How to wash viscose correctly so that the item does not shrink or stretch

Practical and beautiful artificial fabric is loved by many and is present in almost every wardrobe. The fabric is delicate and causes difficulties for housewives who do not know how to wash viscose. Things deteriorate and become deformed due to the fragility of wet fiber. The capriciousness is explained by the presence of a natural cellulose base.

Clothing and home textiles made of viscose will retain their shape and attractiveness longer if you follow washing and care rules that take into account the characteristics of the material.

Possible consequences of improper washing

• Violation of the temperature regime leads to the fact that viscose shrinks after washing. This most often happens with items that contain wool or acrylic fibers.
• Proper drying of viscose is no less important for maintaining the original condition of clothing. When you don’t have time to dry your favorite dress and have to wear it wet, there is a high probability that the product will stretch, increasing in volume by a couple of sizes.
• Viscose with the addition of polyester thread is prone to the formation of pills, spoiling the appearance of clothes. One of the reasons for their appearance is washing in a machine drum. Therefore, you need to use a laundry bag.
• For viscose items, do not use steamers or hang them on a line to dry. The material stretches from its own weight and cannot be restored.

Is it possible to iron without an iron?

You can make things look well-groomed in different ways. Even a high-quality iron can fail at the most crucial moment, so it is important to know alternative methods on how to iron things without an iron:

• 
  a bathtub filled with hot water;

• moistened terry towels: lay clothes on one, straighten, cover with the other;
• boiling kettle: the item is ironed with steam;
• vinegar and water: spray the product well;
• hair dryer: clothes are moistened, smoothed, then dried;
• An iron is an ideal tool for ironing collars.

The ironing cabinet can handle any material. It will help get rid of even large creases, stretch the product after washing, and create creases in trousers. Such devices allow you to iron curtains and outerwear while hanging, eliminating the appearance of wrinkles.

How to prepare things for washing

• Start by studying the label, which indicates the temperature and washing method. For different products, care requirements may vary depending on the composition and type of fibers.
• Wash items strictly by type: light, black and colored.
• When machine washing, use a mesh bag in which the material will not rub against the walls of the drum. It will protect the fabric from snagging and pilling.
• Hooks, zippers and buttons on clothing should be fastened to avoid damaging delicate fibers.
• Wash all viscose items inside out.
• If heavily soiled, clothes should be pre-soaked. Dilute the powder or liquid preparation in a bowl of warm water (30-35°). Place the clothes there for 30-40 minutes. After this, squeeze lightly and start washing.

Secrets for different wardrobe items

Not all clothing items are cared for equally. Each thing requires a separate approach. To get the maximum effect from your work, you need to follow simple rules.

Here are simple tips for caring for things that will help you maintain the original appearance of your clothes and always look respectable.

Washing Tips

• Viscose fabrics are sensitive to direct contact with chemicals and homemade stain removers such as vinegar, ammonia, and baking soda.
• Viscose knitwear is recommended to be washed in soft water. A few drops of ammonia, which is thoroughly mixed beforehand, will help soften it additionally.
• Water with the addition of a spoonful of vinegar can refresh the color and make the fabric smoother.
• White viscose items do not fade, but are prone to staining from sunlight. This is another argument not to dry clothes in the sun. If stains have already appeared, hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach containing sodium hypochlorite will help remove them.
• There is no need to remove stains on viscose fabric with soap and vigorous rubbing. This deteriorates the fiber structure.
• Choose detergents that do not contain alkali or chlorine, which destroy viscose.

The purpose of gauze, why and when is it recommended to be used?

Thin cotton fabric is the best way to protect shiny and delicate products. It is recommended to use gauze for ironing dark clothes that show streaks after ironing.

There are very thin materials that are susceptible to high temperatures. On some device models, the minimum mode is 100°C, and for chiffon only 60°C is suitable. This is where gauze will come to the rescue and serve as a barrier.

A few tips on how to properly use cotton fabric:

1. If the item has dried, it is recommended to pre-moisten the cushioning material.
2. It is good to steam the folds through gauze.
3. To give clothes a bright color, gauze fabric can be slightly soaked in vinegar.

Before moving on to another piece of clothing, you should check how the material has been ironed under the cotton fabric.

Subtleties of hand washing

Washing viscose by hand is not difficult at all if you follow the recommendations.

You should start with soaking. Prepare water t=30-35° with washing or suitable detergent. Hot water negatively affects the structure of the fabric and it shrinks. Immerse the items in the soapy solution, then gently wrinkle and iron the fabric. Avoid rough impact, do not rub, twist or squeeze into a ball. Wet viscose fibers are very fragile and vulnerable. They are highly prone to deformation. Shaking will help remove excess water.

