Linen clothes are the first choice in summer. They are breathable, thin, sweat-absorbent, and very comfortable to wear. However, there is a small problem with linen fabrics, which is that they are easy to shrink, become hard, and wrinkle, especially when they are washed for the first time.
Linen shrinkage is a normal phenomenon.
Linen shrinkage has nothing to do with the quality of the clothes. Even the most expensive linen clothes will shrink; especially clothes with a high linen content are more likely to shrink. If you think your pure linen clothes will not shrink, it may be that what you bought is not linen at all.
Reasons why linen wrinkles easily
Linen fibers are tougher but have no elasticity, so once they are deformed, it is difficult to recover. Other fabrics may be able to slowly recover to their original state, but linen cannot. Once they shrink, they will deform and wrinkle. Therefore, it takes more time and energy to care for linen clothes.
What to do if linen clothes shrink and become hard?
Add softener and white vinegar to the water: Soak the clothes in water first, add an appropriate amount of softener and white vinegar, and soak for 3-5 minutes. The amount of water should be large, and the clothes should be spread out as much as possible, and not bunched up.
Wrap and squeeze with a bath towel: After taking it out, wrap it with a bath towel, squeeze out the water, and then stretch the clothes to make them flat.
Stretch and iron when semi-dry: When the clothes are semi-dry, stretch and iron them at the same time. It is best to do it with two people for better results.
Tips
- Use neutral laundry detergent: When washing linen clothes, be sure to use neutral laundry detergent. Alkaline laundry detergent, especially laundry detergent, should be avoided, because alkaline substances will make the linen hard and brittle, and will also cause discoloration.
- Hand wash in cold water: Only cold water can be used during the washing process. Hot water is the culprit for shrinking linen.
- Keep soft with excessive acid: After cleaning, prepare a basin of clean water, add a little white vinegar, put the clothes in, soak them again for 3 minutes, and then dry them.
- Flatten when drying: When drying after cleaning, flatten the clothes first, and then put them in a cool place to dry.
Hopefully, these tips will help you wear your linen clothes longer and more comfortably!
