Why Do Clothes Shrink When You Wash Them?

Рет қаралды 397,948

8 жыл бұрын

We've all lost a favorite sweater to shrinkage, but why does this happen? What's the science behind shrinking laundry?
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Why Does Dirty Laundry Stink?
news.discovery.com/human/life/...
Anyone who has ever tried to stretch a T-shirt or a pair of pants one day too many knows that nose-pinching, eye-watering, neck-twisting dirty clothes smell. But what causes it?"
A Comparative Study on the Felting Propensity of Animal Fibers
detextiles.com/files/AFIELTRAM...
"The felting propensity of different animal fibers, particularly alpaca and wool, has been examined. The Aachen felting test method was employed. 1 g of each type of fiber was soaked in 50 ml of wetting solution and agitated in a dyeing machine to make felt balls"
Effect of Laundering on the Dimensional Stability and Distortion of Knitted Fabrics
autexrj.com/cms/zalaczone_plik...
"The main aim of this work was to systematically investigate the effect of the principal washing and drying variables on the dimensional stability and distortion of knitted fabrics. The work demonstrated that changes occurring after laundering were largely due to alterations in the loop shape, rather than yarn or loop length shrinkage."
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Пікірлер: 386

@ShawnRavenfire 8 жыл бұрын

My pants keep shrinking, not lenghwise, but widthwise... and it seems to happen more often when I eat too much. Laundry is weird.

@travishall9715 8 жыл бұрын

😂😂

@PHANTOMZ0NE 8 жыл бұрын

My pants shrink every time I watch porn. Laundry is weird.

@itzmaddie4903 8 жыл бұрын

Most relatable comment to everyone😂😂😂😂

@Dee--Jay 5 жыл бұрын

Whenever I wash brand new clothes, I always hang them up and let them dry and I wash them in cold water. But the second time I watch them I can throw them in the dryer and they won't shrink from there on out

@johnsonmcbig9157 4 жыл бұрын

Same

@qqq1701 8 жыл бұрын

I yell at my clothes to get the dirt out.

@xDevilAngle 8 жыл бұрын

I hope you yell them off

@doejohn6197 Жыл бұрын

😂🤣🥹 best comment

@Adrastia 8 жыл бұрын

I swear, everything I want to shrink refuses to shrink.

@baileypatchett5128 7 жыл бұрын

I work at a clothing store and this is super helpful to explain to customers why they should not use hot water... Awesome.

@johannesschmitz6370 2 жыл бұрын

I use hot water to shrink my shirt intentionally

@ardanormm7490 2 жыл бұрын

I usw hot water when my skin hit by cat fur

@mathiasfantoni2458 2 жыл бұрын

@@ardanormm7490 What does “skin hit by cat fur” mean?

@Ensensu2 Жыл бұрын

@@mathiasfantoni2458 Especially when cat fur can be spun into yarn

@VideoManDan Ай бұрын

So you take 4 minutes of their time reciting this entire clip to them? 😅

@ravenlorans 8 жыл бұрын

Every Man who is a Grower knows about Shrinkage.

@timetogetcancer7866 8 жыл бұрын

Lol

@Implosion-Gaming 8 жыл бұрын

Lol yea.

@hakualex 8 жыл бұрын

what did you do there?

@ravenlorans 8 жыл бұрын

hakualex Shriveled in fear.

@josemv25 8 жыл бұрын

I was in the pool!!

@AyngeMackay 8 жыл бұрын

I love doing laundry (by machine, I mean). There is something about the scent and the process of renewal that makes me happy. I hate ironing though, so I use that wrinkle releasing spray.

@lizardmilk 8 жыл бұрын

Note, only clothes that fit will shrink in the drier. If it's too big, it won't shrink.

@princessmermaid3085 Жыл бұрын

😂lol same

@bledlbledlbledl 8 жыл бұрын

I worked in a dyehouse for a while, and they had a machine that would steam and PRE-STRETCH the fleece fabric, before it was sewn into sweatsuits. A "calendar machine", they called it. Supposed to insure the fabric was all a uniform size. But wash that calendared fabric the first time and it goes UN-calendared.

@coureurdebois 8 жыл бұрын

HA im not just getting fatter TAKE that mom.

@coureurdebois 8 жыл бұрын

cant call me an over stuffed burrito anymore

@timelapsecookie68 8 жыл бұрын

Lol

@AustinPinheiro_uniquetexthere 8 жыл бұрын

lol

@coureurdebois 8 жыл бұрын

lol

@clovisthefirst492 8 жыл бұрын

lol

@JamesRussoMillas 8 жыл бұрын

Honestly this is so cool. I always thought it was just the dryer heat.

