Washed too hot and your favorite piece of clothing is already a size too small?
These tips can save broken-in clothing.
When
washing
in the
washing machine
, it is easy to be mistaken about the program.
If the
clothing is
washed too hot, it threatens to shrink.
Simple household tips will help you reverse this process.
Offenbach - The
washing machine
signals with a loud beep that the freshly washed
laundry can be taken
out of the machine and the
clothes
can be hung up to dry.
So everything is as usual, until it suddenly becomes apparent on the clothesline that your favorite sweater looks much smaller.
Many people probably know
the moment when it becomes clear that one
has
washed
too hot
.
But there is hope: with a few
tricks
and
tips
,
broken-in laundry
can be
saved
.
Why do clothes that are washed too hot shrink in the washing machine?
But first: Why do the
clothes shrink
at all?
The combination of water, heat and the mechanical force in the
washing machine
affect the fibers of the
clothing
.
No matter what temperature you wash at: In the
washing machine
, the threads in the
clothing soak up
the water and become thicker as a result.
They are contracting.
The result: Although the
clothes appear
a little tighter than they were before they were
washed
, they usually expand again when they are worn.
Washing temperature |
Textile type |
|---|---|
30 degrees |
Curtains, wool sweaters, silk blouses. |
40 degrees |
Shirts, blouses, sweaters, pants, jeans, dresses, shirts. |
60 degrees |
Towels, sheets, baby clothes, pajamas. |
90 degrees |
Cleaning rags, bed linen for the sick |
Source: waschmaschinen-test.eu |
Washed too hot: clothes shrink in the washing machine
If the
clothes are
washed
too hot in the
washing machine
, the process
becomes
more difficult.
Because too much heat causes the threads in the
clothing
to shrink back to their original size.
The result: the
clothes
shrink.
As a basic rule, you can remember: the inferior the fabric of the
garment
, the more it deforms if it is
washed
too hot
in the
washing machine
.
Washed too hot in the washing machine: Four household tips will get your clothes back in shape
Whether T-shirt, blouse or jeans: If the
clothes
shrunk in the
washing machine
due to being washed too hot
, the fibers have to be stretched again.
The Stuttgarter Nachrichten has found out four simple steps with which the
clothes can be brought
back into shape:
1. Soak
2. Wring out
3. Stretching
4. Drying
Step 1 for shrunk clothes from the washing machine: Soak
Fill the sink with a large bowl of lukewarm water and add some baby shampoo (1 tbsp), hair conditioner (1 tbsp), glycerine (1 tbsp) or vinegar (200 to 300 ml) and stir in well.
Clothes that have been
washed too hot
from the
washing machine
must take effect for half an hour.
Step 2 for shrunk clothes from the washing machine: wring out
The
clothes
take from the water and wring it out thoroughly.
It is advisable to put a towel on the floor, spread the
laundry
that has been
washed too hot
on it and roll it up in the towel.
By pressing and turning, as much residual liquid as possible can be
squeezed
out of the
clothing
.
Step 3 for shrunk clothes from the washing machine: stretch
When
washing
too hot
in the
washing machine
, the fibers of the
clothing have contracted a
lot.
Therefore, they need to be stretched again in this step.
This can be done by hand or by using heavy objects.
Simply spread the
clothing out
on a smooth surface, stretch the fabric and fix it in various places with heavy objects.
Step 4 for shrunk clothes from the washing machine: Dry
For the final drying, the
clothes
can either be left in the stretch position or hung on the clothes horse *.
Once the
clothing is
dry, it should have grown significantly again.
After this use, it can be
washed
in the
washing machine as
normal
- but at the correct temperature.
+
A lot can go wrong when washing.
© Armin Weigel / dpa (symbol picture)
Prevent clothes from entering the washing machine
The shrinkage of
clothes
due to hot
washing
in the
washing machine
can be prevented most simply by exactly to the washing instructions on the label of the respective
garment
is maintained.
If you cannot find the label, the following applies: When
using
the
washing machine, it is
better to select a setting with a lower temperature and
do not
tumble dry.
With the help of these household items, any
washing machine
can also be
cleaned easily and thoroughly *.
(red)
* op-online.de and merkur.de are part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network.
List of rubric lists: © Armin Weigel / dpa
