Over time, denim loses its density and elasticity and begins to stretch. You can solve the problem if you know how to shrink jeans at home. It is important to strictly follow the instructions, otherwise there is a risk of permanently ruining the product.
Existing methods
Denim naturally stretches. There are several effective ways to shrink stretched pants without ruining them.
Sewing
You can quickly, efficiently and without wasting time and effort reduce the waist (hips) of jeans if you give the item to a specialist for tailoring.For those who want to reduce the size of jeans at home, it is necessary to remember: denim is a very dense fabric, and not every sewing machine can handle it.
You can sew in jeans yourself under certain conditions:
- availability of sewing skills;
- the denim fabric of the trousers is quite thin and does not stretch (there is no stretch effect);
- The jeans do not have decorative trim or complex fittings.
If you decide to do the remodeling yourself, follow a certain sequence of actions:
- determine how many centimeters and where exactly you need to remove. It is more convenient to take in jeans at the hips or waist along the side seam;
- carefully support the belt in the marked place;
- mark the new seam line and pin the fabric along it;
- stitch a new seam;
- cut off excess fabric and finish the edges of the jeans;
- sew the belt in place;
- Iron new seams using the steam setting.
Hard and aggressive washing
Stretched jeans can be restored to their original appearance, reduced by one size, using a proven method of exposure to high temperatures. Simply put, to shrink the pants a little, they need to be washed at a temperature above 60 C.
Washing in the normal mode helps to return the trousers to their original appearance, remove the stretched knees. But during wear, jeans stretch very quickly, and with each subsequent wash, the fabric quickly loses its shrinking properties.
There is one secret to keeping your jeans shrinking longer: the higher the washing temperature, the more pronounced the results will be.
Washing jeans at 95 C causes a rapid transformation of the fibers, they shrink very much, while maintaining their shape. It is good if after washing the jeans are dried in a tumble dryer. When this is not possible, the item is wrung out in a centrifuge and dried on a radiator or on a flat surface under direct sunlight.
Before hard washing, you need to make sure that the denim does not contain synthetic threads, otherwise the end result may surprise you. The trousers will become deformed and will permanently lose their shape and desired fit. Also, jeans can be reduced in size by hard and aggressive washing only if they have stretched both in volume and length. Otherwise, there is a risk of putting trousers in the machine and taking out short breeches.
Boiling
An effective method that will quickly reduce the size of jeans is boiling.
Algorithm of actions:
- prepare a solution of washing powder and hot water. There is no need to buy expensive washing powder for this purpose. The price does not affect the quality of reducing the size of jeans;
- Place the denim pants in the prepared solution. Be careful, excessively hot water can cause burns on your hands;
- Bring the soap solution with the jeans to a boil. It is good to use a metal basin, bucket or very large container for boiling. The trousers must be boiled for at least half an hour so that they shrink. It is necessary to ensure that the fabric is completely immersed in water during the boiling process. Otherwise, the denim trousers will shrink unevenly;
- After boiling, the soap solution is allowed to cool. The denim trousers are rinsed thoroughly, wrung out and dried.
To avoid yellow stains, it is better to dry light-colored jeans in a tumble dryer rather than on a radiator.The boiling process is guaranteed to reduce jeans by one size.
Bathing in clothes
An unconventional but effective method of how to reduce jeans by a size is swimming in clothes.
The method is quite simple:
- Pull up your trousers and fasten all the buttons and zippers. This is a very important point, since in smaller jeans the fabric fits very tightly around the hips and waist, and unfastened fittings can cause a skewing;
- It is better to narrow jeans using this method on the day (maximum two days) of going out. When the trousers have already taken the necessary shape and parameters, you cannot wash them, as the fabric will stretch, and all efforts will come to naught;
- Fill the bathtub with hot water. The temperature should be as high as you can stand it. Before you get into the bathtub, check the temperature of the water with your hand. Immerse yourself in the bathtub carefully, with smooth movements. Your body should be covered up to your waist. You should stay in the bathtub until the water reaches room temperature. If the water is too hot, it is better to wait about ten minutes. You should make sure that your jeans are completely covered with water. Add water if necessary;
- Drying denim trousers. As soon as the water has cooled, you can get out of the bath. You cannot take off your jeans. They are dried in the fresh air until the fabric has taken the necessary shape.
Dry well outside on a warm day, in direct sunlight. Sit comfortably on a chair or lounge chair. Never sit on a surface that can absorb moisture. Turn over from time to time so that the jeans dry evenly. It will take two to three hours for the trousers to dry completely.
Steaming
The method of shrinking denim pants using an iron is good, but unfortunately, it gives a short-term effect. However, steaming is the ideal method for your favorite stretch denim pants.
For the work you will need an iron with a steam function. The ideal option is a special steamer unit.
Steaming is the simultaneous effect of high temperature and moisture on the fabric. The fibers of the fabric are compressed and acquire the desired shape. If you need to narrow the jeans on the sides, iron the side seams. When denim trousers are big in the hips, carefully steam the back seams from the waist to the crotch.
Thanks to the steaming method, the fabric fibers are minimally damaged, the length of the product and paints are preserved. Steaming, compared to other methods of reducing trousers, takes much less time. Steaming does not stretch the fabric, but gently smoothes it. However, this method has a short-term effect. The next time you go out, the manipulations to reduce jeans must be repeated.
Is it possible to seat a specific area?
Owners of non-standard figures find it very difficult to choose jeans with an ideal fit. The shrinkage method in certain areas (waist, hips, knees) will help solve the problem.
The following manipulations will help you reduce jeans to the required size in the required area and adjust the cut to your figure:
- dilute fabric softener with water. Fill a spray bottle with the resulting mixture;
- carefully spray the resulting mixture onto the part of the trousers that requires correction;
- Place the jeans in the washing machine and turn on the washing mode at the maximum temperature (95 C);
- gins must be dried in a dryer or on a radiator;
- Trousers shrink only if they are forced to dry. Naturally, in the fresh air, the fabric only loses moisture, while the fibers remain unchanged.
By strictly following the instructions on how to reduce jeans by one size, you can quickly get the desired result and then enjoy the perfect look of your trousers.
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