With the holidays in our rearview mirrors, the attention has turned from the season of giving to taking care of all the new clothes we received. Add to our holiday apparel windfall the possibility of receiving more clothes on Valentine’s Day and our birthdays, and we need to find out from one of the best residential laundry services how to prevent shrinkage for our new clothes.
Why Do New Clothes Shrink?
Three reasons contribute to why new clothes shrink.
Materials
Natural fibers like wool and cotton are more vulnerable to shrinkage than other types of fibers. Scales cover wool fibers and when the scales come in contact with heat and moisture, the scales bind together to cause wool fibers to shrink.
Too Much Moisture
Natural fibers such as silk, wool, and cotton can shrink because of a condition called relaxation shrinkage. Exposed natural fibers absorb moisture, which causes the fibers to swell and the size of the clothing to decrease.
Heat and Agitation
Heat combined with the agitation produced by a washer and dryer consolidates fibers to produce a smaller garment. Fibers release tension, which returns the fibers to their smaller shape.
How to Prevent Shrinkage of Your New Clothes
Outside of dry cleaning your new clothes, especially the apparel you wear to work and formal social functions, following a few tips can help you prevent your new clothes from shrinking.
Follow Instructions
Reading every label for wash and dry instructions can prevent new clothing shrinkage. Some clothes might require dry cleaning, while other new clothes can go through a delicate wash cycle. You might have to wash some of your new clothes in warm water, while other types of apparel require the use of cold water to create a fresh appearance.
Avoid Using Hot Water
Hot water damages natural fibers and can diminish the quality of synthetic fibers. Washing your new clothes in warm or cold water does not guarantee your new clothes will not shrink, but it does dramatically improve the chances of your new clothes coming out of the washer looking brand new.
Despite the urge to save time, you should always run the gentle cycle when drying your new clothes.
Air Dry
Old school air drying your clothes can prevent shrinkage. Most washers and dryers agitate clothes to the point when they start to develop creases that eventually shrink the size of the apparel. You can air-dry your clothes completely or put your new apparel through a gentle dry cycle and then hang them up for air drying.
Hire a Professional Laundry Delivery Service
Hiring a professional laundry delivery service to wash, dry, and fold laundry should help your new clothes from shrinking. The business you decide to delegate the proper washing and drying of your clothes will make sure to run your new clothes through the correct wash and dry cycles, as well as dry clean the most vulnerable apparel to shrinkage.
Working with a business such as Laundry Care Express that provides high-quality residential laundry services ensures your clothes remain the right size.
Residential Laundry Services — San Jose & Santa Cruz
Laundry Care Express offers laundry pickup and delivery services to residents all over the Santa Cruz and San Jose areas. Schedule a laundry pick up today.