Why do clothes shrink

Prev Post. Next Post. Explore Our Site. Dry Cleaning. Wet Cleaning. Explore All Laundry Services. Schedule a Pick Up. Convenient Locations Dependable Cleaners has convenient locations across the Denver metro area. They're purposely designed with the garment's fibers in mind, so if the label tells you to skip hot water or only air dry, you should listen. It's also a good idea to read any labels before you buy a piece, too.

If you're shopping for an item made from natural fabrics like cotton, wool, or linen, pay special attention to any labels that mark the piece as "pre-shrunk. If you're unsure about how a fabric will react to its first wash, it's a good idea to opt for a cold rinse. While cold water won't prevent all shrinkage, it is definitely less damaging to fabric than hot water and can help ease your garment into washing.

The same thing goes for drying your clothes, as well: Air drying a garment is often your best option, but if you can't do that, use the lowest heat setting on your drier. Lastly, consider your washing and drying machines themselves. Any machine that is without a center agitator the column that creates a "donut" shape in your washer will be more gentle on clothes.

If your machine does have a center agitator, reduce its impact on your garments by opting for a gentle or hand-wash cycle. Shrinkage is defined as a change in the dimensions of a fabric or garment. The change may be negative losing size from original measurements or positive growth in measurement in the length, width, or thickness of the fabric or garment.

While the thickness of a fabric can change over the course of the life of a garment, it does not usually cause a problem with the fit of a garment. Shrinkage, whether a loss or addition of length or width dimensions, affects the fit of a garment.

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Proceed to Cart Continue Shopping. Learn More. Reshape it to its original dimensions and allow it to air dry. Of course, part of avoiding laundry mishaps is ensuring that your washer and dryer are in top working order. Get a quote today. The Ultimate Home Maintenance Guide for Want a simple way to brighten your home and improve indoor air quality?

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