Cold water won’t help you stretch out clothing. On the other hand, hot water shrinks and damages clothing, so avoid using it here. Note that knitted clothes, including cotton, wool, and cashmere garments, respond to this tactic better than other types of fabric. Fabrics with tight weaves, such as silk, rayon, or polyester, will be more difficult to reshape.
Soft shampoos and conditioners relax the fibers in the clothes without damaging them. It’s important to use something gentle. If you wouldn’t use the product on your hair, don’t risk it on a piece of clothing you like.
If you want to, you can begin gently stretching the garment underwater as it soaks. However, the fabric will become easier to stretch out over time, so you don’t need to do it now.
The soapy water needs to continue to relax the fibers until you finish stretching out the garment. Wait until you’re done reshaping it before washing off the shampoo.
The clothing will be damp but not dripping wet when you’re done. You can leave the clothing inside the towel for up to 10 minutes. Don’t leave it too long or else the fabric’s fibers will cool down and become more difficult to stretch out!
For a more accurate way to gauge the size and shape your garment needs to be, create a cutout. Find a similarly-sized garment and use it to trace an outline on parchment paper. Then, place the garment over the outline while you’re stretching it. If you’re having a hard time stretching the clothing, use the steam setting on an iron. The steam softens stiff fabric.
If you do not have any heavy objects nearby, hold the garment in place with clothespins. You can leave the clothing this way until it dries. If your garment is in bad shape, consider checking back every 30 minutes and stretching it out again.
Be aware of what happens when you hang up clothing to dry. Gravity pulls it down a little bit, especially if it is still wet. This could help stretch it out. If your clothing isn’t stretched out enough, repeat the treatment. You may need to do it several times if your garment shrunk a lot.
Borax and vinegar are recommended for animal-based fabrics like wool and cashmere. Plant-based fabrics like cotton may also respond to this treatment, but don’t try it on synthetics or tightly-knit natural materials.
Borax and vinegar are relatively strong cleaners, so always dilute them in water. If you apply them directly to clothing, you could end up damaging the fabric. White wine vinegar is preferable to distilled vinegar since it is clearer and gentler, but either one will work.
Consider stretching out the fabric by hand after allowing it to soak for 25 to 30 minutes. Then, let it soak for an extra 5 minutes.
Don’t rinse the garment yet, since that would prevent the Borax or vinegar from doing its job. Wait until you have finished stretching out the fabric.
Use as many rolled-up towels as needed to get the garment back to its original shape. Make sure it’s flat and smooth, since any lumps caused by the towels could stay behind once the fabric dries. The towels also help absorb excess water, causing the garment to dry faster.
While you’re waiting for the garment to dry, check its shape. Fine-tune it by gently pulling on the edges of the fabric if needed.
If you’re worried about damaging the sweater, lay it on a towel to let it dry out. Wool and cashmere are delicate, so play it safe when treating a particularly valuable piece of clothing. If the clothing doesn’t change enough, repeat the cleaning process several times until you get the result you desire.
If you don’t have a bathtub available for use, you can still stretch out your jeans. Fill up a sink or bucket with warm water instead. If you only need to stretch out a few areas, consider spraying those spots with warm water and then tugging them into shape. [16] X Research source
Try to get the jeans into their original shape as much as possible. It’s easier if you’re able to squeeze into the jeans, but sometimes that isn’t possible. Don’t put them on if they are too tight.
The most important part is thoroughly soaking the jeans. Once they are soaked through, the fabric’s fibers become easier to manipulate. If you’re not prepared to get in the water, soak the jeans in the sink or with a spray bottle for 10 to 15 minutes. Try slipping them on afterward if you wish.
If you decide to wear the jeans, move around as much as possible. Walk around, jog, stretch, or even dance to help stretch out the fibers. Focus on the areas most in need of being stretched. For instance, if the waistband needs to be adjusted, bend and stretch at the waist.
Don’t put the jeans back in the dryer! Heat causes your clothing to shrink. Direct sunlight can also fade a good pair of jeans.
