Buzz
Polyester is a resilient material known for its shrink-resistant properties. While a dryer can slightly reduce the size of clothing, the effect is minimal. For oversized polyester garments, a bit of time and effort can help you customize their fit. If only a slight reduction is needed, simply use a washing machine and dryer. For more significant shrinkage, employ an iron.
Steps
Wash and Dry
Turn the fabric inside out. The high temperatures required to shrink polyester can also cause fading. Turning clothes inside out helps minimize this effect.
- Avoid washing multiple garments together. Turning clothes inside out reduces fading but doesn’t prevent color bleeding between items.
Wash with extremely hot water. Set the washing machine to the hottest water temperature and the longest wash cycle. Ensure both the wash and rinse water are hot, as hot water shrinks polyester more effectively than cold water.
- While detergent doesn’t interfere with the process, you don’t need to add it unless you want to clean and shrink the clothes simultaneously.
Transfer the clothes to the dryer immediately. Set the dryer to the highest heat and longest drying cycle for the polyester fabric. Extreme heat plays a crucial role in shrinking polyester.
Check the shrinkage of the clothes. Remove the item from the dryer and let it cool to room temperature. If the fabric hasn’t shrunk enough, repeat the washing and drying steps a few more times to further reduce its size.
- Note: The more you wash and dry the item, the more the fabric’s color will fade.
- Only repeat this method a few times. If the clothes still haven’t shrunk significantly, consider using an iron.
Use an Iron
Wash the fabric with hot water. Set the washing machine to the hottest water temperature and the longest wash cycle. Choose hot water for both washing and rinsing.
Place the damp item on an ironing rack. As soon as the washing cycle finishes, remove the polyester fabric from the machine and transfer it to the ironing rack. Ensure the clothing remains inside out to minimize the risk of fading.
Cover the clothing with a pressing cloth. Make sure the cloth completely covers the item. This step prevents the iron from damaging your garment.
Iron at the lowest heat setting. Use low heat to avoid making the polyester too stiff. Move the iron back and forth across the fabric. Continue until the clothing is completely dry.
- Avoid using the steam function. A dry iron will dry the polyester while pressing, which is what we need.
Check the shrinkage of the clothing after finishing. Once the fabric is dry, stop ironing immediately, as prolonged heat can cause the polyester to burn or fade. By repeating washing, drying, and ironing cycles, you can achieve the desired shrinkage.
