Why Do Jeans Feel Tight After Washing? Find Out [Answered 2023]- Belowest

Often when we wash our jeans and dry them off, you may notice it feels a little bit tighter— you may even panic thinking you’ve put on a couple of pounds but at the end of the day, the jeans loosen up and revert to the initial size.

Why Do Jeans Feel Tight After Washing you may ask. The answer is quite simple. The temperature at which you dry your jeans after washing is a contributing factor to why your jeans shrink after washing, for example, if you dry your jeans in a dryer after washing them, it is guaranteed to shrink.

That is what makes it feel tight after washing, does that make sense? Anyway here are a couple of other reasons your jeans may feel tight after washing.

Reasons why your jeans/pants feel tight after washing them

Contents

Heat

After washing your jeans it’s always ideal to air dry them so they retain their shape, however, in cases when there may be a rise in atmospheric temperature or “heat wave”. Even if you air dry your jeans, the fact that the air is super humid may still affect the state of the jeans, causing them to shrink and feel tight when dry.

Dryer

Do NOT dry off your jeans after washing in a dryer if you want them to maintain their original shape and colour, the heat from the dryer loosens the cotton fabric in the jeans and causes it to shrink when completely dry. Although this method is ideal if you INTENTIONALLY want to shrink your jeans down a size or two.

However, if your jeans fit perfectly and shrink after wash, consider air-drying instead of using a dryer and see if it changes.

Detergent

Believe it or not, there are specific types of detergent that are suitable for washing jeans. If you use a detergent that isn’t ideal for jean fabric it may have side effects and those side effects may include discolouration and SHRINKAGE.

So, whenever you want to wash your jeans, consider using detergent like OxiClean Dark Protect Liquid Laundry Additive to help maintain your jeans.

Quality of material

The quality of the material also matters a lot, with low-quality materials after washing, if you pop them in the dryer to dry off. The jeans may shrink beyond recognition, materials of higher quality may also shrink but will return to their original shape after you wear them a couple of times.

Always purchase quality jeans, that way you won’t worry much about buying new jeans after just a couple of months. Jeans like the Levi’s Men’s 511 Slim Fit Jeans and the Levi’s Women’s Classic Mid Rise Skinny Jeans are pairs that come highly recommended with amazing critical acclaim.

Warm or hot wash

When you use warm water to wash your jeans, the heat expands the gaps between the Cotton fibres which the water then occupies.

As the jeans gradually dries off, the fabric gradually becomes more compact as the water evaporates from the spaces it previously occupied.

I hope I’ve not lost you? All I’m trying to say is, warm or hot water expands the fabric, and when it dries off it feels tight for a while because the cotton becomes compact. Always cold wash your jeans if you want to retain the shape.

Sun drying

Similar to using a dryer, when you dry your jeans under direct sunlight it runs the risk of shrinkage because the Sun being a natural source of heat is capable of reaching extremely high temperatures. And as I’ve stated repeatedly, those high temperatures will cause your jean fabric to loosen and become compact when they completely dry off.

Although this may not affect your jeans if it isn’t hot enough, sunlight affects the state of your jeans on hot summer days.

Straining after washing

The way you strain water out of your jeans after washing may also contribute to the shrinkage if you hand wash your jeans and apply a tight squeeze after rinsing to get all the water out to speed up the drying process.

The tighter squeeze may cause the fabric to be more compact hence making it tighter when it dries off. Ease up on the squeeze after washing, flap it a few times. See if it changes anything.

Starch

This is typically used to revitalise the constitution of clothes when they become too loose, it gives it a more sturdy aesthetic. If you didn’t wash your jeans yourself and had them professionally cleaned. Ensure you ask the individual if it was starched to find out the reason for the “new found” tightness.

Also, take note of detergents that have “starch” properties, as stated in earlier points. Always use detergents ideal for jeans.

Dye

Jeans tend to undergo discolouration due to several reasons and in an attempt to restore the jeans, we may apply dye to revive said colour. The dye has a rigid and almost abrasive feel when completely dry and this may cause the fabric to stiffen up and feel tight after wash.

If you recently had your pair of jeans dyed to restore the colour, it may be the reason your jeans feel tight.

Weight gain maybe

Not to be the bearer of bad news— or maybe good news? But, could it be that you put on a few pounds since you last wore those particular pair of jeans? And now that you’re wearing it after a while it feels like it’s shrunken. I’m not trying to body shame you or anything, your body is great as is.

The good news is, if weight gain isn’t the reason then if you put on your jeans for a couple of hours, the fabric will gradually loosen and revert to its original size. Just give it time.

FAQs

Does washing your jeans make them tighter?

Washing your jeans can make them tighter if you warm wash them in your washing machine, this technique is also used to intentionally shrink jeans when they are a size bigger than necessary. However, if you cold wash your jeans and air dry them, your pair of jeans should retain their shape no matter how much you wash them.

How do you keep jeans from getting stiff after washing them?

You can stop your jeans from getting stiff after washing by using the ideal detergent for jeans, and also avoid drying them off in the dryer. If you absolutely have to use the dryer because of the weather or something. Then set it on low heat and gradually dry, patience is key.

Another thing is, NEVER EVER starch your jeans, if the fabric becomes too loose. Then it probably means you need a new pair, get a more quality pair this time around. That way you won’t have to worry much about the fabric failing after just a couple of months of use.

Should jeans be tight at first?

Depending on the kind and style of jeans you purchase, if you buy baggy jeans or “mom jeans” they will definitely be loose when you wear them for the first time. If they are skinny jeans, they may feel tighter at first but gradually loosen up as you break them in.

The material also matters, jeans like denim are typically tighter at first but gradually become loose and fit you more after a couple of wears.

Do jeans get tighter or looser over time?

Jeans get tighter over time, which makes sense because the more you wear them, the looser the fabric gets. As you continue to wash and wear them, friction and other external factors act on the jeans which cause stress on the fabric.

And like most things when stress is applied, it gradually and steadily reaches its limit of elasticity, eventually wearing and tearing.

Is it better to buy jeans smaller or bigger?

Depending on what you want from your pair of jeans, if you are partial to skinny jeans then you should absolutely get them a size smaller because they will gradually expand over time and fit your body better around your curves and calves.

If you like baggy jeans, then you should get them in your size. Jeans do come in exact sizes, and the said jeans are true to size. Or get them bigger, there are DIY techniques to reduce or shrink jeans down a size or two anyway.

Why Do Jeans Feel Tight After Washing – Conclusion

If you notice your jeans feel tighter after washing, don’t freak out and assume your original pair were stolen or swapped. It happens, there are several non-felony related reasons why your jeans feel tight.

Any of the scenarios stated above could be the reason, and the most important thing to note is that the change is completely temporary. With a few stretches here and there, and if you wear the jeans all day it will revert.

Take good care of your pairs of jeans, do NOT wash your jeans after every use. Own multiple pairs. If they feel shrunken after washing, wear them, walk around, stretch a bit. The Fabric will loosen and fit you as it did prior to the wash. Cheers

Why Do Jeans Feel Tight After Washing? Find Out