How do you keep jeans from shrinking after you wash them?

Question

All three of my favorite jeans drastically shrunk after I washed them in warm water in the washing machine and then dried them in the dryer until they were completely dry. What did I do wrong? Should I always buy jeans one size larger?

Answer 1

Buy pre-shrunk. Dry on medium heat, enjoy the snug fit until you've worn them for a half hour.

Answer 2

They shrink for two reasons-washing in hot water contracts the fibers.
Drying them does the same but in a faster mode. Never dry jeans in the dryer.

Answer 3

I have had so many problems withthis and what I have learned is that it is the dryer. The heat shrinks clothes. I can hardley find any jeans that fit, so I hung a clothesline above my washer and dryer and now let them air dry. When they are done they are usually stiff and wrinkly, so I iron them.
The trick is to keep them out of the dryer. If you buy them a size too big, you'll never be sure how they'll fit after they have shrunk. Air-drying takes a big longer and requires you to iron, but hey, it's better for the environment and your pants still fit.
Good Luck!

Answer 4

Never, every wash your jeans in warm water. You should was your jeans in cold water and hang to dry to keep them from shrinking and make sure to turn them inside out if you don't want the color to fade. No, you don't have to buy a larger size. Good luck.

Answer 5

don't need to buy larger =just wash in cold water, unless really dirty, i wash in cold and then line dry or place in dryer for the least amount of time as to dry them, do not leave in more than 30-35 minutes, i leave mine slightly damp and just hand brush the wrinkles out and hang up in the closet. i have a lot of room between items to let air dry, but you can also line dry them or hang on a hanger in the bathroom till completely dry

Answer 6

Wash your jeans and hang them up to dry.
They'll be wrinkly once they air dry, so put them in the dryer for 1-2 minutes to fluff them up.
Jeans shrink when you put them in the dryer for long periods of time.

Answer 7

First of all you should never put them in a dryer on the hottest setting, that would do it.
When my son and my 2 girls were in the teens, I did the same thing and they complained.So what I would do is, Wash them and add downy softener. Put them in the dryer at medium, for 15Min's. remove them and hang them up in my boiler room to dry. Never had a problem since then.

Answer 8

The hot dryer shrunk them. Rewash the jeans and hang the up to dry, sometimes they will unshrink (stretch). Next time dry them on warm and remove them damp to let them finish drying.

Answer 9

First off never wash denim in warm or hot water always cold then let air dry

Answer 10

Dont dry them in the dryer unless you dry them on a cool setting.

Answer 11

Never put them in the dryer if you don't want them to shrink. This goes for all cotton apparel. I buy long jeans if I don't want to hastle with line drying all my jeans.