@izzuddinnaimofficial2563 3 жыл бұрын

It's simple. Just buy a shirt with polycotton material. (a combination of 50% polyester and 50% cotton) Shrinking after washing a 100% cotton piece of clothing is a bit of a gamble. If you’re purchasing t-shirts, and you don’t want to be concerned with shrinking, and a 50/50 blend will give you peace of mind that the size you purchase is the size you will continue to have. 50/50 blends are a little more reliable when it comes to maintaining size and shape.

@doejohn6197 Жыл бұрын

@@izzuddinnaimofficial2563 cool! But what about 60%cotton and only 40% polyester? 🤔 What happens then? Is the higher cotton then more likely to shrink or does the polyester not let that happen too much??

@HeelstoHighTops 8 жыл бұрын

Shirt was a little smedium lol

@sashagrey69 8 жыл бұрын

YO JUST LAST WEEK I SEARCHED THIS UP AND WAS LIKE WHY DIDNT D NEWS MAKE A VIDEO ON THIS ALREADY. LIT

@Dee--Jay 5 жыл бұрын

@pannkakan1986 2 жыл бұрын

'Living things aren't supposed to last forever, and that is actually kind of okay' hit different

@peoplez129 8 жыл бұрын

Personally I think that clothes should come pre-shrunk and sized appropriately, so that way people get true sizes. Sure it might add a little more to the cost....but we're talking pennies on the dollar.

@MochaMage 8 жыл бұрын

As someone who works at a fabric store, this is probably something I should know

@rossmiller4228 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the schooling. Very educational.

@UndeadKIRA 8 жыл бұрын

What I like about this videos is that I think I have something close to an answer, but then it turns out it goes much deeper than I though.

@TraceDominguez 8 жыл бұрын

Same!!

@Jesusp898 8 жыл бұрын

i like when they shrink i need it sometimes

@camoblamo365 8 жыл бұрын

Explain how dry cleaning works please

@randomisgood4you 8 жыл бұрын

well first off it's not dry. They use chemicals.

@VideoManDan Ай бұрын

Oil is used instead of water. There ya go, saved you a search 😎

@kenyaw5752 8 жыл бұрын

While watching this video, I felt like he was talking about curly hair. The same shrinkage curly haired people experience, our natural fibered clothes experience. Wonder if the chemically induced straightening process curly haired people undergo is similar to the chemically induced straightening process the fibers of our clothes undergo...Are there side effects from using such chemicals on these fabrics? Interesting

@enderman6777 8 жыл бұрын

I hate people who reply to their own comments. Ugh.

@enderman6777 8 жыл бұрын

Yeah, right! So annoying!

@JesusChrist-qq2su 8 жыл бұрын

The only way to get your wheels on a mango is to provide a reference to the point of view in massacre city.

@anastasiadunbar5246 8 жыл бұрын

How do I kill myself?

@anastasiadunbar5246 8 жыл бұрын

Just reply to your own comment.

@sackboy3161 6 жыл бұрын

I hate ppl who ask for likes. Like if u agree

@coreypetroskey4222 8 жыл бұрын

I thought it was when you dry it not wash it

@KingChamp91 8 жыл бұрын

I also thought this and we are right to a point its basically heat that do it...hot water or hot air..

@charnaeyoung9815 8 жыл бұрын

Yeah I'm in Korea and their washers beat your clothes to death. I dont have a dryer so I hang to dry and I've had several oversized hirts that have shrunk a little.

@jazminramos6081 6 жыл бұрын

charnae young I also hang my clothes its better and I save electricity during summer and it prevents more from fading but if you leave it hanging at the sun for hours it will shrink

@izzuddinnaimofficial2563 3 жыл бұрын

@Dojan5 8 жыл бұрын

I've never managed to shrink any of my clothes, and I usually just guess the cycle. I wash rougher garments (sweaters, jackets, jeans) in 60 degrees and softer garments (shirts, underwear, socks) in 40 degrees. Granted, I buy cheap clothes that never fit all that well, so it's quite possible that I've simply never noticed the shrinkage.

@InderjitSingh12 8 жыл бұрын

thats hot

@Dojan5 8 жыл бұрын

Inderjit Singh Buddy, your name is awesome. It's almost like Indrajit.

@InderjitSingh12 8 жыл бұрын

Dojan5 thats what my parents probably meant. They spelled it wrong haha

@Dojan5 8 жыл бұрын

Inderjit Singh No way! That's awesome! Is your father named Ravana by any chance? Haha. I mean I've met people here called Thor before, so I guess it's not crazy, but it's still really awesome. I'm stuck with a boring regular name. Sigh.

