Tips for unshrinking fabrics

Restoring a shrunken fabric

Whether it's your favourite shirt that has shrunken in the wash or a new piece of clothing that's too small; shrunken fabrics can be annoying, However, you can do a few things to try and restore shrunk fabrics to their original size.

We have set out some tips below that can help with unshrinking fabrics:

• Add a capful of baby shampoo or hair conditioner to a sink or basin full of warm water.

• Submerge the cloth that has shrunk in water and give it a gentle massage to relax the fiber.

• Give the fabric around 30 minutes to soak.

• Then carefully take the cloth out from the water and stretch it out to its original shape.

• Spread out the fabric on a towel and gently press to get rid of excess water.

• Place the fabric on a flat surface and let the fabric air dry; ensure it is away from the sun and heat.

• Give the fabric a light stretch after it has dried to assist the fibres take on a new shape.

• Try again if the fabric continues to shrink.

• Once the fabric is dry, give it a gentle stretch to help reshape the fibers.

• If the fabric is still shrunken, try using a steamer to gently heat and stretch the fibers.

It is worth noting that not all fabrics can be stretched, some delicate fabrics like cashmere, rayon, silks and blends of these may be damaged if stretched. Hence, these tips may not actually work for all types of fabrics. Also, it is always a good idea to read the care label on the fabric before attempting to stretch it.