Does cotton shrink after washing? How to wash correctly!

Cotton. Products made from this natural material are very popular in the warm season. Pleasant to the body, they allow air to pass through well and do not float. At the same time, with a sharp change in temperature (in the event of an unexpected cold snap), this material itself warms very well.

For all its advantages, cotton fabric has some disadvantages. For example, cotton wrinkles often, tends to shrink, and white items turn yellow in the light. And, it should be noted, not every housewife, having learned that this or that dress is made of natural cotton, will agree to buy it. Some people think that it is very difficult to take care of such things, since you can get very tired: as soon as they wrinkle, when you wash them, they shrink.

It is especially disappointing when, for example, a custom-made sundress made of thin cotton after washing significantly decreases in size. So much so that after putting it on, let alone bending over, squatting is scary. As a result, a beautiful thing is either thrown away or given to a smaller friend. And all because I did something wrong when washing...

In principle, washing cotton is not that difficult. If everything is done as it should, cotton products may shrink, but not much, within acceptable limits. And here If you do it wrong (look, wash it), cotton items are indeed quite capable of shrinking significantly in size. To ensure that things do not deteriorate irrevocably, experts recommend adhering to certain rules.

Preparing for washing

Before washing, turn the cotton item inside out and fasten it (of course, if there are buttons or a lock).

If the item is heavily soiled, it is advisable to soak it for twenty-four hours (because it is strictly not recommended to wash items made of fine cotton at temperatures exceeding forty degrees).

Some housewives in such a situation prefer to act the old fashioned way. For example, a special solution is prepared. Four tablespoons of washing powder and the same amount of turpentine are dissolved in ten liters of warm water. Or (if it is not possible to soak for a day), place the laundry in warm water (ten liters) with one tablespoon of ammonia and a couple of tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide for twenty minutes. After this, it is usually quite enough to simply rinse the clothes in warm water. After such a wash there will definitely be no shrinkage!

However, it should be noted that this method of soaking is a little risky - the product can easily become discolored. Therefore, it is first advisable to check the effect of such solutions on a given tissue.

If someone doesn’t want to take risks, you can do it much simpler - before washing, soak your clothes in powder, designed specifically to eliminate severe stains (fortunately, these days it’s much easier to buy them in a store than the same turpentine).

As for clothes made of thin cotton fabric, the best option is a powder containing enzymes - special bioadditives to the powder that are responsible for removing dirt and stains. True, you can’t soak them for a long time. May have problems.

Washing cotton by hand

If you are going to wash by hand, you need to dissolve washing powder in warm water (ideally intended for products made from natural fabrics).It is advisable that the item should spend no more than a quarter of an hour in water, and old underwear - even less. Otherwise, severe shrinkage is guaranteed.

After this, the clothes must be washed and rinsed in clean running water. Wring out the product (not too much, otherwise it will become very wrinkled) and hang to dry.

How to wash cotton in a washing machine

You need to wash cotton items in a washing machine after selecting the recommended washing cycle. For example, white items made of thick cotton fabric can be washed at ninety degrees. The material will become clean and will not shrink.
If you need to wash thin fabric, the temperature should be a maximum of forty degrees (although, if necessary, colored linen can withstand sixty).

The main thing is that the mode set for the machine is intended for washing cotton products. Otherwise, the question is: “Does cotton shrink after washing?” will become extremely relevant.

How to “plant” a product?

Basically, there are all sorts of situations in life. For example, it may be necessary to reduce a particular product. So, as a result of sudden weight loss, you may suddenly find that there is a need to buy new, more fitting things. Besides, it's time to go through your wardrobe. And suddenly it turns out that you don’t want to throw away your favorite clothes just because they have become too big.

Knowledgeable people here advise not to rush. Especially when it comes to cotton clothes and at home there is an ordinary washing machine, also with a dryer.

After all, “planting” cotton products is not a problem. Therefore, you can safely load a cotton dress into the machine. Set the temperature to sixty degrees. The only thing, It is advisable to add a little washing powder, which helps preserve the color (so that the product does not fade). And go ahead! After washing, use the normal spin cycle, and then, if possible, turn on machine drying. The higher the temperature, the more it will shrink. The only thing is not known to what extent. But most likely, the dress will be just right!

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