearance.

How to wash merino wool items

Various products are made from it - small and voluminous, long and short. The care process also depends on this, so we’ll tell you about the most popular items made from merino wool: how to wash it correctly.

Thermal underwear

How to wash merino wool thermal underwear:

At t 35°.
Better with your hands. If you want to machine wash, skip the spin and dry cycle.

You can iron thermal underwear, but set the iron to the minimum temperature. All other recommendations are the same. Do not forget to place slightly damp gauze or thin cloth between the iron and the item.

We have men's and women's thermal underwear, single-layer and double-layer (merino wool and coffee fibers). You can purchase a set or separately a sweatshirt with long johns and leggings. We sell environmentally friendly materials and constantly update our range.

Sweater

How to wash a merino wool sweater:

Manually.
At t 30°.
In soft water. Pre-boiling helps soften it. Don't forget to cool the water to the desired temperature.

If it is not possible to wash the sweater by hand, you can use a machine, but place the item in a special bag. Select the correct mode, but without spinning and drying. The rest of the advice is the same.

If possible, take your clothes to a dry cleaner, where they can dry clean the item.

Plaid

The preferred cleaning method is dry cleaning.

How to wash a merino blanket at home:

Hands in plenty of water.
At t 38°.
Okay, but wash the item carefully so that the detergent and water act on the entire thickness of the fibers.

Bobbin merino

Bobbin yarn can withstand load better and is not deformed when knitted by machine. But such material requires a special approach when washing, because it can be impregnated with special compounds to give the thread special mechanical properties.

When knitting with such yarn, measure the sample before and after bath and laundry procedures.

Tips on how to wash bobbin merino:

Before washing, steam the product to remove the wax from the yarn.
Wash at 30°.
Do not twist, there should be no friction.
You can soak for 5 minutes, periodically squeezing the knitting sample with your hands.
Dry according to the general rules for merino.
A sample or a product knitted from new bobbin yarn can be washed twice for the first time.

After washing, bobbin merino will fluff up, increase in size, and remove wax and other substances. Samples should be washed in the same way as finished products.

Merino with acrylic

Other fibers are rarely added to merino wool, not to improve quality (merino quality is impeccable), but to reduce cost. Acrylic is a polymer fiber. Even the addition of 20% acrylic significantly reduces the cost of the yarn produced, and therefore the finished product, and also makes it less difficult to care for.

When washing merino with acrylic, the temperature should also be 30-40°. You can soak the item for 10 minutes. The recommendations for the process of washing, drying and ironing are the same, but you can wash a merino product with acrylic more often and it will keep its shape longer and better. Much depends on how much acrylic is in the composition.

Causes of deformation of woolen products

Wool fibers are of natural origin. Consisting of many cells, on the outside they are covered with tiny scales. The fibers themselves are quite wide and are in close contact with each other, so woolen clothes are warm. If the jumper is simply immersed in hot water, then nothing special will happen to the wool. However, when the fibers begin to rub against each other, as happens during machine washing, the scales “fluff” and are firmly connected to each other. As a result, the space between the fibers decreases, which leads to deformation of the product. Often the size of your favorite item can decrease by 2-3 orders of magnitude.

Manufacturers of modern washing machines have successfully solved this problem by providing a special mode for washing wool products, when the drum does not rotate, but only slightly rocks the clothes, preventing the fibers from sticking together.

There are several reasons for the deformation of wool fabric:

water temperature is too high;
incorrect selection of detergent;
The mode set in the washing machine is not suitable for processing woolen items.

It is not always possible to completely restore the original appearance and size of a shrunken product. The success of the operation depends on the composition of the material, since it is much easier to restore wool with the addition of synthetics than a pure wool item. Equally important is the length of time the clothes remain in the rotating drum and the temperature of the water.

Why is merino wool valuable?

Merinos are a special breed of sheep. Cattle breeders in Spain bred it seven centuries ago, but for five centuries they were not allowed to breed it in other places. Exporting these sheep was punishable by death. When the British defeated Spain in the 18th century, several sheep were exported to other European countries, including Australia - today it is the largest producer of merino wool. And it is valued due to such magnificent properties:

Fine-fleece. Merino wool is very fine. Human hair is several times thicker than hers. Merino products are soft, but do not look bulky, but elegant.
Heat retention and hygroscopicity. Merino warms well, absorbs moisture vapor, while remaining dry.
Ability to repel odors. Wool does not absorb odors, including sweat.
Resistant to dirt. Merino wool fibers have curls that look like springs. Therefore, dirt does not penetrate inside and is easily removed from the surface.

Merino wool is also antibacterial due to the creatine in its composition, and is environmentally friendly. Our store has a wide range of men's and women's clothing with such valuable properties. We offer you thermal underwear, leggings, long johns, robes, and merino sweatshirts. With such clothes, you and your family will forget about the cold, allergies and other unpleasant phenomena. And knowing how to wash things made of merino wool, you will retain their shape and sophisticated appearance for a long time!

Complete your wardrobe with high-quality merino clothing from the Doctor TM store.