Starching your shirt the right way can give you a good fit. There are many ways to stretch a shirt. However, not all of them will give you a precise fit. To avoid re-shrinking and re-stretching, we suggest you follow the steps given below. The method we are going to tell you about will make your shirt stretching DIY project successful.

Step-by-Step Guide

Here the steps you need to follow or apply to get accurate results.

1.    Wet the shirt thoroughly

You need to wet your shirt thoroughly in a water bowl. You can either put it a big bowel or sop your shirt in the sink. Don’t forget to use cool water. Make sure you soak all parts of the shirt that requires stretching. Your shirt must completely submerge into the water.

Also, if you have a cotton shirt, we recommend you use normal water – i.e. water at room temperature instead of the cold water. This way, you can protect the material of the shirt. The normal water makes the shirt stretch quickly. On the other hand, the extreme cold or hot water will make it shrink.

2.    Mix hair conditioner in water

You need to fill a small cup with a hair conditioner. Add water in the bowl or bucket. Then, pour one-fourth cup of the conditioner in the normal water. You don’t need to use an expensive and high-quality hair conditioner. You can use an inexpensive conditioner product as it can also do the job for you.

In case you don’t have the conditioner available at home, you can use shampoo. When you pour the shampoo or conditioner in the water, make sure you mix it thoroughly. Use your hand or fingers to completely liquefy it in the water.

Otherwise, your shirt won’t absorb the liquid and stretch. The reason why you need to add the conditioner is to make the fibers of the shirt soften. This way, they can get stretched easily.

3.    Put the shirt in the mixture

Once you have made good soapy water by pouring the conditioner, the next step is to put your shirt in the bucket and spread it in the water. Your shirt will stay on the surface of the water. So, you need to give it a few pushes so that it soaks in the water completely. You have to make the shirt sink in the water fully. Leave your shirt in the water for at least 20 minutes.

4.    Drain the water

After 20 minutes, you need to drain the water from the bucket or large bowl or sewer it from the sink. As mentioned above, you can either use your bathroom sink or a plastic bucket. This is up to you. Immerse your shirt and then moderately squeeze it. This way, you will rinse the water from your shirt fabric. Now, soak your shirt in the unconditioned water for a few minutes.

5.    Remove the shirt and rinse it again

After 4-5 minutes, take out the shirt from the clean water. Squeeze it tightly to expel all the water from it. Now, rinse it again. Clean the bucket with tap water and refill it with fresh water. Don’t use cool water.

Water at room temperature is good. Once you have refilled the bucket with fresh water, you need to rinse your shirt again. Put the shirt in the water so that the gluey residues of the hair conditioner are removed.

6.    Dry the Shirt

The next step requires you to squeeze the water out of your shirt. Also, keep your shirt from dripping so that you make the process of drying faster. Next, spread the shirt on a plain surface. Before spreading it, it is important to use a clean cloth or towel so that the surface does not get wet.

Using both hands, stretch your shirt’s neckline and then the chest area and slowly going downwards. Don’t stretch it too much. Otherwise, you have to shrink it again, which is a hectic process and can annoy you.

We recommend mild stretching. You must go along the side and go down slowly. Repeat this process on your shirt’s other side. Continue until you achieve the desired length. Take your shirt outside and dry it in the sunlight.

Conclusion

In summary, this is one of the easiest ways to stretch your shirt though there are other methods you can use. In case you have overstretched your shirt, you can wash and dry the shirt in high heat.

The heat is useful when it comes to shrinking your shirt again. Too much stretching and shrinking means you will lose the desired length. So, to avoid throwing it in the trash can, we recommend you to do this process carefully. Otherwise, you will damage your shirt permanently and have to buy a new one.

How do you stretch a shirt that is too small?

How do you upsize a shirt?

Can you stretch out a cotton shirt?

If you‘re looking for a larger bust or stomach, you can place objects within the t-shirt to stretch those areas out even more. The shirt will retain its shape until it is washed and dried again. If you want to keep it at its new size, make sure not to put it back in the dryer.

How do you stretch a shirt to make it longer?

Lay the shirt out on a layer of clean bath towels. Hold the shirt at the neckline with both hands, and then make your way down the shirt, gently stretching down along the side seam as you go down. Repeat this process on the other side of the shirt. Continue this process until the shirt is the desired length.

How long does it take to stretch a shirt?

The items have to be heavy to keep the shirt stretched out. If you want to stretch out the arms, you can use wide bottles full of water – just place them in the sleeves. Leave the shirt in that state for about 30 minutes to an hour. The weights will stretch out the fiber and make the change more permanent.

How can I stretch my shirt with conditioner?

Place the shirt in the sink and work the conditioner into the shirt. Leave it to sit in the sink for at least 30 minutes. Pull the stopper to drain all the water out of the sink and wring out the shirt as best you can. Lay the shirt out on a flat surface and begin stretching it in every direction.

Can you fix a shrunken shirt?

If you accidentally shrunk a shirt (or other article of clothing) in the wash, there’s a quick fix: soak it in warm water and hair conditioner, then stretch it back out to its proper size. Soak the garment in hot water and hair conditioner for 5 minutes and then stretch it back to size. It works much better.

Is there anyway to fix a shrunken shirt?

Most shrunken fabrics can be molded back into shape with a little time, muscle and hair conditioner. Mom.Me says try this: Wadding the shirt up won’t allow the conditioner to penetrate all the fibers, so push it down as flat as possible into the water. Let the shirt soak in the conditioner-infused water for 15 minutes.

Is there any way to fix shrunken clothes?

Fill your sink with room temperature or lukewarm water, and add a couple of tablespoons of hair conditioner or baby shampoo. Soak your article of clothing in the water for about half an hour, working it into the fabric. Drain the water and wring it out of your shirt without rinsing. Try to get it as dry as possible.

Does ironing Unshrink clothes?

Does Ironing Unshrink Clothes? Ironing won’t unshrink clothes, but the steam from an iron can help. After you’ve soaked the clothes and laid them flat to dry, they might appear a little stiff. This can make it hard to stretch the fabric out to its original size.

Does fabric softener Unshrink clothes?

Fill a bucket or the sink with warm water and three tablespoons of fabric softener, baby shampoo or hair conditioner. Soak your shrunken sweater for one hour. Remove the sweater, and gently wring it out by bunching the sweater in a ball. Do not twist.

How can I make my clothes bigger without sewing?

How do I make a small shirt bigger without sewing?

How do you tighten a loose dress without sewing?

Hold the coin against the outside of your top or dress. With your other hand, open the elastic with your fingers. Reach under your top or dress, grab the coin with your elastic (over fabric). Tie it twice or three times so that it’s tight enough to stay.

How can I make my skirt tighter without sewing?

How do you tighten a loose fitting dress?

How do you change clothes that are too big?

There are three common ways to fix loose armholes:
  1. First, add a dart from the bust apex of the dress by pinching the fold on the wrong side of the fabric, then sew the fold.
  2. Second, add a band or binding by easing an extra fabric into the armhole.
  3. Third, add decorative lingerie elastic and sew it around the armhole.