@InderjitSingh12 8 жыл бұрын

Dojan5 no lol. Dad got a regular Sikh name. My name(spelled by parents) is Sikh name too but its not commonly used. Indrajit is South Indian/Sri lankan name. Commonly used by them. Never heard your name though. Where is it regular?

@jayjay-iu3wc 8 жыл бұрын

will I'm Mexican so I dry my clothes old school I hang them out side to dry ;)

@Cotbowl 8 жыл бұрын

Aye me too🇲🇽🇲🇽🙏🏽

@calibanxpable 8 жыл бұрын

I do this too as long as there is plenty of sun.

@TraceDominguez 8 жыл бұрын

they'll still shrink!

@calibanxpable 8 жыл бұрын

Read the tag with the cleaning instructions darling. If it says "dry clean only" it is a good sign that it might not be good to wash it in any other way.

@pacman8551 8 жыл бұрын

I bet that's why your darker clothes start to fade cuz the sun

@MrChickenwitkatchup 8 жыл бұрын

Wow DNews coming through! I was literally wondering about clothes shrinkage less than 24 hours ago when I accidentally shrunk a shirt yesterday xD

@TraceDominguez 8 жыл бұрын

BOOM!

@clintross7778 8 жыл бұрын

+Trace Dominguez pause at 1:55-1:56 lol😂

@michaelsuk5782 6 жыл бұрын

The people who made the tag don't always know how to clean it, in fact, many dry cleaning chemicals make "dry clean only" fabrics bleed. Always make sure you ask your local dry cleaner before doing anything at home.

@astorybookfinish5055 Жыл бұрын

Excellent. Thank you

@AZREDFERN 8 жыл бұрын

I have a hard time getting petroleums and pit stains out of my uniforms. I find Oxy-Clean works better than anything else. But can I combine baking soda, washing soda, borax, and oxyclean to make an omni-booster? or will that create an anti-matter nuclear fusion black hole or something?

@jasonblundell7643 6 жыл бұрын

What about clothing that's made of 100% polyester? Will it shrink after being washed and put in the dryer? If so, then how much will it shrink? Only a little bit or down a full size, like from large to medium?

@milesunderscore4372 2 жыл бұрын

i have never been so stressed out about laundry

@jacksilverman9052 8 жыл бұрын

"Water is slippery" -Trace 2016

@flyingfshsndwch 8 жыл бұрын

If you're unsure whether it will shrink or not wash on cold/cold and hang it to dry.

@iprimoonanollie2598 8 жыл бұрын

My clothes never shrunk before, from about like half of year of doing laundry the worst thing that happened is that this one stain won't come off my sweatshirt.

@Ren-bw6tg 4 жыл бұрын

Me Having a oversized HOODIE and I need to shrink it

@samuelfranco3744 3 жыл бұрын

Lmao

@halincandenza7640 8 жыл бұрын

When you mentioned the nazi scientists I intuitively expected some kind of attrocity. Adding plastic to wool? Those monsters!

@nitroneonicman 8 жыл бұрын

I've never managed to get oxi clean to work

@melaniehotzky8249 8 жыл бұрын

Can you please make a video about cloth diapering vs. disposible diapers. What's better for the environment / baby from a scientific standpoint?

@sweatynreadyhot6915 8 жыл бұрын

you're a day late i shrunk all my jeans yesterday had to go out buy new ones. 😐

@MazdaBass971 8 жыл бұрын

This is why i use lazers to clean my cloths.

@wolffgang101 8 жыл бұрын

This is why I don't clean my clothes JK

@MazdaBass971 8 жыл бұрын

@coconutpole9455 8 жыл бұрын

This is why I don't wear clothes

@MazdaBass971 8 жыл бұрын

Coconut Pole Sounds about right

@nasiatatum 8 жыл бұрын

this is why I don't own clothes

@Schenkk56 8 жыл бұрын

Why is test tube / dNews failing on my Roku? Anytime I select a video in testtube or REV3 I get bumped out to the main Roku menu. This has been going on for several weeks and I'm having trouble getting enough science/space. Not sure where else to report this problem.

@pffilms2522 6 жыл бұрын

This happens to my shirts all the time

@7Somerset 8 жыл бұрын

Thank you for not jump cutting like an insane person

@CollieMonster 8 жыл бұрын

I hate doing laundry, especially since I don't have hookups at home. So I usually drop it off and have the cleaner do it for me. Worth it at $1/lb.

@AnimeHumanCoherence 8 жыл бұрын

We need more space episodes.

