How to Shrink Sweatpants & Joggers

Shrinking Sweatpants in the Washing Machine

Place the sweatpants in the washing machine. Add any other garments you want to wash hot in with them. Towels and socks are a great option, as they are designed to be washed hot without being damaged or shrinking. Be careful not to mix whites with colored items, as the colors may bleed.

Add a color-safe laundry detergent. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label of the sweatpants, if any are included. Following the provided garment instructions will prevent the hot water from altering the color of your pants.

Select the hottest setting on the washing machine. Most washers have fairly simple heat settings. Usually, your options are “cold,” “warm,” and “hot.” Whatever your washer’s settings, opt for the hottest one. During the manufacturing process, the threads that make up fabrics are put under stress, constantly being pulled and stretched. Exposing the fabric to heat will relieve some of this stress, causing the treads to shorten.

Set the washer for its longest available wash cycle. Many washers have a “heavy duty” spin cycle option, which tends to be the longest and most intense cycle. If the washer you’re using doesn’t have this option, you can use the “normal” or “bulky” option.

Take the sweatpants and other items out and put them in the dryer. You want to keep the sweatpants under consistent heat while you’re trying to shrink them. For this reason, it’s a good idea not to leave them in the washing machine for too long after the wash cycle is complete. If there are any items you don’t want to run through the dryer, take them out and hang them on a clothesline to air dry.

Select the hottest setting and the longest drying time available. Depending on the dryer you’re using, you’ll probably want to select the “regular/heavy” setting. On other dryers, there will be a dial, and you’ll want to turn it to “more dry” or “very dry” in the section designed for cottons and other items that can be washed hot. If you’re not happy with the results, simply repeat the process until your sweatpants have shrunk to your desired size. If you don't want your sweatpants to shrink too much, check on them periodically as they're drying. Once they're small enough, you can let them air dry or lower the heat setting on the dryer so they finish drying but don't shrink any more.

Using Boiling Water to Shrink Sweatpants

Fill a large pot about ¾ full with water. You’ll want to have enough water to fully submerge your sweatpants. You’ll also want your pot to be large enough that it won’t boil over when you put your pants in.

Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. When it comes to shrinking clothes in boiling water, the hotter the temperature, the better. The energy in the heat will relieve some of the stress on the threads that make up the fabric, causing them to tighten and constrict. You’ll know the water has reached a rolling boil when large bubbles are rising swiftly to the surface and you can stir it without disrupting the boil.

Lower your sweatpants gently into the water and turn off the heat. Be careful to avoid splashing any boiling water out of the pot or onto your hands. Use a wooden spoon or long metal tongs to make sure the pants are completely submerged.

Leave the sweatpants to soak in the hot water for 5-10 minutes. Once you’ve turned off the burner, you want to leave the sweatpants fully submerged so the fabric can react to the heat of the water. For maximum results, leave the pants in the water for up to 20 minutes. To trap the heat in, consider putting a lid over the pot while your pants soak.

Pour the contents of the pot into a colander or sink. You don’t want to use your hands to reach in to the pot, as the water will still be fairly hot and you want to avoid burning yourself. You may want to leave the sweatpants in the colander or sink to cool for a few minutes before you pick them up.

Squeeze the water out of the sweatpants over the sink. Using your hands, bunch up the sweatpants and squeeze the fabric tightly. You want to remove as much excess water as possible from the pants before you put them in the dryer or hang them up. Avoid twisting or wringing the pants, as this may cause the fabric to stretch out again.

Dry the sweatpants in a dryer or on a clothesline. You’ll want to look at the pants when they’re dry to see how effective the hot water was. If you don’t have a dryer handy, use a clothesline. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to dry the sweatpants using the hottest setting, as this may provide additional shrinkage.

Blow Drying Your Sweatpants to Shrink Them

Wet the sweatpants with hot water. You can do this using the hottest setting on a washing machine, or with water heated up in a kettle. If you decide to use a kettle, set your sweatpants in the sink and pour the hot water over them, being careful not to burn yourself. You may need to do this a few times to make sure the pants are completely saturated.

Squeeze the sweatpants over the sink to get rid of excess water. If you washed the pants in the washing machine, you may be able to skip this step. However, if you used a kettle or if there is excess water in the fabric from the wash, you’ll want to get rid of it before drying the pants. Be careful not to wring them out or twist the fabric, as this may cause the fabric to stretch again.

Lay the sweatpants out over a flat, heat-protected surface. You can do this on a tiled bathroom or kitchen floor, outside on a deck or patio, on an ironing board, or on top of your washer or dryer.

Plug in your hair dryer and turn it to the hottest setting available. Some hair dryers only have one setting, while others have both a heat and speed setting. It’s best to use one that has multiple heat options, as this will allow you to use a higher temperature to dry your pants.

Dry the sweatpants carefully, focusing on one small section at a time. Take your time with each section. Hold the hair dryer a few inches from the sweatpants to make sure the hot air is hitting them directly. If there’s a part of the sweatpants you specifically want to shrink (such as the waistband), this method allows you to pay special attention to that area.

Flip the sweatpants over and dry the other side. Follow the same process you used to dry the first side. Take your time and make sure the pants are completely dry before you turn your hair dryer off. The more heat you apply, the better your results will be.