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Original poster

To wonder how to stop my clothes shrinking in the wash?

32 replies

buzzheath · 14/06/2025 13:51

I don't understand why this keeps happening. I wash clothes as recommended on the label. Underwear in particular shrinks a lot - but surely underwear has to be washed at 40C? I buy cotton, linen, viscose, polyamide.

What am I doing wrong? Does anyone else find this and how do you solve it?

OP posts:
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Sharptonguedwoman · 16/06/2025 14:40

buzzheath · 14/06/2025 14:24

I think I'm just an idiot and don't know how to use my washing machine. I have a blomberg one. I don't understand when people say "wash on a delicate cycle but 40C".

Here's a pic of mine - grateful for any help!

What setting do you use when you're just doing regular daily/weekly laundry i.e. washing a variety of things like cotton underwear, cotton trousers, viscose/linen/cotton blends, maybe with some elastane or polyamide?

For clothes that aren't sweaty or grubby, I use a 30 deg fast wash. 20 deg on anything that looks like it might shrink.

AppleAng35 · 16/06/2025 14:18

All my clothes shrunk recently and I couldn’t figure it out, I was convinced it was a washing machine fault but then I weighed myself and it turned out they weren’t getting smaller, I was getting bigger Blush

LoudPlumDog · 16/06/2025 13:52

buzzheath · 14/06/2025 14:55

What temperature do you wash at? 30 degrees?

Show quote history

Cold wash.

My machine (Miele) has temperatures of …

Cold
20 deg
30 deg
40 deg
50 deg
60 deg
75 deg
90 deg

isthismylifenow · 15/06/2025 06:37

Ferro · 14/06/2025 14:38

I wash linen at 90 and it doesn't shrink. Something weird going on here.

Can I ask why you wash at such a high temperature?

And by linen are you referring to bedding, or linen clothing.

I live in a country where many people just wash everthing on cold. I think the only time I have used the 90 programme on my machine is when I am doing a machine clean.

Ferro · 14/06/2025 15:53

buzzheath · 14/06/2025 14:50

At 90?!

Show quote history

All my linen things are white so go in with all the other white stuff

CoffeeCantata · 14/06/2025 15:24

It is weird, OP - I used to be able to wash all my wool jumpers in our old washing machine at 40, and it was fine. But our new one shrunk several at the same temperature.

My daughter who's a textile designer told me that it's not just temperature - wool and cashmere and possibly some other fabrics can shrink due to being agitated. The programme on the new machine might be more violent I suppose! I now have to handwash all my nice jumpers and I'm careful just to gently squeeze them but not get too rough.

Absolutely nothing wears clothes out like washing.

BIossomtoes · 14/06/2025 15:08

I only ever wash our clothes on a 20 wash, they’re not dirty enough to need anything hotter than that. I pull viscose back into shape before air drying and ironing. I’ve never managed to shrink anything.

Trumptonagain · 14/06/2025 15:03

Underwear, bedding and towels I wash at 60° on a mixed wash setting.

On a not so breezy/sunny day I'll even do an extra spin once it's gone through the wash cycle, never had anything shrink.

Are the timings of the wash settings you use long?

isthismylifenow · 14/06/2025 15:01

Viscose and linen do have a small shrink rate on first wash.

I found this out when I bought a pair of trousers in each of these fabrics and both were shorter after the first wash.

I only wash linen in the hand wash cycle now. I honestly think that fabrics are not pre shrunk these days like they were back in the day.

Viscose is notorious for shrinking. That isn't new. You have do iron them back to shape and size when the item is still a bit damp.

uncomfortablydumb60 · 14/06/2025 14:59

i wash cotton/ linen at 40( bedding towels at 60) 1400 double spin and have never shrunk anything

uncomfortablydumb60 · 14/06/2025 14:57

Is your machine thermostat ok?
I've never had cotton shrink especially at 40
polyamide/ nylon is very durable so I find that unlikely

Original poster
buzzheath · 14/06/2025 14:55

LoudPlumDog · 14/06/2025 14:08

No, underwear does not need to be washed at 40 degrees.

i wash everything in cold, no shrinkage, no thrush, no anything. I only up the temperature if needed.

What temperature do you wash at? 30 degrees?

OP posts:
Original poster
buzzheath · 14/06/2025 14:51

Evvyjb · 14/06/2025 14:42

Are you using the red settings?

No, never.

OP posts:
Original poster
buzzheath · 14/06/2025 14:50

Ferro · 14/06/2025 14:38

I wash linen at 90 and it doesn't shrink. Something weird going on here.

At 90?!

OP posts:
SharpLily · 14/06/2025 14:49

I don't understand this either. Synthetic fabrics maybe but cotton and linen certainly shouldn't shrink. I wash everything (even underwired bras) at at least 40c, many things at 60c, and I put everything on a 1400rpm spin and I can't remember the last time anything shrunk.

Obviously woolens and silks wouldn't get washed like this but it's a very long time since I've had anything like that!

Evvyjb · 14/06/2025 14:42

Are you using the red settings?

GiveMeWordGames · 14/06/2025 14:40

Certain types of viscose can only be drip dried if your don't want shrinkage (of course the shops don't flag this up because who wants drip dry nonsense). As PP said upthread, spinning messes with the fabric.

It's the slightly stiffer stuff, rather than the really soft jersey-type. I have learned this the hard way and won't buy anything made of it any more.

I don't understand the cotton though.

Ferro · 14/06/2025 14:38

I wash linen at 90 and it doesn't shrink. Something weird going on here.

Righteo · 14/06/2025 14:37

I wash all my clothes on the synthetic cycle at 40 degrees. I might give them an extra spin at 1200 sometimes. I haven't noticed anything shrinking.

For towels and sheets, I will wash them on a cottons cycle at 60 degrees. Again no shrinking seen.

mybrainpills · 14/06/2025 14:32

i only ever use a cold wash.

Original poster
buzzheath · 14/06/2025 14:24

I think I'm just an idiot and don't know how to use my washing machine. I have a blomberg one. I don't understand when people say "wash on a delicate cycle but 40C".

Here's a pic of mine - grateful for any help!

What setting do you use when you're just doing regular daily/weekly laundry i.e. washing a variety of things like cotton underwear, cotton trousers, viscose/linen/cotton blends, maybe with some elastane or polyamide?

To wonder how to stop my clothes shrinking in the wash?
OP posts:
Hadalifeonce · 14/06/2025 14:13

The only things I was at more than 30 are sheets and towels. I will also was stuff at 20 or cold if it's not really 'dirty' as such.

slowlydecaying · 14/06/2025 14:09

I wash everything at 60C and nothing shrinks

TheFormidableMrsC · 14/06/2025 14:09

Viscose particularly needs ironing after washing. Perhaps iron things and they will regain shape.

Jumpingthruhoops · 14/06/2025 14:09

I wash everything at 40° but on a delicate cycle. Because the load hasn't had that last fast spin, stuff comes out a little more damp but not as 'crispy' and dries more naturally/keeps it's shape. Maybe give that a try.