Polyester is a tough material that hardly shrinks. This is a great feature if you plan to use the dryer, but a little less if the garment is too big. However, by putting in time and a little effort, you can effectively shrink your synthetic dress. If you don't need it to get very small, just use the washer and dryer; if you need to shrink it more significantly, you can use the iron.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: in the washing machine and dryer
Step 1. Put the garment inside out
The intense heat that shrinks the polyester also allows the colors to fade; therefore, putting the dress inside out before washing it prevents this from happening.
Do not place several items of clothing in the drum at the same time. Turning your synthetic fabric inside out reduces the risk of discoloration, but does not prevent the dye from dispersing from the fibers
Step 2. Wash it in very hot water
Set the washing program at the highest possible temperature and with the longest cycle. Make sure the wash and rinse water are very hot, as high temperatures allow the fabric to shrink even more than low temperatures.
There is no need to add detergent, although it does not interfere with the shrinking process. You can only shed it if you decide to wash the garment while you are trying to reduce its size
Step 3. Immediately transfer the dress to the dryer
Again, set the highest possible temperature and the longest drying cycle; extreme heat is more effective for your purpose.
Step 4. See if the item of clothing has shrunk
Take it out of the appliance and wait for it to come back to room temperature. If you need to make it smaller, repeat the entire procedure in the washer and dryer.
- However, keep in mind that the more often you wash and dry the polyester, the more it becomes discolored.
- Repeat these steps just a few more times; if you still don't get results, use the iron.
Method 2 of 2: with the Iron
Step 1. Wash the garment in warm water
Set the wash cycle as long and at the highest possible temperature; use very hot water for washing and rinsing.
Step 2. Transfer the still damp dress to an ironing board
After the process in the washing machine, remove it from the appliance and place it on the board to iron it; make sure it's still inside out to reduce the risk of fading colors.
Step 3. Spread a protective cloth over the garment to be treated
Make sure it completely covers the dress you want to shrink; in this way, you prevent the iron from damaging it.
Step 4. Set the iron on a low or medium temperature
By avoiding intense heat, you prevent the fibers from stiffening excessively; run the iron over the garment and continue to "iron" it until it dries completely.
Do not use the steam function, but proceed with dry heat, in order to dry the polyester with each stroke and thus obtain the desired effect
Step 5. Examine the item of clothing to see if it has shrunk
Absolutely avoid repeating the procedure with the iron, otherwise you could damage the fibers and cause the colors to fade. If you've already done multiple treatments in the washer and dryer, in addition to "ironing" with the iron, it is likely that polyester has shrunk to the limit of its capabilities.