Manufacturing process

The production of artificial fabrics began at the end of the 19th century. And it has remained virtually unchanged to this day. The raw materials are crushed, boiled in alkali, bleached and pressed. Next, the resulting substance is transported to factories to form the final product.

The thread production process includes four stages:

• Obtaining a spinning solution.
• Pressing the substance through a special plate (spinneret) into an acid bath - this is how threads are formed.
• Next comes the finishing stage.
• The drying stage is the final one.

How to machine wash

You shouldn’t deny yourself the pleasure of wearing viscose clothes if you don’t have the opportunity or desire to wash them by hand. A washing machine will successfully cope with this task; you just need to be properly prepared and know how to wash viscose in a washing machine.

1. Items should be washed in the drum separately from items made from coarser fabrics.
2. Load the clothes into the drum, placing them in the wash bag.
3. Turn on the “Manual” or “Delicate” mode on the panel, set the temperature to 30°.
4. Automatic spinning in a drum for viscose is contraindicated, so it must be turned off.
5. Place liquid detergent or a capsule for washing delicate fabrics in the special compartment. They protect the fibers and reduce friction against the drum walls.
6. If there is local contamination, you should add an oxygen stain remover, and for light-colored fabrics, chlorine-free bleach.
7. When rinsing, it is recommended to use fabric softener.

How much does home service cost?

A popular service that allows you to give your product a well-groomed, pleasant look. Ironing is performed using special equipment that acts delicately on the material, eliminating unevenness and creases.

Specialists work individually:

• the degree of wear and structure of the material are assessed;
• the manufacturer's care advice is taken into account;
• the optimal temperature is selected.

The cost of professional ironing depends on the size, number of items, and type of material. The average price is 1700-2000 rubles.

Why does viscose deform and how to correct the situation?

Viscose fabrics mixed with other fibers are most susceptible to deformation. Shrinkage is more often observed in low quality products. Natural viscose is durable and serves as a strengthening additive for wool, acrylic, and polyester.

Mistakes that spoil viscose products:

• High temperature exposure and sudden change.
• The use of powders with alkali and aggressive components.
• High-speed spin in a washing machine.
• Strong friction of contaminated areas and twisting.
• Drying near heat sources.

What to do when shrinking

If you wash viscose so that it does not shrink and the size of the item noticeably decreases after washing, then you can try to correct the situation. You should start by simply pulling out the damp item, spread out on the surface. in case of shortening, wet the shirt or dress and hang it on hangers. While suspended, try to stretch it lengthwise.

If this is not enough, then wet the clothes and let the water drain. Put on damp and wear until completely dry. Hot steam while simultaneously pulling with your hands will help to stretch the product.

If the clothes are stretched

When mixing viscose fibers with wool and cotton, the products, on the contrary, stretch after washing. The following techniques will help you reduce the size, which should be chosen taking into account the exact composition of the fabric.

• Combination of viscose and cotton

Cotton is not susceptible to warping, but sometimes it still happens. Washing in hotter water than indicated on the tag, with a spin cycle at medium speed, will help restore the shape. At the end, the products are immersed in hot water with air conditioning for 10 minutes. Dry using a dryer, or spread out on a warm surface.

• With synthetic additives

Clothes are washed with high water heat and spun at maximum speed. Then they are immersed in ice water for a couple of hours. At the end of soaking, carefully squeeze and dry.

• With an admixture of wool fibers

Wool threads are highly susceptible to stretching. To reduce an item by a couple of sizes, wash it at t=+50-60°. The spin is set to the pointer position above 500 rpm. After removing from the machine, wash with cold water and dry flat on a warm, horizontal surface.

Rules for drying viscose clothes

• Place washed items on wooden or plastic hangers to drain. You shouldn't take metal ones - they leave traces.
• You can lay out and smooth the product on a plane, so it will definitely not be deformed.
• A towel or folded sheet will help remove excess moisture. The blouse is placed on a towel and rolled up, pressing lightly. This way, deformation will be avoided.
• Heated dryers and washer dryers cannot be used. As well as drying wet things on radiators or the active sun. Exposure of viscose to high temperatures causes deformation and shrinkage.
• To dry, items with a high content of viscose fiber should be smoothed by hand on a flat surface.

How to iron viscose fabric

Iron any item of clothing or home textiles made from natural cellulose according to the following recommendations.

• The operation should be carried out exclusively from the wrong side.
• Turn the iron on low heat.
• Iron elements and decor on the front side through gauze.
• Do not use a steamer or topical humidification from a spray bottle. Hot steam causes clothes to stretch.
• If moisturizing is necessary, use damp gauze and iron through it.