Karolina Grabowska / Canva
There are fabrics that are more likely to shrink than others in washing – but why? Knowing the answer to this can not only help you avoid shrinking clothes, but you can also help you “save” washing accidents.
Common textile fibers, such as cotton and linen, are produced from plants. These fibers are irregular and wrinkled in their natural form. If we do zoom, we see millions of small long -chain pulp molecules that naturally exist in rolled or convolute forms.
During the manufacture of textiles, these fibers are mechanically pulled, stretched and twisted to straighten and align these cellulose chains. This creates smooth and long strands.
At the chemical level, there are also connections between chains, called hydrogen connections. These reinforce the fiber and wire and make it more cohesive.
The wires are fabric or knitted in tissues, which blocks the tension that keeps these fibers side by side.
However, These fibers have a good “memory”.
This means that whenever they are exposed to heathas humidity or mechanical action, such as Bustle of the washing machinetend to relax and Return to your original state of wrinkling.
This fiber memory is why some tissues scrape them so easily and because some of them may even shrink after washing.
But to better understand shrinkage, we have to go back to molecules.
During washing, hot water helps increase the energy level of the fiber, which means that they shake faster, breaking the hydrogen connections that keep them in place.
A way a fabric is knitted or fabric It also plays an important role. Loose mesh fabrics have more open spaces and ties, which makes them more susceptible to shrinkage. Tight mesh fabrics are more resistant because the wires are stuck in place, with less room to move.
In addition, the Cellulose is hydrophilic – attracts water. Water molecules penetrate inside the fibers, causing swelling and making them more flexible and mobile.
To add to all this, it is to tip and cheer inside the washing machine.
This whole process causes fibers to relax and return to their natural state, less stretched and wrinkled. As a result, the garment shrinks.
As the article of the article, to minimize shrinkage, can:
- use cold water;
- put lower centrifugation speed;
- or put the Mildest Cycle Availableespecially for cotton and raiom.
Machine labels do not always fully explain the impact of centrifugation and agitation speed.
If in doubt, choose a “Delicate” configuration.
Different fibers shrink in different ways; There is no unique mechanism that serves to all.
While cellulose -based tissues shrink as described above, the there It is an animal fiber made of keratin proteins. Its surface is covered with small overlapping scales called cuticle cells.
During washing, these cuticles open and intertwine with neighboring fibers, causing fiber entanglement or “felt”. This makes the clothes look denser and smaller – in other words, shrink.
As synthetic fibers, such as polyester or nylonon the contrary, they are manufactured from oil -based polymers, made to be stable and durable.
These polymers contain Crystalline regions which are highly ordered and act as an inner “skeleton”, preventing fibers from wrinkling.
How to “Desencho” a piece of clothing?
If a favorite garment has shrunk in the wash, you can try to save it with a simple method.
Sleeply dive the piece in warm water mixed with hair softener or baby shampoo (approximately one tablespoon per liter).
After, Carefully stretch the fabric to return to its original form and Dry it horizontally or under a slight tension – For example, holding the part to an extendal.
The reason this works is because softeners have chemicals known as cationic surfactants.
These lubricate temporarily the fibers, making them more flexible and allowing you Gently pull everything back to the place.
This process cannot completely reverse extreme shrinkage, but it can Help recover some of the lost sizemaking clothes again usable.
