Jeans are a must-have item for daily wear, but newly bought pants sometimes appear slightly loose or change size due to washing. Mastering scientific shrinking methods can not only adjust the shape of the pants, but also extend the wearing life of jeans.
How many sizes can jeans be reduced at most?
Most jeans are pre-shrunk and the shrinkage is limited. Original jeans or non-pre-shrunk fabrics have more room for shrinkage, and a 32-inch waist may shrink to 31 inches, but some brands reserve shrinkage margins through design, and the size may remain unchanged after shrinkage.
What are the methods to shrink jeans?
When the size of the new jeans is not to your liking, and you are worried that the jeans will be severely deformed during the shrinking process, mastering the principles of jeans shrinkage can allow you to cleverly adjust the size of the jeans to make them fit your body better. Master the following methods, you can easily shrink the jeans at home.
Shrinkage during washing
Hot water washing: Put the jeans in the washing machine and wash them with hot water above 60°C. High temperature accelerates fiber shrinkage.
Cold water washing (need to be combined with drying): Put the jeans directly into the dryer after cold water washing, and the high-temperature drying mode can enhance the shrinking effect.
Shrinking jeans without washing
Steam fumigation: Use a steam iron to fumigate the jeans at high temperature, focusing on the waist, hips and other areas that need to be shrunk.
Spray water + ironing: After spraying locally, iron with an iron at high temperature, and cover with a wet cloth to prevent fabric damage.
Shrinking jeans with a dryer
Put the jeans in the dryer, select the highest temperature mode (such as "cotton clothing" mode), and dry until completely dry. Note: High temperature may accelerate the fading of fabrics, so dark jeans should be used with caution.
Quick shrinkage of jeans
Soaking + drying: Soak the jeans in hot water above 60℃ for 30 minutes, and dry them directly after taking them out.
Steam ironing + drying: First use steam fumigation, then dry, double heating to accelerate shrinkage.
Shrinking jeans without a dryer
Natural drying method: Soak in hot water and then wring and hang them. The fibers will shrink naturally after soaking in high-temperature water.
Ironing and shaping: When the jeans are half-dried, use a high-temperature iron to iron them locally. The shrinking effect will be more obvious after shaping.
Shrinkage of new jeans
Before the first wash, soak them in hot water for 1 hour and then dry them at high temperature. This can release the shrinkage potential of the fabric in advance and avoid shrinkage again when worn later.
Jeans shrink a little
Warm water soaking + hand washing: Soak in 30℃-40℃ warm water, rub gently and dry naturally.
Local steam treatment: Use a steam iron to fumigate the waist, thighs and other parts.
How to make jeans fit the curve
Bathtub soaking method: Wear jeans into a warm water bathtub, soak for 20-30 minutes, get up, and fit the body shape after natural air drying.
Wet cloth wrapping + ironing: Spray wet and wrap with a wet cloth, and iron at high temperature to shape.
Detailed steps for shrinking jeans
Method 1: Use hot water to shrink jeans
Hot water is one of the most common ways to shrink jeans. The fabric of jeans is mainly made of cotton, and cotton fibers shrink in hot water, which causes jeans to shrink. Here are the specific steps:
Prepare hot water: Boil a pot of water and let it become very hot. The water temperature is controlled at about 90 degrees Celsius for the best effect.
Put the jeans in hot water: Immerse the jeans completely in the hot water, making sure that every part of it is completely covered by water.
Soaking time: The soaking time of jeans is usually 10-15 minutes. You can adjust the time according to the degree of shrinkage you need, but be aware that soaking for too long may cause the color of the jeans to fade.
Drying: After removing the jeans from the hot water, gently wring out the excess water by hand, and then hang them up to dry naturally. Note that it is best not to use a dryer, as high temperatures may cause the jeans to shrink too much.
With this method, you can shrink the jeans slightly to fit your body shape without damaging them.
Method 2: Use a dryer to shorten the trouser legs
If you want to shorten the trouser legs of your jeans, a dryer is a good choice. The high temperature of the dryer will accelerate the shrinkage process of the jeans. The specific steps are as follows:
Wet the jeans: First, wash and wet the jeans. You can choose to gently wring out the water to keep the jeans wet.
Put in the dryer: Put the wet jeans in the dryer and select the high-temperature drying mode.
Check the shortening effect: Check the shrinkage of the jeans every 10 minutes. Adjust the drying time according to the required shrinkage.
This method is mainly suitable for cases where the trouser legs are too long or the overall size is slightly loose. However, it should be noted that the dryer may cause the color of the jeans to fade, especially dark jeans, so it is best to avoid frequent use.
Method 3: Use a steam iron
If you don’t want your jeans to shrink too much, or want to shrink some local parts, a steam iron is a good choice. Steam can promote shrinkage by heating and moistening the fibers of the jeans. The specific steps are as follows:
Prepare the steam iron: Set the iron to medium-high temperature and make sure the steam function is turned on.
Local ironing: Use a steam iron to iron the waist or trouser legs of the jeans that need to be shrunk. Each time you iron, keep the iron about 5 cm away from the jeans to avoid direct contact.
Natural drying: Hang the jeans to dry after ironing. The effect of steam will help the jeans shrink to the size you want.
This method can precisely shrink specific parts of jeans and is a relatively gentle way to shrink.
Notes
Fabric type: Pure cotton shrinks more than elastic fibers.
Color retention: High temperature treatment may accelerate fading, dark jeans need to be tested.
Size estimation: The shrinkage is usually 0.5-1 inch (about 1.3-2.5 cm), depending on the fabric and process.
Through the above methods, you can choose the most suitable shrinking method according to your needs to make the jeans fit your body better.
The shrinkage method should be selected according to the characteristics of the fabric. Pure cotton jeans shrink the most, while jeans with a high content of elastic fibers (such as Lycra) shrink less. After shrinking, the size may rebound slightly due to the elastic recovery of the fabric. It is recommended to reserve shrinkage margin in advance.