Several people complain about not fitting in clothes anymore after washing them. This may be because of the fabric shrinking after a few washes as the quality of clothes produced has deteriorated. They have low tenacity, are more prone to wear-and-tear, and have a shorter lifespan overall.
We have had plenty of clients coming to us asking if there is a way to prevent their new clothes from shrinking. So we’ve compiled a short guide of how you can go about doing that.
Why Do Clothes Shrink During Laundry?
Clothes shrink in the laundry due to several reasons. Different fabrics are of different qualities and need to be treated as such instead of throwing all garments together in the washer.
Clothes require different water temperatures to be washed. Some are machine-washable, others aren’t and need to be dry-cleaned or hand-washed. Certain fabrics are also very sensitive to chemicals that may damage their fibers and make the garments unwearable.
A good way to prevent clothes from shrinking is by doing your laundry properly. Here’s what you can do.
Pay Attention to Laundry Labels
Make sure that you read laundry tags on a garment before doing the laundry, as they usually contain clear instructions on how to wash, dry, and iron the product.
It can tell you the water temperature the garments need to be washed in, whether it needs to be dry-cleaned or not, should it be tumble-dried or air-dried, and what chemicals or detergents may be harmful to the fabric.
Use Cold Water Frequently
While it is recommended to wash garments according to the water temperature specified on the laundry label, if it is not mentioned, use cold water. Warm water melts fibers which causes shrinkage.
Use lower temperature, especially when dealing with delicate fabrics, to preserve longevity as they have low thermal resistance. Coldwater also uses less energy and can reduce your electricity bill.
Set the Washing Cycle to ‘Delicate’
Adjust your washing machine’s washing cycle and set it to ‘gentle’ or ‘delicate’ to retain your clothes’ original shape and size. A gentle cycle uses fewer spins to clean your clothes which prevents agitation and the fibers from getting distressed.
Soak your garments for a shorter time to avoid them from shrinking.
Sort & Separate Garments by Fabrics
Different fabrics have various needs and need to be cleaned as per. Before dumping your load into the washer, make sure you separate your garments according to fabrics. Cotton, linen, and silk are usually better suited to be hand-washed, while wool and cashmere last longer being dry-cleaned.
Read the laundry labels to see which garments need to be dry-cleaned and which ones you can wash at home. It’s better to leave the expensive and important clothes to the experts so that you can get your money’s worth and not reduce their lifespan due to shrinkage.
Washup’s Advice to Prevent Clothes from Shrinking
While there’s no guaranteed way you can prevent your clothes from shrinking as all garments do eventually face wear-and-tear, we can help you increase the lifespan of your clothes.
At Washup, we use the best practices, products, and techniques to ensure that your garments stay as good as new for as long as possible. Not only can we help you get rid of those pesky stains but also clean the pricey formals that you can’t afford to replace just yet.
Our riders pick your laundry from your doorstep and deliver it back to you in 96 hours, looking as good as new.
So get in touch with us today to place your order.
