How to Shrink White Dress Shirt 55 Cotton 45 Polyester
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Polyester is a durable material that resists shrinkage. This is great if you plan to use your dryer, but less so when you get a shirt that's too big. However, if you dedicate time and effort to it, you can actively shrink clothing made of polyester. If you don't need the garment to shrink too much, you should only need to use your washing machine and dryer. If you need more significant shrinkage, you can use an iron.
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Turn the garment inside-out. [1] Heat high enough to shrink polyester is also high enough to cause colors to fade. Turning your garment inside out before washing will help protect it..[2]
- Avoid washing multiple garments together. Turning the garment inside-out will reduce fading but won't prevent the colors from bleeding.
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Wash the garment in extremely hot water. Set the washing machine to the hottest water setting and the longest wash cycle. Make sure to use both a hot wash and a hot rinse, since hot water is much more effective for shrinking polyester than cold water.[3]
- Ideally, the water should be at least 140 °F (60 °C).[4]
- You don't need to add detergent to the washing machine, but it won't interfere with the shrinking process. Only add detergent if you're looking to wash the garment as you shrink it.[5]
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Transfer the garment to the dryer immediately. Dry the polyester garment using the hottest heat setting and the longest drying cycle. The extreme heat is what will do the most work in shrinking the garment.
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Check the garment for shrinkage. Pull it out of the dryer and let it cool to room temperature. If additional shrinkage is necessary, repeat the washing and drying steps to further reduce the size.[6]
- Note that the more often you wash and dry the garment, the more color fading you may notice.
- Only attempt this a few more times. If you still cannot achieve significant shrinkage, consider using an iron.
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Wash the garment with hot water. Set the washing machine to the hottest water setting and the longest wash cycle. Use a hot wash and a hot rinse setting.[7]
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Transfer the wet garment to an ironing board. Immediately after the washing cycle finishes, pull the polyester garment from the washing machine and transfer it to an ironing board. Make sure that the garment is still inside-out to reduce the risk of fading.[8]
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Lay a pressing cloth over the garment. Make sure the cloth completely covers your garment. This will prevent the iron from damaging your clothing.
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Iron on a low to medium heat setting. Using a lower setting will prevent the polyester from becoming too stiff. Pass the iron over your article of clothing. Continue ironing the garment until it is completely dried.
- Do not use a steam setting on the iron. A dry iron will dry out the polyester as you pass over it, which is the effect you're looking for.
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Examine the finished garment for shrinkage. Make sure not to repeat the ironing process, as this could damage the polyester and cause colors to fade.[9] If you've already put the garment through more than one washing and drying cycles, as well as ironing it, you've likely shrunk it much as you can.
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Add New Question
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Question
How do I keep my polyester shirt from stretching?
Kamel Almani is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Co-Owner of WashyWash, a toxin-free and eco-friendly laundry and dry clean service based in Amman, Jordan. Kamel and his staff at WashyWash use Blue Angel certified and dermatologically-tested detergents. They also combine EcoClean and digital technology to provide an eco-friendly, convenient, and quality cleaning service. Kamel holds a BA in Design from the University of Applied Science, Amman.
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Expert Answer
Don't hang it up after you wash it. Just fold it up and store it in your closet or dresser.
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Question
Can you shrink polyester in the dryer?
Kamel Almani is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Co-Owner of WashyWash, a toxin-free and eco-friendly laundry and dry clean service based in Amman, Jordan. Kamel and his staff at WashyWash use Blue Angel certified and dermatologically-tested detergents. They also combine EcoClean and digital technology to provide an eco-friendly, convenient, and quality cleaning service. Kamel holds a BA in Design from the University of Applied Science, Amman.
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
Expert Answer
Yes—first, wash it in very hot water using normal laundry detergent. Then, put it in a tumble dryer on high heat.
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Question
Can you shrink polyester and spandex?
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
A common combination of synthetic materials, this is often found in leggings and exercise wear. While shrinking is possible, it does carry a risk of garment damage due to the high heat needed. To try to shrink, wash the garment at the hottest water setting of your washing machine (only this garment, nothing else). After washing, place the garment inside a garment laundry bag or tied pillowcase and tumble in the dryer at its hottest setting for 10 minutes. Remove and try the garment on; if it fits, great. If not, you can repeat the whole process but remember it isn't meant to be subjected to high heat. To finish, wash as the care tag recommends, without laundry detergent to set the garment at its new shrunken size. Shrinkage will occur both lengthwise and widthwise.
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Article Summary X
To shrink polyester, first turn your garment inside out so it won't fade. Then set your washing machine to its longest setting with the hottest water possible. Run the washer with just your garment, and only add detergent if your garment is dirty. When the wash cycle is done, transfer your garment to the dryer, and choose its hottest temperature and longest drying cycle. Take a look once your garment comes out of the dryer. If you still want to shrink it more, continue washing and drying it until it's small enough. If you want to learn how to shrink polyester with an iron, keep reading the article!
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