If your favorite polyester sweater is super-stretched after a few too many wearings–there’s no need to panic.
You can shrink your sweater back to its original shape using 5 simple, easy-to-do, steps.
Things You’ll Need to Shrink Polyester Sweaters
- Stockpot
- Rubber gloves
- Metal tongs
- Thermometer
- Large towel
- Fill a large pot, preferably a stockpot with warm water. Place your pot on the stove.
- Add your freshly-washed sweater to the water. Dunk the sweater completely in the water with a pair of metal tongs. Turn on the stove to medium heat.
- Let the temperature of the water simmer until steam rises from the top of the pot. Cover your hands with rubber gloves before placing a thermometer into the simmering water. Once the temperature of the water reaches between 80 and 90 degrees Celsius, gently swirl the sweater in the water with the tongs to determine if the sweater has a rubber-like texture.
- Turn off the heat. Remove the large pot from the stove. Let the water and the sweater cool completely before removing the sweater with your metal tongs.
- Wrap the sweater in a large towel to remove the water from the sweater. Let the fabric dry flat on a towel in a well-ventilated area, until dry. Tumble in the dryer on a medium heat setting to complete the shrinking process.
Polyester Sweater Shrinking: Do’s and Don’ts
- Make sure that there is plenty of water to cover the sweater in the pot. You do not want the sweater to stick to the bottom of your pot and burn as the water simmers.
- Avoid using fabric drying sheets when tumbling your polyester sweater in the dryer. According to Fabric.net’s website, wax spots may appear on your polyester garment from the fabric sheets.