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un shrinking clothes?

mummyplus3
mummyplus3 Posts: 890 Forumite
in Old style MoneySaving
I've put a pair of linen trousers through the washer/dryer and tumble dried them (no washing line up yet in new house) and they've shrunk loads! They've easily lost a clothes size and now I look like im trying to squeeze into a tampon or something!

I didnt read the care label and it does say don't tumble dry on it *doh*

Is there anyway to unshrink them? they are 62% linen and 38% viscose

Thanks

Comments

  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    I'm afraid I can't help much, except to say that I don't think you can do much. I think the viscose has probably changed in consistency due to the heat of the TD.
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  • Barneysmom
    Barneysmom Posts: 10,136 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    Have you ironed them, my viscose dress shrank like billyoh in the wash but went back to the right size when I ironed it :)
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  • mummyplus3
    mummyplus3 Posts: 890 Forumite
    No I havent tried that, i got out of the dryer about 15 mins ago I will give that a try thanks :)
  • VfM4meplse
    VfM4meplse Posts: 34,269 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    I think once it's shrunk it's shrunk...sorry! :(
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  • aliasojo
    aliasojo Posts: 23,053 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Wash them again and stretch out when wet. Really pull them as much as you can (without ripping the seams obviously). Iron them damp. You'll be able to make them a little bigger but whether they go back to the original size, I dont know.

    (I have years worth of experience shrinking people's clothes. :o)
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  • pigpen
    pigpen Posts: 41,152 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    No.. linen is horrible.. it shrinks the first several times it is washed, fades nastily and quickly, is a pig to iron and NEVER looks nice.. it is always crumpled and shabby looking.. like sack cloth.. I won't even buy it.. and linen mixes are no better even though the manufacturers claim it is.

    Viscose is evil too.

    bin them and chalk it up to experience!.. Or use as rags to wash windows.. that is about all linen is good for.
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  • BitterAndTwisted
    BitterAndTwisted Posts: 22,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Linen is lovely to wear and I like the way it crumples like paper when it's worn. It is a beast to iron but life does have its compensations. I never even wash my linen items in anything other than cold water.

    The tumble-drying has shrunk the linen and as far as I know there's no way of rescuing it. I'd give those trousers a press and pop them round to the charity shop.
  • Biggles
    Biggles Posts: 8,209 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 2 May 2011 at 1:16PM
    I have plenty of pure linen trousers and shirts, cool and comfortable. None of them has ever shrunk, but then I only dry on a line, not tumble. I machine-wash as they recommend, ie 40° (though more often at 30°C).
  • happy35
    happy35 Posts: 1,616 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    wear them around the house and they should give quite a bit, when they are more or less back to size wash them again and reshape as quickly as possible
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