Linen is relatively natural and breathable, and many people like to wear clothes made of this material, but will this type of linen shrink? If it shrinks, how should it be handled? Here are some tips for you.
1. Will linen clothes shrink?
Linen clothes will shrink. Generally, the shrinkage rate of pure linen fabrics is about 10%, so you must pay attention when washing. Too high water temperature will also cause the linen to shrink severely. In addition, the color fastness of linen is not very good, and it may fade a little.
2. What to do if linen clothes shrink
1. Steam ironing
Heat the shrunken linen fibers with a steam iron, and then use your hands to stretch the fibers while they are hot. Because the heating area of the steam iron is limited, in order to ensure uniform fiber stretching, the sweater is stretched locally, segmented, and heated. It is impossible for the fiber to stretch a lot at one time, and it must be stretched many times before it can recover.
2. Thick cardboard to stretch
If linen clothes shrink after washing, you can use thick cardboard (cardboard for home appliance packaging boxes) to cut into the original size and shape of the sweater. The cut can be polished with sandpaper to prevent the thick cardboard from hooking the linen clothes. Put the linen clothes on the cardboard, fix them with a few clothespins at the bottom, and then use an electric iron to steam iron the sweater repeatedly. After it is completely cooled, you can take it off.
3. Precautions for washing linen clothes
1. When washing linen fabrics, do not rub or knead them hard to avoid fluffing of clothes, which affects the appearance and life.
2. Try to wash by hand, and it is best to use neutral detergent when washing.
3. Try not to dehydrate linen clothes, because dehydration is a major factor causing shrinkage.
4. When drying, the collar and seams of the clothes should be flattened and straightened. They can be dried in the sun, but do not expose them to the sun or for too long to prevent fading.