4 Ways To Stop Your Cool Socks From Shrinking

Your washing or drying cycle has finished, and you start taking out your clothes. But when you get to the socks, you suddenly realise that instead of adult-sized socks, you now have socks for toddlers instead. Sounds familiar? Yeah, we've all been there. It's not fun, especially if it's your favourite pair of funky socks. Luckily, there are easy ways to prevent it from happening, and we're going to share them with you today.

Hand-Wash Your Socks

Although this step might be a tad more time consuming than your regular washing cycle, we do recommend trying to hand-wash your socks, especially the ones you hold dear. Some fabrics, such as nylon, are more susceptible to damage than others. So washing your socks by hand will help ensure that they don't shrink in the washing machine and keep their original shape for as long as possible.

Hang Your Socks To Dry 

Using dryers with high heat can shrink the fabric of the socks. That's because the polymer fibres are naturally short, but they are stretched out when made into clothes. So what happens is that heat of any kind releases the tension, allowing the fibres to return to their original form. To help prevent shrinkage, you can use a drying rack to dry your socks by hanging them. Easy-peasy!

Pro tip: To avoid a damp smell, make sure that the area where you're hanging your socks to dry is well ventilated.

Wash Them in Cold Water 

As we already mentioned before, heat and socks are not best friends. So, what applies to drying your socks with heat, applies the same way to washing them with hot water. But here's how water temperatures can affect socks. Hot water can shrink them to a maximum shrinkage capacity already after one wash. Warm water, on the other hand, can shrink items over multiple washes. Of course, a specific end result will depend on the material. Either way, washing them in cold water will help you stay on the safe side.

Fold Your Socks

Now that you've both washed and dried your socks, it's time to put them away. We know it can be tempting, but don't just throw your socks in the drawer. We always suggest folding them away neatly. This will allow the material to breathe, maintain elasticity, and you will notice that the socks will even be softer to the touch. The added benefit of folding is that your sock drawer will look organised and tidy, which is never a bad thing. Feel free to take a look at our tips on how to organise your sock drawer for reference.

Are you looking to top up your collection of socks? 

You’re in the right place! Here at Mad Socks, we have a huge selection of funky socks both for men as well as women. Pick any print and colour you like and let your personality shine.