Some people are afraid of washing their robes because they think that this can make a regular robe shrink in a washing machine. But is that even possible or is it an old hoax that has nothing to do with reality? Don’t worry because we have already checked it for you, and also we will give you some tips to lower the chances of destroying your favorite robe while washing them.
Let’s answer the main topic question which is “Can my robe shrink in a washing machine” and that unfortunately is true. Your robe can shrink in a washing machine if not done correctly. There are fabrics that are prone to shrinkage if washed with a regular washing machine, but how should we wash our robes to not totally destroy them? Let’s talk about it right now, but before that, we need to make sure what your robe is made of.
How can I check what my robe is made of?
There are people who have enough experience to tell the fabric just by looking at your clothes, but it takes time to learn about small details that will let you determine what it exactly is, that is why we will give you a quick solution to check what your robe is made of.
There should be a clothing tag connected to the inside of your robe. It is that small little thing that scratches your legs or back. It actually has a purpose and it is often very helpful because the manufacturer puts a lot of important information on that tag for example what your robe is made of and sometimes even things like washing instructions.
You should definitely follow the instructions that are on the tag, but if you previously removed a tag or there are no washing instructions then you should follow our guide.
If you don’t know the material of your robe and you don’t have a tag that will tell you what it is then make sure to check out our article about different types of robes fabrics here “Should You Wear A Robe All Day?“.
What robes materials are prone to shrinkage?
There are mainly two materials for robes that you should be aware of being prone to shrinkage. Those materials are cotton flannel and linen, be aware that other materials are also able to shrink but those two are the most prone.
How to prevent cotton flannel from shrinking?
Let’s start with the basics of the cotton flannel. Most flannel sheets are made from synthetics, cotton, or a mix of those two. Cotton flannel is durable but has one big weakness, that weakness is called “heat”.
When cotton flannel is exposed to heat it can start to shrink, so over-drying it will make that fabric shrink. Drying your robe on high heat can cause cotton flannel to shrink or sometimes even shred. Avoid using hot water while using a washing machine.
How to prevent linen from shrinking?
Linen is a bit similar to cotton when it comes to the tendency to shrink. You should avoid using heat on your linen robe because that will make that fabric shrink.
You should avoid washing the linen robe in hot water and opt for cold water to make sure that it will not shrink. Sometimes even a low heat setting will make your linen clothes shrink.
Let’s summarize this up – Can my robe shrink in a washing machine?
It is possible for your clothes to shrink in a washing machine, and that is mostly related to the fabric of those clothes. Most prone to shrink are linen cloths and cotton flannel clothes, and they are also often the material for robes, so make sure to check your clothing tag to find out if your robe is made of one of those materials.
If you want to make sure that your robes won’t shrink then you have to avoid heat. So the easiest way is to separate clothes before putting them into a washing machine. If you are able to wash linen and cotton flannel separately from any other clothes then you will be able to pick settings with cold or warm water, that let you avoid any shrinkage.
Almost all washing machines nowadays will let you pick the temperature of the water so pick lower options to avoid destroying your robes. Also, you should check the clothing tag for information about washing, because sometimes there are important things about it.
If you, unfortunately, have already destroyed your robe then don’t worry about it too much because we have a great article that will make you aware that robes are not as expensive as you might think about them “Why Robes Are So Expensive?“.
Our main writer Gwen is working 24/7 to make every single visitor of our website happy and to let them live a more comfortable life.
She studied Interior design for more than 15 years now, and after all of that, she wanted to share her knowledge about “comfortable houses” with other people by creating Homerobe.com. Her favorite activity is doing online research while laying on the couch while wearing a bathrobe.
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