Up until very recently, I was under the impression that once an article of clothing shrank in the wash, there was little I could do to bring it back to body-fitting proportions. Then, a thrifter’s video on TikTok came across my feed to show how, with a little patience and a wool conditioner called Eucalan, one could actually help restore a shrunken item. “Fiber memory is a real thing,” said Stacee Parker, a laundry professional with Poplin. “Think of natural fibers like wool, cotton, and linen as coiled structures that get stretched out while they’re made, but snap back to their original state once they get wet and heated,” thus resulting in shrinkage. Poplin founder Mort Fertel, agreed that natural fibers, like wool and cashmere, are more susceptible to shrinking than, say, synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon, which have a different fiber structure and are therefore more resistant to factors like heat and agitation.Your best defense against shrinking, according to both Fertel and Parker, is prevention. This means closely following the garment’s care label, opting for cold-water washing and air-drying, and “cutting your losses when a heavily felted or shrunk wool sweater that’s been like that for years,” Parker said. But if the damage has already been done, keep reading to learn about Eucalan and the other products and methods that Parker and Fertel suggest to help revive your diminishing garments. The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.AmazonA no-rinse fabric conditioner Eucalan is a no-rinse and unscented fabric conditioner that some would consider essential for all of your hand-wash and delicate garments and wool items. And according to Fertel, it actually works to help reverse shrinking."Eucalan contains lanolin, which lubricates and relaxes wool and protein-based fibers," Fertel said. "When you soak a shrunken sweater in Eucalan, the lanolin loosens the fiber bonds and you can stretch the garment back closer to its original shape."Parker said that the best way to use it is to soak for half an hour, then gently stretch the fabric while the clothes are wet. "Go slow - the idea is to work the fibers back, not force them," she said. AmazonA cashmere comb to prep fabricsIn the original TikTok that I mentioned earlier, the creator prepped her shrunken sweater with a cashmere comb like this one, before doing a Eucalan soak. In the video, she runs the textured edge of the comb along the surface of the fabric, helping to loosen the fibers that have started to lock together. A cashmere comb can also be handy for sweater maintenance, since it can help remove pills from a variety of fabrics, like wool and polyester. AmazonAn intensive hair conditioner "Hair conditioner is [also] a laundry pro tip," Parker said. "Similar to Eucalan, conditioner coats and relaxes the fibers." Following the same steps as you would with Eucalan, Parker said to put a tablespoon in a tub of cool water, let it soak for half an hour, and then stretch it back to size.Though it's likely you already have a bottle of conditioner to try this technique out for yourself, this one from Dove is affordable and very well liked among the shoppers at Amazon, with a 4.7 out of 5-star rating across 6,100+ ratings. AmazonDowny wrinkle release spray Fertel said that fabric stretcher sprays can have similar effects to those of Eucalan and other fabric conditioners, but they don't require washing or soaking. One reviewer of Downy's Wrinkle Releaser spray claimed to use this trusted formula for this exact reason: "You can even use it to stretch a t-shirt back out a little if you accidentally shrink it. Just spray on lots and shake and hang," they wrote. In terms of prevention, this crisp-smelling spray can also reduce unnecessary amounts of heat being applied to your most shrinking-susceptible fabrics, making it a two-fold essential. AmazonDowny liquid fabric softener "Products like Downy Fabric Conditioner can loosen fibers if you spray and stretch while damp. For cotton specifically, the good old-fashioned stretch-while-damp method is your best bet. There's no special product needed, just wet it and work it." Fertel said. AmazonA wool and silk wash We found this wool care solution via the glowing customer feedback — it was reviewers who insisted that this elasticity boosting detergent could help stretch their shrunken items back into place. Made with natural wool wax and organic olive soap, this orange-scented wash promises to restore the protective film to garments."I had accidentally shrunk one of my favorite sweaters. This product was incredible and worked perfectly," one Amazon customer wrote, while another said: "Used it to unshrink two cashmere and a heavy wool sweater. The heavy wool cardigan, soaked overnight, helped quite a bit. It allowed me to gently reshape. Though not nearly back to original. All of the sweaters are very soft. Cashmere has fluffiness back."AmazonA fabric stretching tool Though Fertel said that you don't really need any special tool to help stretch and shape your garments, you can just do it by hand, we thought it useful to include this sleeve stretching tool for anyone who may have limited dexterity. To use, just slide the expander into the sleeves of your sweaters or at-risk-of-shrinking items to help maintain its shape or return it to its original width. Close Trending In ShoppingMore In Shopping