What shrinks clothes, washing or drying?

[calvinbiss]

I want to shrink a t-shirt. I already washed it in hot water, but that didn't seem to do it. I didn't put it into the dryer for some unknown reason. Should i just get the shirt wet, and then put it in the dryer on high? How come i can't get this to work when i want it too...

 

[RaDragon]

What's the material of the Shirt?
It does help if you stick it in the dryer wet, but it's prolly going to stretch back to it's original size.

 

[Bryophyte]

100% cotton that hasn't been pre-shrunk should shrink some if put through a hot water wash and a hot dryer. Sometimes it'll shrink a TON, sometimes not so much. Stuff I've bought overseas or in import shops tend to shrink more than stuff bought here.

 

[Bryophyte]

If the tshirt has a good amount of polyester in it (look at the tag), it probably will shrink very little.

 

[Bryophyte]

A clue to whether a garment will shrink is if the care tag says stuff like "cold water wash, tumble dry low/hang dry" on it. That means that it'll either shrink or the dye will come out (in warm/hot water.)

 

[gsellis]

The dryer. Too hot is the biggest one.

Three cheese cakes a day will also shrink them. ;P

 

[SludgeFactory]

yeah, the dryer.

Put the shirt in there on cottons/high heat and make it beg for mercy.