Washing clothes in warm water...shrinkage?

Question

I just got a new job that requires you to wear nice blouses and dress pants. I had to go out and buy several dress pants and dress shirts. I have a huge problem with me shrinking my shirts and accident. I dont know why they shrink since I wash all of my clothes in cold water, regular cycle-medium soil. I do always dry my clothes in the dryer though, on high heat. (I didnt think drying in the dryer caused shrinking though, I thought it was just wahsing in warm)

Anyway, I read the tags of the items I bought and they all say wash in warm water, tumble dry low. Since they are expensive pieces I do not want to ruin them. I am worried that if I follow the tags directions, washing in warm water, it will shrink. Should I wash it in cold anyway? Will it shrink if I wash in warm as it says?

Also, I have an older washer and dryer, I live in an apt. and it is the apartments compact washer and dryer in our unit....

Our washer only has cold, warm/cold, and hot temp settings and regular med. soil, regular heavy soil, perm press med. soil, perm press light soil, delicate, and rinse cycles. Our dryer only has heavy dry (up to 120 min. of drying time), regular dry (up to 60 min. of drying time), perm press, and air dry.

I get confused because typically today new washers and dryers have all different settings for specific fabrics and temps.

Answer 1

Follow the tag directions. They are based on the type of material the clothes are made of. If you follow the directions, and the clothes shrink anyway, then you have a legitimate complaint and can take them back to the store. If the store won't honor your request for a refund, get the name and address of the manufacturer, and write to them.
As for the dryer shrinking clothes---that's probably a bigger problem than using hot water in the wash. I'd say most shrinkage happens in the dryer, and if you've been washing things in cold water but they still shrink, it's definitely the dryer. DON'T use high heat in the dryer for anything but sheets and towels. Your permanent press setting should be good for most things (it has an automatic cool-down at the end, so wrinkles don't set in). And by all means, follow the manufacturer's laundry directions. That's why they go to the trouble of putting them there.

Answer 2

Set your washer on cold/cold permanent wash to prevent wrinkles. Drying on high heat will shrink your clothes. Heat is heat no matter from hot water in the washer or high heat in the dryer. You should set your dryer on air and let the clothes go through the cycle. Remove the clothes that are almost dry, hang them up, and let them finish air drying. No shrinkage.

Answer 3

Wash on cold, dry on perm press dryer setting for about 15 minutes, then hang them on hangers on your shower rod
to finish drying. Drying on high heat shrinks a lot of things.

Answer 4

You should probably follow the directions on the tag. It most likely would not hurt to wash your clothes in cool water, but drying on low heat is most important for preventing shrinkage.

Answer 5

I usually wash in cold water anyway and tumble dry on low using permanent press settings. And speaking of shrinkage, you should see what happens after I'm in the pool :(.

Answer 6

drying in the dryer causes more shrinking then anyhing else-if you can afford it get them dryed cleaned-they dont have to say dry clean only on the tag to do this-you can always hand wash in woolite and hang dry too if you dont want to dry clean-but i repeat dryers shrink clothes!

Answer 7

THE BEST BET IS TO WASH IN COLD WATER AND DRY ON LOW OR PERMANENT PRESS OR FOR NO SHRINKAGE AT ALL JUST HANG DRY

Answer 8

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