In this guide, we will be looking at how to shrink polyester. There have been a lot of questions and inquiries on how to go about it; which birthed this guide.
And, as you know, polyester is a very great choice when it comes to clothing, and it is also a synthetic polymer.
Polyester is a man-made fiber that is long-lasting and it is built and created to resist shrinking, generally.
Although this does not mean that shrinking polyester is not possible, this is what I will be discussing here in this guide.
Polyester is quite versatile as it is used for so many things, which include bedding, clothing, footwear, textiles, and upholstery.
Polyester, which is a wicking fiber, is not a difficult material to wash and also dye. It is also lightweight.
When it comes to everyday use, polyester has numerous benefits, and this is thanks to the fact that it is versatile.
And, with all that being said, you should also know that polyester is not all that perfect. It also has its disadvantages.
One of which is its ability to resist shrinking. And, this might be kind of a big disadvantage when you want to shrink your polyester clothes.
Well, you should not lose all hope, as it is still possible to shrink your polyester clothes. This is what I will be teaching you in this guide.
How to Shrink Polyester Clothes
Polyester clothes have a higher chance of taking longer to shrink compared to other clothes, and this is thanks to how they were made.
So, in this guide and below, you will be given some laid-out instructions on how to shrink your polyester clothes.
Use a Washing Machine and Dryer to Shrink Polyester Clothes.
This is the first method I will be explaining in this guide on “How to shrink polyester.” This method of shrinking polyester clothes is considered to be one of the easiest.
And, to state the fact, heat is just all you majorly need to shrink polyester, which is what a washing machine will be offering you.
Laid-Out Instructions
- Below will be the laid-out instructions on how you can shrink your polyester clothes using a washing machine and dryer.
- Firstly, you will need to turn your polyester clothes inside out. Make sure you do this before you proceed to put them into the washing machine, as this will help prevent any color damage to your clothes.
- After doing that, you are to set the washing machine to a very high temperature. 60 degrees Celsius is the recommended temperature to use to wash your polyester clothes.
- You are to also set it for a long washing cycle, and after the washing of your clothes, instead of making use of cold water to rinse them, you should use hot water.
- Afterward, get your polyester clothes into the tumble dryer after the washing cycle is done. Then, you are to set the dryer to a long and hot drying cycle.
- I will suggest you check your clothes halfway through the drying cycle. Then, you can continue drying it.
- Remove your clothes from the dryer when you are done drying them. You can now proceed to check your polyester clothes if they have shrunk enough.
- Repeat the process if you are not satisfied with the shrinking level of your polyester.
- However, if you are still not satisfied after repeating the process, it is highly recommended that you try another method of shrinking polyester.
Use a Washing Machine and an Iron to Shrink Polyester
This is another tested and trusted method to successfully shrink polyester, so you can apply this method if you desire to shrink your polyester clothes.
If you don’t have a tumble dryer or you can’t get access to one, and also if you have difficulties or issues with the first method, then I will recommend you go for this method.
- So, the first thing you will need to do here is to also turn the inside of your polyester out, and then put it into the washing machine.
- You are to also set the washing machine to its highest temperature settings and then proceed to wash the polyester.
- And, do not forget to also set the washing machine to its longest washing cycle and use a hot rinse when you are done washing the polyester.
- Afterward, you can now proceed to get your ironing board, ironing cloth, and iron, and then prepare them for usage.
- You are to remove the polyester from the washing machine when it is done with its washing and rinsing cycle.
- Place it on your ironing board, and the polyester should be moist. Make sure you continue with everything with the polyester inside out.
- You are to then place the ironing cloth over the polyester. Ensure that the ironing cloth covers the polyester completely.
- Plug in your iron and set it to its low-medium temperature. Make sure not to go for the hottest temperature settings.
- You can now place the iron over the ironing cloth, which is over the polyester, and move it slowly all over the ironing cloth.
- You can make some adjustments as you go all over the ironing cloth. Then, until the polyester is dry entirely, you are to continue ironing.
- And, after that, you can now check the polyester when you are done with the ironing. You can also repeat this method if you are not satisfied with the result.
- However, if you make use of the previous method and this method, you should have your desired result.
Final Thoughts on How to Shrink Polyester
Some factors determine how much polyester can shrink, and they majorly include the amount of polyester or the blend it consists of.
The possibility of your polyester shrinking when it consists of 100% polyester will be very small, thanks to the fact that polyester is plastic and was built to resist shrinking.
You should be very careful when using heat to shrink polyester as this might also cause some damage to the fibers in the material.
It might not be a good idea to try to shrink 100% polyester as the process is quite difficult and there are chances that you might not get your desired result.
Shrinking the polyester might get it melted and become a mess and also make it lose its wholeness, which is definitely not what you want.
However, you have a very good chance of shrinking a polyester blend. So, this will be the conclusion on “How to shrink polyester” as you now have all the detailed information you need.
