How to Shrink Cotton Underwear

Shrinking cotton underwear can be either easy, or not so much. The good news is that cotton is a material that will in fact shrink to a certain extent, unlike those made from nylon, polyester or spandex. However, there are limits to what can be done.

Let’s review some general guidelines, followed by some do’s and don’ts for how to shrink cotton underwear.

Underwear May be Difficult to Shrink at Times

Besides the materials mentioned above, which are not relevant since we want to focus on cotton underwear, there are two reasons why there are limits to how far you can shrink underwear:

1. If you are trying to shrink used underwear, it may not be possible – depending on how long you have used (and previously washed) them. Therefore, you should decide on what you want to do when you first buy underwear.
2. Second, some of the better qualities of underwear will not shrink much further than the “fitted” size. Consider a situation where you buy underwear that’s your size (“large” for example) but they feel baggy. If you follow the recommended process to shrink them, you should be aware that they may not shrink to a size below what a fitted large piece may be.
3. If you have a body frame that is labeled “X-large”, for example, but you are significantly gaunter than the average US person, then you may have a hard time ever shrinking underwear down to your size. If, on the other hand, you buy a smaller size (and you are that size) with a lot of body mass, trying to get underwear shrunk to fit is a possibility.
4. Even with cotton underwear, some of it is “pre-shrunk” – which means that the fabric will not readily yield to any efforts to shrink it further. However, as discussed below, cotton does tend to stretch with use, so taking steps to shrink it back down may be kosher.

What if Your Underwear Will Not Shrink to the Size You Want It To?

The discussion above makes it clear that it may be difficult to get your underwear to shrink to your expected size, unless it’s new and even then, there is a limit to how much it can shrink.

Given that, if you feel that the underwear you try is way too baggy or loose, it may be a good idea to simply return them – most stores will issue a refund if you have saved the receipt, and some will give you store credit even if you have not.

100% Cotton Underwear May Need to be Shrunk Even After Use

While the guidelines in the previous section are generally applicable, another factor may apply with 100% cotton underwear. The material is easy on the skin, but the soft nature of the fabric may cause another problem – namely, cotton underwear has the tendency to “stretch” after a period of use.

This means that with cotton underwear in particular, you could face a situation where you may need to shrink used underwear as well as when you bought it new. The good news is that cotton fabric may stand many such cycles of expansion and shrinkage without losing the integrity of the fabric – as other materials may be wont to do.

Separate Out Your Cottons from Other Fabrics 

If you are working on cotton underwear mixed in with other clothes or fabric, be careful to separate it out – cotton can stand repeated stretches and shrinkage, many other materials will not stand the same treatment and may fall apart.

The Best Ways to Shrink Cotton Underwear

Cotton is one of the materials where hot water cycles while washing and high heat dries will likely have an effect on the underwear.

So if you are trying to shrink cotton underwear, follow these steps:

1. Separate out your cotton underwear from other clothes and underwear – especially delicate fabrics. While cotton can stand washing with hot water and beyond, the delicates may get damaged.
2. If the underwear has been laundered before and/or is frayed, it may make sense to hand wash with soap and hot water to preserve the integrity – without subjecting to a strong machine wash. This will also consume less energy.
3. Assuming you are dealing with new cotton underwear, along with other clothes that will not get harmed, set to a hot temperature. You may, however, want to set the wash cycle to gentle or delicate, since that ensures that the underwear will not start to bunch up.
4. Once the undergarments emerge from the wash, you have two choices if you are trying to gauge how much further you can shrink them post the hot water treatment:
   1. You could air dry them on a line – this will allow the underwear to not shrink as much as in a dryer, and you can try them on after each wash and dry cycle to see if you have achieved your goal.
   2. If you are dealing with really baggy underwear, throw them into the dryer with a hot, 20-minute-long tumble cycle (set the fabric setting on “cotton”). Check to see that they are completely dry. If necessary, run the dryer one more time.

The difference between 4(a) and 4(b) above is the amount of control you want to exert. In many cases, since you have already washed the piece(s) in hot water, air drying may be the way to go if you do not want to risk excessive shrinkage. But if you want to go for the gusto, the hot dryer is the way to go.

How to Get the Most Amount of Shrinkage

If you are treating your 100% cottons separately and want to shrink them as much as possible (including after multiple cycles of “stretch” and “shrink”), you could combine some of the steps mentioned above. For example, you could:

1. Soak the underwear in a basin of hot water and let it stand for 10-15 minutes. 
2. Take them out and rinse thoroughly by hand.
3. Now, place them into a washer with not more than a single scoop of (preferably liquid) detergent. Use a small load and set to a hot temperature with a gentle or delicate wash cycle.
4. Take the underwear out and place them in a tumble dryer at hot temperature for a minimum of 20 minutes – if your dryer doesn’t dry them out completely, consider a longer time.

You Can Shrink Cotton Underwear

As described above, it may be relatively easy to shrink cotton underwear if you pay attention to the guidelines above. However, while deciding on shrinking underwear down to size, a couple of other considerations may be relevant.

Really snug, hip-hugging underwear may sound (or even look) cool, but they may not be the healthiest options for your body – especially with prolonged wear. Cotton is a breathable material but pinching the nether regions can cause health issues. Therefore, continue how much shrinkage you are looking for.

While the cotton material may stretch and then shrink, avoid putting too much stress on the underwear – the elastic band may fall apart with too much heat in washing and drying, if you continue to repeat that treatment. At some point, buying new pairs and making sure they fit from the get-go may be a sensible choice.