@Heritagepostfarms 8 жыл бұрын

I always thought the dryer shrinks clothes. And letting it air dry stretches them out.

@tw2531 3 жыл бұрын

My name is Trace too!

@aleksandrabouma2396 2 жыл бұрын

So if i buy a sweater is it best that I keep one that is maybe a tiny bit bigger than i wanted it to fit? Because it will shrink anyways?

@brandonboogers 8 жыл бұрын

Actually, the reason jeans don't shrink much is because it is sanfrodized, which makes it pre-shrunk, but un sanforized jeans can shrink up to 10%

@malaquiasalfaro81 8 жыл бұрын

glad someone said it

@brandonboogers 8 жыл бұрын

I know, im a hero

@TraceDominguez 8 жыл бұрын

Yeah, most of the jeans you'll buy are pre-shrunk cotton denim *and* they have also been sanforized (i.e. treated with special chemicals to keep them from shrinking further). But, even non-sanforized denim will only shrink 5 maybe 10% nowhere NEAR felting in wool products which can shrink 15 to 20 percent in width and 25 to 40 percent in length because the fibers have more air between the weave, and can physically shrink in a way cotton just doesn't.

@celiamartinez7944 8 жыл бұрын

Damn energy This is truly beautifvl job sell x‑D

@garybusey1772 8 жыл бұрын

I hate shrinking clothes man I'll get a shirt and it fits perfectly, then it gets washed and all of a sudden it's too tight

@ZeitGeist_TV 8 жыл бұрын

How about a video on cleaners? I take my favorite clothes there and my mom says it causes cancer. I tell her everything causes cancer, this angers her but I'd still like to know.

@eliasnikolaivonheimtrondse4424 5 жыл бұрын

I got ny Nike sb camo sweater and IT Was recommendee at 30 celsius but my dad put it at 40 is ut making a difference?

@jlindsa 8 жыл бұрын

#DNewQuestion Why are we so trusting or better put gullible? If I stand on a soapbox in NYC and make a wild claim, no one will take me seriously. If I make that same claim as a politician, a radio host, the host of a tv show, or a prominent KZfaq personality, many more people will take it as true and even quote it in future discussions without ever looking into the claims themselves. Why?

@KhanMann66 8 жыл бұрын

Because society is sheep/hive mind.

@bobidou23 8 жыл бұрын

I mean, presumably the very fact that they're prominent at all in those positions suggests that they had built up trust by saying things that ended up being true, right? (or, in the case of certain politicians, intuitively sounded true) So presumably the rest of us use past experience to shortcut the hassle of finding a third-party source for everything.

@KhanMann66 8 жыл бұрын

Or because we just go with what we like in general whether the facts are correct or false. Picking what we perceive a as truth.

@oneandonlyjark 5 жыл бұрын

You guys are gullible? Hmm.

@jetfreak666 8 жыл бұрын

How many people thought about that episode of Seinfeld with George and the pool when he mentioned shrinkage?

@migmol 8 жыл бұрын

The background music is driving me crazy.

@noswonky 8 жыл бұрын

There is a fourth kind of shrinkage.

@ourfamilyoutdoors7331 4 жыл бұрын

All my cotton shirts and denim and canvas pants have been shrunk down more than two sizes by my gf. I don’t understand how she does this. I’m a big guy at six four and none of my clothes fit now. This is a serious problem for me right now

@zack_120 11 ай бұрын

Missed the most common natural phenomenon, the shrinkage of natural fibers like hemp ropes when wet. To see this, tie up your hands with a hemp rope loosely then wet the rope. Your hands will feel the powerful tightening.

@JohnVKaravitis 8 жыл бұрын

When you play this at 1.5x, Trace sounds like a mouse! Squeak squeak squeak!!!

@coletrick8748 Жыл бұрын

I dried my Ralph Lauren sweaters and they shrank from a Large to Xtra Small no exaggeration.. At the time I spent half a paycheck for these two sweaters so I was upset to say the least.. I’m done buying wool!

@GeneralChurch 2 жыл бұрын

But can you use cold water and then tumble dry only no heat?

@ImperiaGin 8 жыл бұрын

Pro tip don't wash your jeans or pants unless they're really dirty or sweaty also put them inside and out the jeans will last much longer

@ade6609 5 ай бұрын

Eww

@ayja2362 7 жыл бұрын

"Its gonna get small on you !!" - Mom

@RebelliousRobot 8 жыл бұрын

If only we can reverse the shrinkage of natural fabrics.

@268Jamal 8 жыл бұрын

Is there a way to read the comments while seeing the video?

