Dry them in a dryer after you’re done to shrink them even more. The longer you leave your pants in hot water, the more they’ll shrink.
Dry them on a clothes line when you’re done letting them soak. Avoid using this method on bright clothing. It may cause the colors to fade. [4] X Research source If you don’t feel like waiting, you can soak your pants overnight.
Only use this method if your pants are machine washable. While this isn’t normally an issue for cotton clothing, check the tags on your pants to ensure that they can be machine washed.
Do not expect a radical change in the size of your pants if you use no heat. This method only works if you’re trying to make a slight alteration to the size of your cotton pants. If you don’t notice any shrinking after your first cycle, consider washing them first.
Start with low heat and move up from there.
Be careful. Repeatedly drying your clothes with high heat can make your clothes more susceptible to tearing.
This is the easiest method to control what part of the clothing you’re shrinking. When you shrink a specific part of an item of clothing, it is usually referred to as fabric manipulation. [13] X Research source
Paying a tailor to alter your clothes costs money, but shrinking your pants at home requires taking a risk with your clothes: a professional is less likely to damage them. [16] X Research source
