There are plenty of reasons why you may start wondering how to shrink jeans. For example, you may buy a pair of jeans that don’t fit quite right, or your favorite pair made of stretchy denim may naturally stretch out over time, especially in specific areas, and lose its shape. The good news is that you can alter the fit of your stretched out jeans using simple DIY methods and make them smaller.
With our best tips on how to make jeans shrink, you can achieve the result you are looking for without damaging the fabric. Read on to learn more about the possible methods you can use at home.
How to Shrink Jeans Permanently for a Perfect Fit
So how can you shrink jeans? There are several techniques for shrinking jeans that work well and you can use any of them to ensure that your favorite jeans fit exactly the way that you want them to.
Wash Them in Hot Water
Do jeans shrink in the wash? Yes, if the water is hot. Why do jeans shrink in hot water? They are made of cotton fabrics, and cotton fibers contract when they are washed at high temperatures, As a result, they become smaller. So you should wash your jeans in a washing machine without any fabric softener and tumble dry in heat. You may need to repeat the process more than once to achieve the desired result. But you should be careful because washing and drying in hot temperatures may cause their color to fade. That’s why you should turn your jeans inside out to maintain the original color.
Cook Them
This is the best way to shrink jeans because it works faster than washing in a washing machine. Turn your jeans inside out and put them in a pot with boiling water. You should keep them fully underwater and leave them boiling for about 30-40 minutes. Then you need to drain them and dry them in a dryer setting it on “high heat.” This method works only if your jeans are made of 100% cotton without lycra or spandex. Otherwise, you will damage the material, and your jeans will get even more baggy.
Take a Bath Wearing Jeans
Although it may sound crazy, but this technique is the easiest and is ideal for denim. You will need to sit in a bathtub completely submerged in water until the water cools. Don’t add any soap. Then you should step outside in the sun and wait for your jeans to dry. The idea is to help the material shrink to the shape of your body. Of course, it’s not the most pleasant experience, so you may speed the process using a hairdryer. But it is worth it, and your jeans will fit just right. Besides, it will be a funny story that you can share with your friends later.
Iron Your Jeans
If washing and soaking your jeans in hot water is not enough, you can iron them after that. First, you need to let freshly washed jeans dry until damp and then iron them until they are fully dry. You may iron the entire jeans or only those areas that you want to shrink.
As you see, all these methods are actually based on applying high heat. High temperatures during washing and drying make denim shrink. But how to shrink stretch jeans using other methods? Visiting a tailor can be the eco-friendliest way to adjust the size of your jeans. You will need to spend some money, but, in fact, it’s the most reliable way to ensure your jeans fit perfectly. If the waistband of your jeans is a little too loose, you can easily solve this problem if you sew a piece of elastic into the inside of the waistband on the back.
Final Word
Now you know how to shrink jeans permanently using some water and high heat. We hope that our article about how to shrink denim and jeans was useful and will help you ensure that your favorite pair of tight white jeans fit you perfectly, and you’ll feel confident and comfortable when wearing them.
Want to prevent your jeans from stretching out and fading? Keep in mind that you shouldn’t wash them more often than necessary. Manufacturers recommend washing them once every 10 wears at most. If you spot some stains, you can remove them using a wet cloth or an old toothbrush and soap water. You should wash jeans in cold water and avoid harsh soaps to prevent fading. Besides, you shouldn’t use dryers but hang them up to dry, turning inside out.
Find more interesting articles on our blog and check out Cute Outfits for Rainy Days to learn what to wear in rainy weather. Also, read How to Wear Sneakers With Dresses here.
