{"id":699,"date":"2022-12-04T10:35:35","date_gmt":"2022-12-04T10:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spotrinse.com\/?p=699"},"modified":"2022-12-07T03:29:09","modified_gmt":"2022-12-07T03:29:09","slug":"do-washing-machines-shrink-clothes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spotrinse.com\/do-washing-machines-shrink-clothes\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Washing Machines Shrink Clothes?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the most frustrating parts of doing laundry is having your favorite clothes ruined by your machines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most think that dryers are solely responsible for shrinking our clothes, but do washing machines shrink clothes too?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washing machines can shrink clothes if you aren\u2019t setting up your washing machine according to the clothing you\u2019re washing. Certain fabrics are best washed on gentle cycles or with cold water as opposed to hot water. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to take all your clothes to the dry cleaners to avoid shrinking; you just have to make sure you pay attention to the clothes you\u2019re putting in your washing machine before you pick your settings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can Washing Machines Shrink Clothes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Washing machines can shrink clothes when they are washed with the wrong temperature water, or are washed in a high-velocity cycle when they need a gentle wash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fabric is a major factor that will determine whether or not clothes will shrink in the washing machine, but it\u2019s not the only factor.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A combination of fabric, temperature, and tumbling speed will all contribute to shrinking clothes. Heat is not very friendly to clothing from both the washer and dryer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can avoid heat by using cooler temperatures when doing laundry, you can circumvent a lot of shrinkage.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some fabrics<\/a> and garments, such as silks, lingerie, wool, structured jackets, and leather shouldn\u2019t be put in the washing machine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, these items should either be hand-washed or sent to the cleaners. Reading the label on your specific garments can help you determine how they need to be washed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Makes Clothes Shrink In The Laundry?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, we\u2019re simply too busy to bother reading our clothing labels before chucking them in our washing machines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When mixed with the high heat of the dryer, some of our clothes have no chance to avoid shrinking if we\u2019re not careful.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fabrics are woven together, typically very tightly, in order to produce a garment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some types of fabrics like cotton and other naturally-sourced fibers, exposure to heat and water causes the tight fibers to curl, changing the shape of a garment and ultimately causing it to shrink.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This doesn\u2019t happen with synthetic fibers, but you need to watch out for clothing that is made with both natural and synthetic fibers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A mixture of fabrics is much more common in clothing than it used to be, making it all the more important to read your labels before throwing clothes in the washing machine.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can You Prevent Shrinking Clothes In A Washing Machine?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fabrics that are more sensitive to laundry machines, such as cottons and synthetic fabrics<\/a>, should be washed on a gentle cycle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These fabrics will stretch and constrict when washed and dried, but this activity won\u2019t be as frequent when your clothes are washed on a gentle cycle. This helps reduce the amount they shrink.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, you should consider using cold water to wash your clothing as much as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold water is able to efficiently clean your clothes just as hot water does<\/a>, and doesn\u2019t engage those fibers that end up constricting to shrink your garments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To ensure a more thorough clean, you can find laundry detergent that is made specifically for cold water.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Thoughts <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Washing machines can contribute to shrinking clothes; it\u2019s not just your dryer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The heat mixed with the cyclical nature of washing machines can wreak havoc on your clothes, especially if they\u2019re made with sensitive fabrics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as you read your labels and do your best to follow washing instructions, you can easily avoid losing your clothes to the power of a washing machine.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the most frustrating parts of doing laundry is having your favorite clothes ruined by your machines. Most think that dryers are solely responsible for shrinking our clothes, but do washing machines shrink clothes too? Washing machines can shrink clothes if you aren\u2019t setting up your washing machine according to the clothing you\u2019re washing. … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nDo Washing Machines Shrink Clothes? - Spot Rinse<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spotrinse.com\/do-washing-machines-shrink-clothes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Do Washing Machines Shrink Clothes? - Spot Rinse\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One of the most frustrating parts of doing laundry is having your favorite clothes ruined by your machines. 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