@extreme604 7 жыл бұрын

Yes

@richardnone5644 8 жыл бұрын

you can avoid all this if you buy pre-shrunk fabrics ha ha ha they are out there richard in the tropics

@EricParkerable 8 жыл бұрын

Same reason OJ's glove shrank

@JulianPard 8 жыл бұрын

If water is clear, why do things get darker the wetter they get?

@oneandonlyjark 5 жыл бұрын

Thereby confirming that it's somewhat of a myth that dryer air heat is what causes shrinkage.

@peerdeheer 8 жыл бұрын

Why do our new bought clothes lose colours so fast?

@MrLouisNgg 8 жыл бұрын

DNews! Can you explain what would happen if two stars collided?

@zrebbesh 3 жыл бұрын

Step1: Make a garment 10% oversize out of fabric with a 10% shrinkage factor. Step 2: Wash hot and iron. Twice. Step 3: Enjoy!

@omeet5547 8 жыл бұрын

Why does sweat stink over time?

@mrcubelordbx4285 4 жыл бұрын

So the synthetic clothes doesn't shrink?

@extreme604 7 жыл бұрын

Happy

@CrimsyniG 8 жыл бұрын

Is this a fatter version of the dude from Alvin And The Chipmunks

@kyledavid6223 8 жыл бұрын

I recommend hemp fiber

@AntonisExplores 8 жыл бұрын

Finally. I am not crazy I don't get fat when clothes don't feed me after they washed

@rigby1198 3 жыл бұрын

Ok but how much do they shrink, because I got an oversized shirt

@Atlas_Enderium 8 жыл бұрын

The views on this video are messed up

@mikenov.3468 4 жыл бұрын

Where is my dad when he left for years to get some milk?

@angie9626 3 жыл бұрын

i like comfy clothes... a lot i buy are quite expensive and my clothes always shrink everytime i buy a nice shirt 😤

@Azurren 8 жыл бұрын

Ahhh Synthetic clothing.. Is about all I have left after doing my own laundry.

@willt.9654 2 жыл бұрын

But why does it only happen to my favorite t-shirts

@SHAUNDJFISHBEATSMARTIN 6 жыл бұрын

ITS NOT OK IF YOUR NEW BATHING APE OR SUPREME T-SHIRT SHRINKS COS THAT SHIT COSTS AS MUCH AS AH SECOND HAND CAR ABOUT £500 POUND OR SO

@PhillyXDoc 8 жыл бұрын

Just read the tags... Pretty much it

@snowdowncold6707 2 жыл бұрын

Just trying to learn how to wash my clothes

@moxshyfter 8 жыл бұрын

I was expecting all sorts of comments about how Lisette should have done the episode about tight shirts. You've failed me, internet.

@Dave-me3bi 8 жыл бұрын

**THUNDER!!** *"vell, vell, docta victerrshberg, vat do you havve for us TODAYY??"* *"I HAVE CRREATED ZE OOLTIMAT INVENSION!!"* **THUNDER** *"SINSETEEK CLOSINNG!!!!"* **THUNDER, CRASH, FLASHING LIGHTS!** *"my godz, he haz gone mad! MAD I SAY!!"*

@JimmyBonesTV 8 жыл бұрын

I wash in cold water unless it's not something I wear

@vardellsfolly5200 7 жыл бұрын

Can i shrink my clothes, deliberately? I, um, used to be somewhat fat (1.80 height, 100 kilos) and i've spent a shit load of money to buy many woolen clothes. So, can i? Now i'm 65 kilos..

@_LightOfRa_ 8 жыл бұрын

What was that noise?

@bloodandwinearered 8 жыл бұрын

Okay, how many of you just clicked this video to see Trace in a tight T-shirt?

@avirajsingh8802 7 жыл бұрын

Can someone please explain me what is bio wash?

@NYCAustinNYC 8 жыл бұрын

I highly recommend the South Korean clothing drying rack. They are wonderful. They dry clothes in a very small space, use no electricity unlike a dryer, and will not shrink or damage clothes like a dryer.

@stay4sho804 7 жыл бұрын

I need to shrink my joggers, there to big😂

@mikepiazza4872 4 жыл бұрын

Most Theatrical I need to shrink my shirt lmao

@greygodice3865 5 жыл бұрын

That shirt😂

@samuelfranco3744 3 жыл бұрын

I mean once you wash them the first time they shrink after that they just get clean hence why I'm always buying clothes a size bigger and immediately put them in my laundry basket LMAO my mom calls me crazy but i know they'll be too big and i almost never wanna wear a belt so it be like that