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Does LINEN SHRINK WHEN WASHED?

ByPrabhat Kumar

The textile industry uses different fabrics to make clothing. Cotton and polyester are some of the most used, but linen also has a notable presence due to the multiple benefits it provides: it allows you to create breathable, cool and loose garments that, at the same time, protect you from high temperatures. Therefore, it is an ideal material for summer clothing pieces.

You may have several items of clothing made with this fabric in your closet, especially summer ones. To keep them in good condition and prevent them from being altered during washing, it is important that you pay attention to the most convenient washing systems for this material. For example, Does linen shrink when washed or not? This is one of the most frequent doubts related to this fabric, so if you want to solve it, continue reading this FoxWiki article and discover if linen shrinks when it is washed, if it does so in the dryer and how to wash it correctly.

Does linen shrink when washed or faded?

Linen is a sensational fabric for summer clothes, but it contains specific washing needs. If you have doubts about whether linen gives itself, take note that it does so very little with use. In fact, linen will always shrink on the first wash you do and it will never reduce its volume again if you follow the corresponding instructions.

Therefore, do not worry if your item of clothing made of this fabric has shrunk after the first wash because it is one of its characteristics. After, It will give off a little and maintain the same shape. In this sense, there are two alternatives: wash the pieces of fabric before creating or making a garment or, alternatively, buy pre-washed linen to make the pieces of fabric, that is, when it still needs to be spun. In these ways, the manufacturers of these pieces of clothing help prevent shrinkage after their first trip through the washing machine. However, you can purchase pieces of linen clothing that have not been treated or have been treated very little and, therefore, may still shrink somewhat. In this case, make sure you buy a size up or that your size is not too tight.

Does linen shrink in the dryer?

After washing clothing made with linen, it is important that you know how it should look to stay in good condition. A priori they should be dried and then they could be stored in the closet, but this fabric has certain peculiarities. First of all, you should always get a little wet. You can hang it, but it is essential that you pick it up before it dries completely. Otherwise, you will lose what little flexibility you have.

Another aspect that you must avoid at all costs is the use of the dryer. Linen is incompatible with this appliance: as it contains a minimum natural humidity that ranges between 6 and 8%, it cannot be dried at such high temperatures.

If you dried linen using a dryer, its fibers would be fragile and would need many hours to absorb all the moisture it would have lost from the air. Only in this way could he partially recover his flexibility, but the item of clothing could be a little shrunken and without remedy. Therefore, never use the dryer for linen garments because this material needs to maintain the percentage of humidity indicated above to remain in its original form.

We recommend you read this other article about How to dry clothes without a dryer.

How to wash linen clothes so they don’t shrink

Do you not know at what temperature should you wash linen? On the one hand, white and light garments made of this fabric should be washed at a maximum temperature of 60 c. On the other hand, colored garments require a lower temperature to be washed correctly: a few 40 c They are enough. In addition, colored clothing requires the application of a specific detergent for delicate garments that does not contain a bleaching effect.

Considering the suitable temperature for washing linen clothes, you are now closer to knowing how to do it correctly and without fear of shrinkage. To finish discovering all the details of the procedure, at FoxWiki we recommend that you follow these tips on how to wash linen clothes:

  • If you want to wash linen garments by hand, use a specific detergent for delicate clothes and a considerable amount of warm water (between 30 and 40eitherC approximately). It is important that you rinse the clothes twice with clean water and, on those that are white or light, use a stain-removing bleaching detergent. To avoid possible damage to the fabric, do not let the clothes soak.
  • If you are going to wash linen clothes in the washing machine, separate those clothes in your closet that are made of this fabric and do a program for delicate clothes and a short cycle using a mild detergent.
  • Make sure there are no traces of soap or detergent on your clothes. Otherwise, those marks will turn into dry spots.
  • Removes stains on linen clothing immediately. Do not wait to wash that stained garment with the rest because, in general but especially in this fabric, the easiest way to get rid of stains is when they are recent.
  • As it is a delicate fabric, avoid getting it caught in the washing machine at all times, as the fiber will be seriously damaged when you try to unhook the garment.
  • Remember to hang your linen clothes and pick them up before they dry completely to keep them in good shape and, in addition, always avoid using the dryer to dry clothes made of this material.

For more details we recommend this other article on How to clean a linen jacket.

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