Does Steam Ironing Shrink Clothes?
Steam ironing is an effective way to remove wrinkles from most clothes, except for a few delicate fabrics. Modern steam irons also come with multiple functions, including ironing, steaming, and sprinkling. With so much going on, you may be wondering if steam irons shrink your clothes.
Steam ironing does not shrink clothes, but extreme temperatures when used on particular fabrics, and inappropriate ironing techniques may damage or burn your clothing.
Additionally, the effects of steam ironing depend on fabric quality, washing and drying conditions, and the methods used.
Certain fabrics require distinct temperatures when steam ironing. However, clothes of the same fabric don’t necessarily have identical qualities, as they are manufactured differently.
So you should adapt your steam-ironing techniques and temperatures based on the fabric.
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Why Steam Ironing Does Not Shrink Clothes
Steam ironing doesn’t subject your clothes to the same conditions as a washer or dryer. Although most fabrics respond to heat by shrinking, a steam iron’s temperature and the typical method of pressing relaxes the fibers, thus flattening and stretching apparel. 
Typically, clothes shrink during washing as the fabric absorbs moisture and returns to its natural state. Likewise, the heat and the tumbling action inside dryers cause some shrinkage.
In fact, Whirlpool’s fabric technologist Lucinda Ottusch explains why clothes shrink more in top-loader washing machines rather than through steam ironing.
In general, steam ironing does not cause clothes to shrink. A steam iron won’t damage or burn your clothes either unless you use a high-temperature setting for a specific fabric or leave the hot appliance on your clothes for a while.
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Modern Steam Irons Have Optimal Settings
Our everyday fabrics have a specific heat threshold, which means the fibers can withstand heat up to certain temperatures without undergoing adverse transformations, such as shrinkage.
Here are the recommended ironing temperatures for some common fabrics:
| Fabric / Fiber | Ironing Temperatures | Caveats / Notes |
| Linen | 446 °F (230 °C) | Subject to quality, blend or proportion, etc. |
| Cotton | 400 °F (204 °C) | Subject to type, thread count, blend, etc. |
| Polyester | 298 °F (148 °C) | Subject to type, quality, blend, etc. |
| Wool | 298 °F (148 °C) | Subject to delicateness, adornments, etc. |
| Silk | 298 °F (148 °C) | Subject to type, delicateness, etc. |
| Nylon | 275 °F (135 °C) | More heat-sensitive than other fabrics. |
| Spandex | 275 °F (135 °C) | More heat-sensitive than other fabrics. |
| Rayon | 374 °F (190 °C) | Subject to the type and quality. |
| Triacetate | 392 °F (200 °C) | Subject to the manufacturer’s guidelines. |
Generally, you don’t need the maximum temperature setting while steam ironing most fabrics, as you can achieve a flat and crease-free finish with less heat.
Besides, materials like silk and wool don’t necessarily require the crisp finish you’re looking for in a softer fabric, like cotton.
In theory, steam ironing could damage, burn, and deform clothes if the temperature setting is not stringently regulated.
However, modern irons don’t cross the highest temperature levels for any fabric as most companies restrict heat on every setting.
Here are the typical temperature settings on most contemporary steam irons:
| Setting / Level | Min. Temperature | Avg. Temperature | Max. Temperature |
| 1 | 167 °F (75 °C) | 203 °F (95 °C) | 239 °F (115 °C) |
| 2 | 221 °F (105 °C) | 266 °F (130 °C) | 311 °F (155 °C) |
| 3 | 293 °F (145 °C) | 347 °F (175 °C) | 400 °F (204 °C) |
Your steam iron may or may not have these exact settings or temperatures in different modes. However, the industry standard for irons and steam ironing is around 250 °F (121 °C) up to 360 °F (182 °C).
Thus, while steam ironing you’re unlikely to reach the extreme heat required to damage the fibers or the molecular structure in your fabrics to such an extent that your clothes shrink.
However, your steam iron doesn’t operate in isolation; fabric quality also plays a crucial role in shrinkage.
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Some Clothes Were Meant To Shrink
Most clothing brands and the associated companies have specific manufacturing processes they adhere to. As such, the apparel you buy may be normal, stretched, or preshrunk.
Some companies stretch fabrics during manufacture to reduce costs. Conversely, a few brands wash and pre-shrink their clothes so customers don’t have to deal with too much shrinkage. The type of treatment determines the extent to which your clothes will shrink.
An unshrunk and unwashed dress may shrink after washing and drying, but this has nothing to do with steam ironing.
Similarly, a dress manufactured with stretched fabric may shrink after its first wash. In contrast, preshrunk apparel probably won’t shrink at all during washing, drying, or steam ironing.
