Washing a cotton sweater on 40 degrees.

If I were you I would look on Vinted to see if you can find one in a smaller size, and donate it back to the charity shop.

Cotton will tighten up at 40, but will iron back out if you need it to. But it will need shaping out when wet.

I wash mine at 60 with the sheets, but it is all cotton, and the thread in the seams is too. That you have to check.

Pretty much everything except wool will wash at 40 - we used to until it became fashionable to wash lower.

Do you think it has probably been washed by previous owner? If so doubt it will shrink at 40°. Do you have gentle wash on your machine, if you do, try that at 40° Good Luck.

Greciangirl Why? I never hand wash anything unless it says you have to. My washing machine has a hand wash and delicate setting. I use laundry bags to protect clothes if I'm unsure if they'll go out of shape.

Witzend I gathered that she wants it to shrink a bit as it's too big.

I would wash it at 40 deg but don’t blame me if goes wrong ! I buy to shrink I think it’s the 46 yrs of nursing drummed me into it . Good luck . I noticed my granddaughter was bought a sailor suit style dress in cotton from M and S recently from a charity shop and recommended 50 deg wash - must have been at least 30 yrs old I would think and yes it washed fine . . 🍀

I like the jumper.

Hand wash it, then rinse and spin it on low spin speed.

Always best to hand wash jumpers.

It you use hotter water to shrink it, I think it will just go hard

I used to wash everything at 40 or 60 but now I use the 20 degree 20 minute cycle for everything apart from linen and towels. Everything comes out fresh. My bills have gone down.

I would wear it with a collared shirt too, Astitchintime
It's a "look" I do like.

On a different note……..I’d wear that over a collared shirt - think layers - teamed with jeans. Why try to shrink such a beautiful garment?

Not spaghetti. Good point about the dyes. There is a dark blue stripe in there. Trying at 40 for now.

Just wash it on 30 as recommended. It could damage the fibres by washing on a higher temperature, or spinning too fast, and would spoil the look of the jumper. As it’s too big, maybe wear a shirt underneath?

*aligns

I think it's about the hot wash followed by hot drying that tightens the fibres, Maisie
I also wash some of my cottons at 60 (sheets, towels etc mainly) but steam or cooling relaxes and alignes knits in particular (in the same way that "snapping" silk relaxes the fibres there).

I do think that hot wash and hot dry (eg on a radiator) will tighten cotton fibres and pull them together - but obviously it won't last and cotton will relax again with wear.

I wonder if the 30⁰ on this garment is to do with the dyes? Or is there a trim?

I wash cotton 'whites' (dishcloths, towels, underwear, tee shirts etc) at 60 degrees. I've done that for decades. Nothing has shrunk. Cotton nappies used to be boiled (100 degrees) before automatic washing machines, they didn't shrink, either.

30 degrees for cotton is ludicrous, it won't shrink at any temperature. , Though as far as getting it clean with modern soaps it's fine,

I think if you want to shrink it you will have to wash hot - say 60⁰ and then "hot dry" - but only if it's 100% cotton.

You referred to this as a "weave" - I think you will potentially get uneaven shrinkage from a knitted garment.

Hi Casdon. Thanks for that. I wonder why it says wash at 30 then. I will wash at 40 and see what happens and go from there.

I can’t wear wool now, so wear cotton knitwear most of the time, and I always wash at 40 degrees. I also tumble dry it, because it comes up softer than line drying, and I’ve never had any shrinkage, I washed and dried a new Seasalt cardigan a couple of weeks ago, and it came out perfectly. I think to shrink it, you would need to wash a cotton item in very hot water.

Despite what the dial or button says, the actual water temperature can vary a lot from one machine to another, so I would play it safe
I would start by washing it at 40 ° the first time, then if doesn't shrink, put it in a hotter wash next time.

Seabreeze

Thanks Ladies. Witzend I didn’t want to waste water by machine washing it alone. I want to shrink it washing at 30 won’t do that as that is what is recommended.I do my washing at 40. I know labels are there for a reason GG but I want to shrink it a little. RL I never use conditioner. Petra. Do you think so even if it has been washed at 30 as recommended. I heated some water to 40 degrees it was lukewarm warm so maybe it won’t shrink it. Still in a quandary.

your blood temp is 38 degrees. This should tell you that 40 is not a shrinkworthy hot wash.

If you want to shrink it, either wash it at 60 or tumble dry it on hot.

Thanks Ladies. Witzend I didn’t want to waste water by machine washing it alone. I want to shrink it washing at 30 won’t do that as that is what is recommended.I do my washing at 40. I know labels are there for a reason GG but I want to shrink it a little. RL I never use conditioner. Petra. Do you think so even if it has been washed at 30 as recommended. I heated some water to 40 degrees it was lukewarm warm so maybe it won’t shrink it. Still in a quandary.

Definitely use a net laundry bag, as RosesandLilac suggests. 30° wash should be fine. Use a "mild" washing liquid too. Good luck!

As it’s a charity shop buy and shrinkage will be long gone.