1. Cold Water Miracle
Although reducing heat in a washer does not eliminate the shrinkage issue, washing your cotton clothing in cold water on a delicate cycle works wonders on vulnerable cotton fabrics. Instructions that come with apparel will let you know which colors perform best during cold wash cycles. Consult with an appliance dealer to learn about the washing machines offering the most delicate wash cycles.
2. Air Dry with a Blower
The reason why hanging cotton garments on a clothesline does not prevent shrinkage is because of the high heat generated by the sun. You can mitigate the effect the sun has on cotton shirts by hanging the shirts on a clothesline set up indoors. Then use a standard blow dryer set on low to avoid shrinking cotton shirts.
3. Go with a Blended Fabric
A growing number of apparel designers have turned to blended fabrics to avoid shrinkage. As the most common combination of materials, cotton, and polyester take care of the two most important benefits of wearing blended shirts. Super smooth cotton feels soft on the skin, while rugged polyester resists rips and tears to deliver years of high-performance use.
4. When Time Makes a Dryer Necessary
If time is an issue, you can place cotton clothing inside a dryer to expedite the drying process and prevent the shrinking of the garment. Set the dryer at the lowest setting and manipulate the control to produce short bursts of drying followed by a few minutes of the clothes sitting in the stalled dryer. You dry the clothing quickly, without exposing cotton shirts to shrinkage.
5. Old School Hand Washing
Yes, technology has made us reliant on quick fixes for a wide variety of problems. For learning how not to shrink cotton shirts, turn the appliances off and return to old school hand washing cotton garments. Many clothing manufacturers present clear instructions that explain how to hand wash cotton shirts.