Putting a wool jumper through a hot wash is the kind of mistake every household makes once. The good news: shrinkage in animal fibres is partly reversible — the fibres haven't been destroyed, they've just locked tighter. Here's how to relax them.
What you need
- A clean basin or sink
- Two tablespoons of hair conditioner (any kind)
- Lukewarm water (around 30°C — not hot)
- Two clean towels
The method
- Fill the basin with lukewarm water and stir in the conditioner.
- Submerge the jumper fully. Leave it for 30 minutes — the conditioner coats the wool fibres and lets them slide.
- Don't rinse. Lift the jumper out and gently squeeze (never wring) excess water.
- Lay flat on a towel and gently stretch back to its original shape. Work outwards from the centre — sleeves, body, neckline.
- Roll the jumper inside the towel and press to remove more water.
- Lay flat on a fresh dry towel, re-shape, and leave to dry away from heat for 24 hours.
Never put a shrunken jumper back in the dryer or hang it on a line — gravity and heat both lock the shrinkage in permanently.
If it doesn't work
Heavily felted wool (where the fibres have matted together and the surface looks fuzzy) is sadly past saving — the fibres have permanently bonded. But pure shrinkage without felting usually recovers most of the size. For cashmere, silk-wool blends or anything sentimental, send it to us before you try anything at home; a specialist reshape often gets better results than the basin method.
Published 2026-06-02 by MyLaundress. Book a collection online