Unfortunately, consumers can’t do much about these manufacturing processes or treatments. Instead, you can only follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning, washing, drying, steaming, ironing, or steam ironing, as mentioned on the label.
However, while steam ironing will not shrink your clothes, it’s best to avoid inappropriate temperatures and pressures. It’s also best to pay attention to the way you use a steam iron on certain fabrics.
For instance, a fabric like silk requires mild steaming or ironing at the lowest heat setting. On the other hand, nylon fares better when you place a cloth between the iron and the fabric.
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Is It Better To Iron Or Steam Clothes?
It is better to iron and steam certain fabrics, like linen and cotton. Additionally, it’s best to dampen linens and cotton before ironing if they have rigid wrinkles.
In contrast, fabric such as wool should be steamed instead of being ironed. As such, whether to iron, steam, or do both will depend on the type of fabric.
Is Steaming Bad for Clothes?
Steaming is not bad for most clothes, like those made from linen, cotton, wool, polyester, and silk. Additionally, steaming is faster and safer than conventional ironing.
Some clothes even require steaming along with pressure from iron to effectively remove wrinkles.
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Can You Shrink Cotton With a Steam Iron?
You cannot shrink cotton with a modern steam iron that has a typical maximum temperature of around 400 °F (204 °C).
However, you may create creases with an inappropriate ironing method and cause burns if you keep a hot steam iron stagnant on a cotton garment.
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Does steaming Unshrink clothes?
Steaming is a popular way of removing wrinkles from clothing, but can it also be used to unshrink them? The answer is yes and no.
When you wash a garment, the fabric fibers are pushed together and compacted. If your clothes have been washed or dried at too high a temperature, they may be permanently stretched out of shape.
Steaming will help to loosen the fibers of your clothing, allowing them to return to their original size and shape.
It’s important that you steam only on the reverse side of the fabric (the inside) — not on the outside where it might damage or burn. You can use an iron or steamer to do this.
If you steam clothes that have shrunk in the dryer, you will be able to unshrink them. However, if they have been improperly washed or are old and worn out, they may not respond well to this treatment.
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Does steaming shrink linen?
Steaming is the process of using steam to soften and remove wrinkles in the fabric. It is especially useful on linens that have been stored away for a long time or are too delicate to be washed in a washing machine.
When linen is exposed to steam, it softens and relaxes the fibers so that they can be manipulated more easily. This makes it much easier to remove wrinkles from the fabric and make it look fresh again.
However, steam can cause shrinkage in linen, especially when you use high temperatures. So, while it’s possible to shrink linen by steaming it, you should avoid doing so unless necessary because there are other ways to clean and freshen your linens without risking shrinkage.
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How do you iron cotton without shrinking it?
Use low heat settings on your iron. This will prevent scorching and burning of the fabric as well as any damage that may occur from high heat.
Ironing board cover: Use an old towel or other thin material over your ironing board cover for extra protection against scorching or burning your fabric. Make sure not to use any abrasive materials underneath the towel or material because this can cause further damage to your fabric!
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Conclusion
Steam ironing doesn’t shrink most fabrics, including linen, cotton, polyester, and silk. However, it’s best to avoid ironing wool and to use less pressure on silk garments. Additionally, don’t use any steaming or ironing techniques for waxed fabrics, suede, and leather.
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Sources
- Washington Post: Heat Didn’t Shrink That Shirt – Fabric Expert Offers the Scoop
- The Spruce: Select the Right Setting for Ironing Any Fabric
- Techinfus: To What Temperature Can the Iron Heat Up
- Sew4Home: Preshrinking aka Pre-Washing
- YouTube: Iron vs. Steamer – Which Is Best for Your Menswear Wardrobe?
- Whirlpool: How To Shrink Your Clothes – On Purpose
- The Laundress: Reasons To Steam
- Silver Bobbin: Does Silk Shrink in the Dryer? When Washed?
- Who What Wear: How to Iron Silk in 4 Simple Steps
You may also be interested in… Is Beautural A Good Brand (Steam Iron, Fabric Steamer & Shavers) and Is Electrolux A Good Brand? (10 Reasons Why Electrolux Is a Good Brand)
Allan Wilson who in the offline world has an extensive background working in research, analyzing statistics, improving work processes, team leading, and implementing training to improve results and now thanks to more than 3 years dedicated to this site is now also a highly regarded researcher of brands.
Allan has a long history of developing brands online way back before blogging existed creating websites using HTML code in Notepad. Allan established brands in the Info Product Marketing arena such as infoproductmarketing, ebookresellerkit, reprintrightsmarketing, along with many other successful websites (and a few failures along the way). Allan has also authored numerous ebooks, owned and operated membership sites, created eLearning courses, and more.
