Did a wool sweater shrink when you washed it? You can get it back

Wool garments have to be washed by hand or with the appropriate washing machine program if we do not want them to shrink. This is something that we have all known forever, but it is also true that We have ever been able to put a wool sweater in the washing machine or in the dryer with the rest of the laundry. And when we take it out, a total disaster: either it has shrunk a couple of sizes or the fabric is so caked that it looks like esparto grass.

Before giving up the sweater or any other garment that has shrunk after a wash program at too high a temperature or the passage through the dryer, it is good to know that there are ways to recover the garment so that it can once again occupy a place in our closet.

But before looking at the ways for our jersey to return to its original size (or almost) a tip: It is useless to stretch the sweater as soon as we take it out of the washing machine or dryer and we realize the damage since we will only be able to break the fibers of the fabric and spoil it even more.

With baby shampoo

For our first trick we need immerse the garment in cold water in a basin with two tablespoons of baby shampoo (if we do not have it, we can also use hair conditioner or liquid fabric softener). Once submerged, we remove the garment so that it is completely soaked and we leave it for about 30 minutes.
Next, we remove the sweater and remove the excess water, but without twisting it too much, until it is damp but not soggy. We place the garment stretched out on a dry towel and roll it up so that the towel absorbs the excess water. The next step is to place the clothing that has shrunk stretched out on another dry towel and, gently, we stretch it to try to get it back to its original size. Once we are satisfied with the result, we let the garment dry in the same position in the open air.

Did a wool sweater shrink when you washed it?  These are the tricks to get it back

With baking soda and vinegar

Another way to recover a shrunken garment is mixing about 20 grams of sodium bicarbonate in a liter of hot water and pour the mixture into a basin of warm water. We put the garment in until it is completely covered and, without removing it from the water, we gradually stretch it so that it recovers its size. Once done, we let it soak for no more than an hour. Then the rinse in another container with a liter of warm water and 250 ml of white vinegar. And, finally, we drain it without twisting it excessively and let it dry on the outside also flat.

With hair mask

For our third home remedy we need mix water, vinegar and a good amount of nourishing hair mask. Next, we immerse the shrunken garment in the mixture so that it is completely covered with water and let it rest for 30 minutes. After this time, we carefully stretch the sweater so that it recovers its original size and, when we achieve it, we re-immerse the garment in the mixture that we already have for another 30 minutes maximum. Afterwards, we rinse the sweater well until there are no remains of the mixture, we drain by hand and we lay the clothes flat.