How to Stretch Shrunken Wool Cloth

Many people have the experience of washing a wool garment or piece of cloth only to have it come out looking dramatically smaller. Even if the piece has shrunken drastically, there are a few ways to stretch the wool to restore it to its original size. Begin by soaking the wool in a bath of warm water and baby shampoo or hair conditioner, then take the wool out and gently stretch it manually to get it to its original dimensions. In less than twenty minutes your garment should be back to its normal size and look as good as new.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Conditioner Bath

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Find a clean basin or bucket and fill it with enough lukewarm water to fully submerge your shrunken wool garment or cloth. You can also use a clean sink if you don’t have a container large enough to hold your wool item.^{[1]XResearch source}
2
Add in conditioner or baby shampoo. Mix in about ¼ to ⅓ cup (59.14 to 78.85 ml) of hair conditioner or baby shampoo to the water bath. Use your hands to stir the water so that the conditioner or shampoo is mixed in.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Both regular conditioner and baby shampoo work to relax and loosen the fibers of the wool so that the wool can be stretched out.
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Place the shrunken wool inside the bath of baby shampoo or conditioner that you prepared and let it soak for 10-30 minutes. Make sure that the wool is fully submerged in the water.^{[3]XResearch source}
4
Remove the wool from the bath. Take the wool cloth or garment out of the basin and gently squeeze it to remove excess water. Then pour the contents of the basin down the drain.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Do not rinse the wool with water, as retaining the baby shampoo or conditioner in the fibers will help it to stretch out.
5
Roll the wool up in a towel. Lay out a clean towel on a table or counter and place the wet wool on top of it. Roll the towel beginning from one end and rolling toward the other end with the wool inside of it. Then unroll the towel and take out the wool item.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Rolling the wool in the towel will absorb more of the excess water.
Spread out another clean, dry towel and place the shrunken wool on top of it. Use your hands to gently stretch the wool section by section. You should see that the wool is more elastic than usual.^{[6]XResearch source}
After stretching small sections of the wool, take the wool by the bottom and top and pull. Repeat this process, this time pulling from the sides. Continue until the wool article looks like it is back to its original size.
Once the wool item is stretched to its original size, leave it to dry on a dry towel. Don’t worry that you have not washed out the shampoo or conditioner, as this will not harm the wool or affect its texture.^{[7]XResearch source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Vinegar and Water

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Mix 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water in a clean bucket or sink. Make sure that there is enough liquid to completely cover the shrunken wool item.^{[8]XResearch source}
Put the shrunken wool in the vinegar and water bath and mix the water around to agitate it. Then let the wool soak for about 25 minutes.^{[9]XResearch source}
After 25 minutes, take the wool item out of the bath and squeeze it gently to release excess water. Press it with a clean, dry towel to absorb more water.^{[10]XResearch source}
Use your hands to stretch small sections of the shrunken wool until you have stretched the whole garment. Finish by stretching the garment top to bottom and side to side until it is back to its original dimensions.^{[11]XResearch source}
Once the wool is back to its original size, air dry the wool item by hanging it up on a drying rack. After drying, your wool garment or cloth will be as good as new.^{[12]XResearch source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Stretching and Pinning the Wool

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1
Wet the wool item. Wet your wool article by submerging it in water or running lukewarm water over it until the wool is saturated but not soaked. Wetting the wool loosens the fibers so that it is easier to stretch.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Save this method of stretching wool only if the other two don’t work as it does run the risk of damaging the wool item.
Lay out two dry bath towels side by side on a counter or other flat surface. Place heavy objects on the edges of the towels or pin them in place so that they cannot move around and will stay completely flat.^{[14]XResearch source}
Stretch out your wool item by hand, working in small sections and then stretching the garment from top to bottom and side to side.^{[15]XResearch source}
4
Pin the wool to the towel. Pin the bottom edge of the wool item to the towel using sewing pins. Pull at the top of the garment to stretch it, then pin the top of the item with sewing pins. Repeat this process, this time pinning each side of the wool item.^{[16]XResearch source}
- Be aware that the process of pinning your garment can possibly damage the garment by creating gaps in the wool.
Leave the pinned wool item to air dry. Once the wool has dried completely, carefully remove the pins. The item should keep its stretched shape.^{[17]XResearch source}

Community Q&A

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How do I unshrink a woven wool shirt?
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Use the same method as is outlined in the article.
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Using a baby shampoo or conditioner is the most tried and true way of stretching wool, so it’s the best place to start.
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If you only noticed a slight change, you may need to try the process a few times before the wool is significantly stretched.
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