How to Shrink Underwear

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 31, 2023

Baggy or loose-fitting underwear can be impossible to wear comfortably. Instead of discarding the underwear, consider trying to shrink the fabric. Simply wash your underwear in hot water either by hand or by using the washing machine. Then, as a follow-up to shrink the fabric further, put the undergarments in the clothes dryer. When dry, your underwear will be more form fitting.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Washing the Underwear with Hot Water

1
Try on the underwear to see how large the garment is on you. Note how loose the elastic on the underwear is or how much material is sagging away from your body. Fitted underwear will sit snugly around your legs and hips, and will be comfortable when you move around.
- You will most likely only be able to shrink the underwear to a fitted size. For example, if the underwear you purchased is a size medium and is baggy, treating the material with hot water or air will shrink most materials to be a fitted medium.
- Consider returning recently purchased unworn-underwear that appears to be a size too large for your body. If you held onto the receipt, see if the store you purchased the underwear from will allow you to return or exchange the unused underwear.
- If the underwear is old or has already been washed and dried several times, the fabric most likely will not shrink a noticeable amount.
2
Read the printed label inside of the underwear to determine the material. Locate the label on the inside of the underwear along the elastic waistband, and note the type of material. The fabric will most likely contain some degree of cotton, spandex, or a silken material.^{[1]
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- Underwear made mostly of cotton, wool, rayon, silk, and linen fabrics will shrink when washed with hot water and put in the dryer.
- Stretchy fabrics like polyester, nylon, and spandex will not shrink a noticeable amount, and you may even melt or permanently crease the fabric by trying to do so under extreme heat.
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3
Separate the underwear from the rest of your laundry. Unnecessarily washing other clothing items in the hot water may cause those items to shrink or even damage any delicate undergarment fabrics. Create a load of laundry that solely consists of the underwear you want to shrink.^{[2]
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- Wash new underwear that is made of silk or rayon fabric with like colors. The dyes used to color silk or rayon fabric can bleed during the first wash and may stain other items.
4
Use a washing machine to wash multiple garments quickly. Choose this method if you have multiple undergarments that you want to shrink. The washing machine will save you time by soaking and gently cleaning the underwear in a single load.
- Place the underwear into the washing machine with some laundry detergent. For delicate fabrics like silk or lace, use a mild-detergent instead of an all-purpose one. Then, close the lid or door to the washing machine.
- Set the load size to small, the water temperature to hot, and washing cycle to gentle or delicate. The hot water will cause the fabrics to begin the shrinking process, and the gentle cycle will keep the underwear from tangling.
- Press the “start” button to begin washing the underwear. On average, a delicate washing cycle (including washing and rinsing the items) will take about 10-15 minutes.^{[3]
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5
Hand-wash a few undergarments to conserve water and energy. Use this method if you also have particularly delicate underwear that might become damaged if put in the washing machine with other undergarments. Hand-washing will provide a gentle way to clean and shrink a handful of undergarments without wasting electricity or water in the process.^{[4]
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- Fill a basin or bucket with hot water and place the underwear into the water.
- Allow the underwear to soak in the hot water for 3-5 minutes or until there are no dry spots on the undergarments.
- Add a few drops of a mild-detergent to the water. Use a rubber spatula to swish the undergarments around in the sudsy water and clean them. Let the underwear soak for another few minutes.
- Carefully remove the underwear from the basin and rinse the soap from the underwear using warm water.
6
Air-dry the undergarments and try them on to see if the fit is better. Hang the underwear in a closet or lay the items out flat on a drying rack. Air-drying the underwear will allow you to determine whether the item needs to be shrunk further. When you put on the dry underwear, the fit should be noticeably tighter.^{[5]
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- If the underwear is still too loose fitting repeat the process of washing it in hot water, or consider an alternative shrinking method.
- Refrain from putting the underwear in a clothes dryer until you know whether the garment needs to be shrunk further.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Drying the Underwear

1
Place the clean, damp underwear into the clothes dryer. Using this as a follow-up to washing the underwear in hot water will shrink the fabric further. If you originally washed your underwear in cold water, the fabrics will shrink less in the hot dryer. Avoid putting underwear made mostly of synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, or spandex into the dryer. The heat from the dryer may damage or permanently crease the fabric.^{[6]
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- If you washed the underwear by hand, press the items between a folded dry towel to remove excess water before placing the items into the dryer.^{[7]
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2
Set the dryer to the hottest temperature setting for a 20-minute tumble cycle. Look for the temperature setting labeled “cottons.” On most dryers, this is the hottest temperature setting. Then, set the clothes dryer to tumble for approximately 20 minutes. This should allow a small to medium load of underwear to dry completely without damaging or burning the fabrics.
- Check to see if the underwear is dry after the 20 minutes. If there are a few damp spots, either put the items back into the dryer to tumble for another 5 minutes or let the underwear air-dry the rest of the way.
3
Try on the dry underwear to see if the fit has improved. The fabric of the underwear should be significantly tighter fitting, but still loose enough to move around in comfortably. If the underwear still seems too big, repeat the washing and drying process 1 or 2 more times to shrink the fabric more.

Community Q&A

Question

Does Hanes underwear shrink?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Hanes cotton underwear is typically pre-shrunk, but you may be able to get it to shrink again if it stretches out over time. Wash and dry it on high heat to tighten up the fibers again.
Question

How do you shrink nylon underwear?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

If your undies are pure nylon, you probably won’t be able to shrink them using the washer and dryer. If you’re really attached to a pair, you can do alterations on it with a sewing machine. If it’s blended with another material, such as cotton, you might be able to shrink it by washing it with hot water and then drying it on medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Question

How do you shrink shapewear?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Hand-wash it in warm water with baby shampoo if it’s latex. If it’s not latex, put it in the washer on the gentle cycle with cold water, and keep it in a garment bag to help protect its shape. Use a gentle detergent that’s formulated for lingerie.