What to do if a woolen item has shrunk: stretching and reshaping a sweater

Woolen items are practical, do not wrinkle, retain heat well and look beautiful. Warm hats, mittens and scarves do not require special washing conditions, with sweaters the situation is more complicated. Few people know what to do if a wool sweater has shrunk. With proper care, such clothes can last for more than one year, but if the technology is violated, it is easy to ruin it, and it can be restored only in some cases.

Reasons why woolen items shrink after washing?

The problem of shrinkage of items after washing is quite common, there may be several reasons for this:

• use of hot water;
• use of regular powder or other inappropriate means;
• the program on the washing machine is set incorrectly;
• poor quality fabric of a wardrobe item.

In order not to have to look for a way to stretch a wool sweater, it is equally important to dry the wardrobe item correctly. The heating devices used can also lead to a decrease in size and the item can become felted. The wool sweater is wrung out and laid out on a horizontal surface covered with a terry towel, which is regularly changed for a new one when it gets wet.

How to stretch a garment back to its original shape using steaming

There are several ways to return a sweater to its original appearance, one of which is steaming with an iron or steam generator. Before stretching a woolen item, soak it, then let it drain, squeeze it out slightly and spread it out on a flat surface. Then you need to iron it through gauze or cotton fabric until it is completely dry and stretch it out at the same time.

Put it on yourself

The sweater can be stretched if you put it on your naked body while it is wet. You can walk until it dries completely, but it is not necessary, since the procedure is not pleasant, a few minutes is enough. In a sweater, you need to do exercises with your hands and simply pull the fabric to the sides. If possible, you can use a mannequin. The downside of this method of restoration is that the sweater only increases in width.

With the help of solutions

To soften woolen threads, you can use a solution of 2 large spoons of soda, 1 glass of white vinegar and 2 liters of warm water. The clothes are kept in the liquid for 1 hour. Then the item is rinsed in 1 liter of water with 1 glass of vinegar. There is another method to make the fabric more pliable for stretching: add 3 liters of milk to the soaking container and lower the clothes for 30 minutes, then rinse well.

Plain water will help to correct the situation

Before returning the shape of a shrunken woolen item, it must be soaked again in cold water, then wrung out with a terry towel and laid out to dry on a flat surface. During the drying process, the shrunken areas are pulled out manually. After soaking, you can hang the sweater on a hanger, having previously placed a terry towel on them so as not to deform the item. In this way, the stretching will occur under its own weight, and to prevent it from becoming too stretched, it is necessary to periodically wring it out.

Hydrogen peroxide

A solution of hydrogen peroxide in the amount of 2 large spoons is diluted in 10 liters of water. The wool sweater is kept in a basin for 3 hours, after which it is stretched and dried horizontally. Peroxide is not used for dark fabrics.

Alcohol and turpentine

In a container with 5 liters of liquid, dilute 2 large spoons of turpentine and alcohol, 6 tablespoons of ammonia. Soak the sweater in a basin for an hour, then rinse with running water, stretch out and leave to dry.

An iron comes to the rescue

The iron is heated to a temperature of 180-200 degrees and slightly damp clothes are ironed through the fabric, then the item is steamed and pulled out. You need to be careful with the iron, if it touches the wool not through the fabric, it will be damaged.

Hair conditioner

A shrunken sweater is soaked for 30 minutes in a basin of cool water, into which 50 ml of hair conditioner is poured beforehand. Then the item is taken out, stretched by hand and hung to dry without wringing. The conditioner, having penetrated the fabric of the item, will make the fibers soft and elastic, as a result of which it will be easier to stretch.

Special compositions and means

You can return the product to its original size using special detergents and products from the following manufacturers:

• Perwoll;
• Frosch;
• Sonett;
• Royal Powder and others.

Before buying a product, you need to read what fabrics it is intended for. For washing sweaters, the packaging should be marked "for wool products". The compositions will help make the wool threads soft, making the item easier to stretch.

Dry cleaning

If home stretching methods do not help or the owner is afraid of damaging the sweater, it can always be taken to a dry cleaner, where professionals will help to deal with the problem. It is recommended to give the sweater to the service immediately after shrinkage appears.

What if the sweater has shrunk just a little bit?

If the sweater has not shrunk much, you can try repeating the machine wash with the correct function and detergents or wash it by hand. Then hang it on a hanger to dry, placing a towel on them. You can place the sweater horizontally and fix the edges, which need to be pulled out with pins.

Rules for washing woolen items

Woolen clothes require special care, if the item is natural, it is preferable to take it to a dry cleaner. However, it is not always possible to pay for the service, so many people wash woolen items themselves. The fabric will not deform if the washing rules are followed, which are as follows:

• Manufacturers have made sure that their item will serve the buyer for a long time, so it is necessary to initially look at the tags on the clothes, they always indicate the washing method, temperature and other indications for the care of the material.
• Hand washing is preferable for wool, but in practice people rarely do this, since the machines are equipped with programs for washing such material, so you can also wash in the machine. The temperature for such things is 30 degrees, spin 400 revolutions. The same program is chosen for hats and scarves. When hand washing, the sweater is wrung out, wrapped in a terry towel, otherwise it can stretch a lot and it will be more difficult to restore it.

• Regular washing powder is not suitable for the products, it not only contributes to shrinkage and felting, but also makes the product rough and unpleasant to the touch. Accordingly, it is better to choose special products designed for this material. When washing by hand, you can use regular shampoo or make shavings from baby soap.
• If the item is shedding, you can add 2 large spoons of vinegar to the water, which will help fix the color. The same amount of hydrogen peroxide helps bleaching.

• Woolen clothes are not washed or soaked for a long time, this can contribute to stretching or the sweater will shrink. The optimal time for both procedures together is 45 minutes.
• Avoid sudden changes in water level during washing and rinsing.

Woolen clothes do not need to be washed often, they repel dirt well, so in most cases, airing and removing stains when necessary is enough. It is convenient to store things in vacuum bags, they prevent moth penetration and absorption of unpleasant odors.