If this is not possible, then use this method to shrink your jeans a day or two before you wear them. Do not wash the jeans after shrinking them, though, since doing so could cause the fibers to relax and ease back into their original, loose position. Fill the bathtub with hot water. Fill the tub with enough hot water to cover your legs and waist completely.
Obviously, you want to avoid burning yourself with water that is too hot to handle, but lukewarm water will not be able to cause the fibers to contract enough for sufficient shrinkage.
Test the temperature of the water with your hand to gauge how hot it is. Get in the bathtub. Slowly ease yourself into the hot water while still wearing your jeans.
Remain in the bathtub until the water cools to room temperature. If you made the water sufficiently hot, it should take at least 20 minutes for the water to cool. Make sure that your jeans are completely submerged under the water. If your legs or part of your waistband remain above water, add more hot water to the bathtub until these exposed portions are submerged, as well. Sit out in the sun until dry. Air dry your jeans so that they conform to the shape of your legs.
If possible, sit outside in a sunny location to do this. Make sure to choose a hot day to prevent yourself from getting sick and to help the jean fibers continue to contract. Sit in a plastic or metal chair. Avoid absorbent surfaces that may soak up the water from your jeans.
You may need to turn yourself as you sit or lie out in the sun. Otherwise, the tops of your legs will dry while the back will remain wet. It can take several hours for your jeans to dry. Method 4. Turn your jeans inside-out. Make sure that the jeans are turned completely inside-out. Fold them loosely and set aside.
Your jeans should still shrink the same way without any problems, even if turned inside-out. This step is especially necessary if shrinking new jeans with a fairly dark wash. If working with a pair of light wash jeans or an old pair of jeans that area already faded, you might be able to skip this step without causing much if any damage. Boil a large stockpot of water.
Fill a large stockpot halfway to three-quarters full with standard tap water. Set it on the stove and bring it up to a full, rolling boil using high heat. The water is at a full boil when large, rolling waves of bubbles violently break the surface of the water. You need to make sure that you use enough water and a large enough stockpot so for the jeans to be completely submerged.
Dunk your jeans in the boiling water. Use tongs to place your jeans in the boiling water. Let them soak for 20 to 30 minutes as the water continues to boil. Do not cover the stockpot as your jeans soak.
Check periodically to make sure that the fabric stays submerged in the water. If needed, push the jeans under from time to time using your tongs. Dry your jeans in the dryer. Remove your jeans from the boiling water and transfer them to your dryer immediately. Use the hottest dryer setting possible and dry your jeans completely.
The intense heat of the dryer will further tighten the fibers already tightened by the hot, turbulent water. Make sure that you use tongs as you hand the jeans since they will be very hot. Do not air-dry the jeans. Make sure that the jeans are completely dry when you remove them from the drying machine.
Method 5. Wash your jeans using hot water. You can use a standard hot water cycle in your washing machine or you can boil the jeans in hot water. The former will allow you to wash your jeans as you shrink them, while the latter will be quicker.
The boiling method is also slightly more flexible. If you only wanted to shrink a portion of your jeans, like the legs or waistband, you could submerge that portion only under the boiling water. Hold it in place using tongs. If using the washing machine method, add detergent and liquid fabric softener as usual. Make sure that the water is as hot as possible for either method. Dry your jeans until damp. Throw your jeans into the dryer and dry until they are damp but not soaked.
Set the dryer on its highest heat setting. This is especially important if you used boiling water or if your washing machine did not put your jeans through a spin cycle. Your jeans should still be wet, but not dripping wet. Add one cup of distilled vinegar and one tablespoon of salt to a cold water bath. Let your jeans soak inside out for an hour and hang them to dry. Vinegar also works wonders to get grass stains out of jeans. Have a stock pot laying around?
Learn how to shrink jeans with the help of boiling water. Fill your pot and let it come to a rolling boil. Using tongs, carefully place your jeans in the pot. Let the water continue to boil for 20—30 minutes. When the timer goes off, carefully wring them out and toss them into the dryer.
Remember: higher heat equals super shrinkage. Get an ideal fit and shrink your jeans by wearing them after a soak. Fill your bathtub with hot water and let them steep. After five minutes, squeeze out the excess water and put them on. T hey conform to your body and mold to your shape for a custom-fit as they dry. Looking for something to do on a lazy summer weekend? Spend the day soaking up the sun while shrinking your jeans.
The longevity of your jeans comes from laundering them sparingly. As a rule of thumb, wash them after every five wears. This is one step on how to build a sustainable wardrobe. Spot cleaning your denim will keep them looking fresh between adventures. Saturate the spot with lukewarm water.
Add a little bit of detergent to the spot and carefully blot. Take care not to rub or scrub your stain. This will cause dye-transfer, and will rub the stain further into your jeans. Let them air dry. Good as new. Stylist tip: Heading for a night out after wearing your vintage jeans all day? Comments Add Comment. Back to story Comment on this project.
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