How to Unshrink A Sweater

Okay, so you’ve shrunk a sweater in the laundry. We've all done it. It’s hopeless, right? Not necessarily. There might be a chance to save it.  Follow these instructions and you may end up with a wearable sweater, even if it has been a while since you shrunk it.

Unshrink Sweater Home Remedy

Fill a sink with room temperature water and dissolve in a few teaspoon of hair conditioner. Just about any brand will work, just make sure it's not a shampoo and conditioner combination or shampoo plus. The soap in those will work against you.  Soak the sweater in the solution for 5-10 minutes. Then lay it out on a large dry towel. Gently stretch the sweater into its original shape and size. Be very careful to stretch it evenly. Let it dry completely in that position. Knitters use a similar technique when blocking a sweater. It doesn’t work in every scenario but many sweaters can be saved. I saved my favorite Woolrich Sweater one this way!

Protect Your Sweaters in the Future

You can protect your sweaters in the future by using this technique to dry your sweaters.  Just lay out a towel or even buy a special sweater drying rack.  Lay the sweater flat, in a natural position and let the sweater dry for a day.  Make sure to not have the sweater hanging from anything because gravity can do just the opposite and stretch your sweater.  If your sweater is stretched out, you can also try the above method, but don't use any conditioner.  Good Luck.