Author:
Judy Howell
Date Of Creation:
2 July 2021
Update Date:
23 June 2024
Content
If your new jeans are one size too big, or if your old jeans have become wider after wearing them a lot, you can shrink the material with hot water. There are several methods you can use, but heat plays a role in each method. Here are some different things you can try the next time you want to shrink your jeans so they fit you right again.
To step
Method 1 of 5: Washing machine and dryer
Fill the bathtub with hot water. Fill the bathtub with enough hot water to completely cover your legs and waist. - Make the water as hot as you can tolerate. Of course, you want to avoid burning yourself from water that's too hot to sit in, but using lukewarm water won't cause the fibers to contract strongly enough to shrink your pants enough.
- Put your hand in the water to feel how hot it is.
Sit in the sun until the jeans are dry. Let the jeans air dry so that the fabric conforms to the shape of your legs. - If possible, sit outside in a sunny spot to do this. Make sure to choose a warm day to avoid getting sick. The fibers of your pants will also continue to contract on a hot day.
- Sit on a plastic or metal chair. Do not sit on a surface that could absorb the water from your jeans.
- You may have to turn around when sitting or lying outside in the sun. Otherwise, the fronts of your pants will dry while the backs remain wet.
- It can take several hours for your jeans to dry.
Method 4 of 5: Boiling water
Iron your jeans until it is dry. Place your damp jeans on the ironing board and iron until the fabric is completely dry. - Use the middle setting on the iron.
- Note that your jeans may not shrink as much with this method as with the other methods in this article. However, this technique can be effective if you only want to shrink your jeans slightly.
Necessities
- Dryer
- Washing machine
- Fabric softener
- Laundry detergent
- Atomizer
- Bathtub
- Stockpot
- Tang
- Ironing board
- Iron
