# How to Un-shrink my T-shirts a little ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 4, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380 "2006-06-04T14:28:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380/1 "2006-06-04T14:28:33Z")

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I’m sure I’m getting a litlle heavier but it still seems that some of my favorite cotton t-shirts get gradually smaller with every washing.

Is there any way to stretch it back out a little… maybe some kind of treatment that will relax the cotton fibres so that a manual stretching will stick?

Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380/2 "2006-06-04T14:33:20Z")

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You can stretch almost anything by leaving it wet and stretching it over a form.

What I would suggest is covering pillows with a trash bag to keep them dry and then stretching the damp shirt over it.

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380/3 "2006-06-04T15:49:09Z")

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I recall my mother once “unshrunk” some woolens by soaking them in warm water with Epsom salts and laying them dripping wet on a towel to dry. She then slowly stretched them out bit by bit. Don’t know if it is woolens specific but it worked.

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**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380/4 "2006-06-04T16:30:09Z")

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I simply stretch t-shirts over my knees while wearing them, kinda pulling my legs into them. You probably did this as a kid. Works great.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380/5 "2006-06-04T16:48:44Z")

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Do you have a fat friend?

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**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380/6 "2006-06-04T16:50:14Z")

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Try steam ironing them before wearing. I have a couple of unwearable knit shirts that get quite a bit larger after ironing.

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380/7 "2006-06-04T17:18:33Z")

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You can probably minimize shrinkage in the future by line-drying the tees instead of putting them in the dryer.

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**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-un-shrink-my-t-shirts-a-little/359380/8 "2006-06-05T13:09:11Z")

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I use that Downy Dewrinklifier stuff. It has “fiber relaxers” and works really well with cotton fabric. Spray it on, pull on your Tshirt where you want it bigger, let it dry (dries fairly quickly if you put on your ceiling fan or set a fan in front of it), and there ya go.