Accidentally shrinking clothing while doing laundry is a frustrating but common mistake. Thankfully, there are several ways to avoid this mishap and preserve the look of your clothing items. Here a few helpful tips to keep in mind when you wash and dry your clothing at home or the laundromat.

5 Ways to Avoid Shrinking Your Clothes

1. Read the Instructions

There’s a small tag attached to the inside of most pieces of clothing. This tag outlines what the clothing is made out of and suggested cleaning instructions for it. Before putting anything into the washing machine or dryer, read over this information. It’ll give you tips to ensure you’re left with clean clothes that hold their shape. 

2. Wash With Cold Water

Hot water is efficient for removing germs and dirt, but it’s also capable of shrinking clothes. This is because it relaxes the tension in the fibers of the fabric, causing the material to warp. To avoid this, set the washer to a cold or warm water setting. 

3. Don’t Over-Dry

Much like hot water causes laundry to shrink, drying clothing at excessively high temperatures has the same effect. Whenever possible, it’s best to air-dry them instead. 

If you need to put clothing in the dryer for time-saving purposes, either use a lower heat cycle or consider tumble drying. These options keep clothing protected from shrinkage by not exposing them to high levels of heat.

4. Fold Clothes Quickly

Removing clothing as soon as the dryer cycle ends helps to avoid wrinkles from setting in. Whenever a dress, shirt, or pair of pants gets wrinkled, you’ll need to use an iron or permanent press to get it looking presentable again. This additional heating that can cause its shape to deform. By taking the items out and folding them immediately, you can avoid this problem.

5. Use Dry Cleaning Services

Certain materials should never be washed and dried at home because they will shrink if not dry cleaned. Clothing made out of fragile, synthetic fabrics like rayon and chiffon— as well as natural materials like wool— shrink when exposed to heat. Dry cleaning ensures your clothing items keep their original shape. 

 

Use these tips to keep your laundry safe when washing it at Park Coin Laundry in Dothan, AL. Stop by to clean your clothing using one of their many do-it-yourself machines with a handy ATM on-site, or take advantage of the drop off laundry service with a trusted team of professionals who have over 200 years of combined experience. Call (334) 678-0800 to talk to a representative, or learn more about their services online.