When it comes to apparel, we all have a favorite item that we wear more than others, and a soccer player’s jersey is precious to them.
There are various methods for stretching the polyester fabric to restore it to its former size, some of which are more difficult than others. It all comes down to how much stretching your polyester shirt or garment needs.
- Stretching polyester with hands
- Stretch your soccer jersey with a hair conditioner
- Stretch soccer jerseys naturally with your body
Read on to know how to stretch a soccer jersey utilizing these simple methods. The key points that the article will focus on are:
Stretch Polyester with Your Hands
To perform this method, fill a spray bottle halfway with hot water and spritz both sides of the fabric until it is damp but not drenched.
Begin at the upper side area of the garment and pull the material outwards with your hands to stretch it wider.
As you get closer to the bottom of the jersey, keep doing this. If the piece is too short, use one hand to hold the top of the fabric and the other to hold the bottom.
Stretch the fibers by pulling your hands away from each other. Repeat the tugging procedure by moving both arms over an inch or two and repeating the process until you reach the desired length.
It’s also a good idea to stretch the fabric out by placing your arms inside of the jersey. As you move from one end of the jersey to another, slide your arms in and pull outward.
Position the item on a hanger to dry naturally in the wind once it has been stretched.
Use a Hair Conditioner
If ordinary water won’t stretch your polyester, use a hair conditioner to relax the fibers and make stretching easier. Here’s how to use a little conditioner and warm water to stretch your soccer jersey.
Pour a washbasin halfway with hot water and one spoonful of hair conditioner per quart of water. Drench the clothing in the liquid for around half an hour after agitating it with your hands.
Remove the fabric from the water and squeeze out any excess water with your hands. Don’t be scared to twist the fabric a lot since pressing out the water will assist the stretching process.
Pull the material outwards while gripping each side with your hands. Carry on in this manner as you work around the edges of the jersey, paying careful attention to the tight areas.
Allow for air drying by placing the jersey on a smooth surface.
Stretch a Soccer Jersey using Your Body
Stretching garments to fit your contour is easy with your body. While it is not the most pleasant option, it accomplishes the job of getting your jerseys to fit perfectly.
Fill a large bathtub or sink halfway with warm water and soak the jersey there. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the fabric, then slip it on while it’s still moist.
If the shirt has hooks, make sure they’re attached to the eyelets so it can expand properly. While the shirt is drying, move about the home doing physical tasks to assist the fabric expands to your shape.
Gentle exercises and body movements can work to broaden the material even further.
Use the Washing Machine
The washing machine is an excellent alternative if you don’t have time to extend a garment by hand. It’s also the most effective approach to get stains out of polyester.
Turn the jersey inside out and wash it on the relatively warm water cycle in the washing machine. If the item isn’t filthy, using laundry detergent isn’t necessary.
To protect the clothing from leaking or fading:
- Add one quart of white vinegar to the washer during the washing cycle.
- Remove the cloth from the machine and spread it out on a dry, flat surface.
- Stretch the cloth outward and place a large load, such as a thick book, at each corner to keep it in place while it dries.
Use Clothespins to Stretch a Soccer Jersey
Clothespins can be used to hang your clothes to dry, but they can also be used to stretch your jersey back to its original size and form.
Put clothespins in place, walk out the door, and let the jersey expand on its own for a quick way to make it wider.
Fill a bottle with warm water and place your clothes on an ironing board. Mist one half of the jersey, then flip it over and repeat. To hold the material, stretch the opposite sides outward and attach them to the end of the board using a clothespin.
Carry on in this manner until the entire thing has stretched to the size needed.
Midway through the drying process, detach the clothespins and connect them to various portions of the jersey and ironing board while drawing the material out.
This ensures that the material is stretched evenly and does not become distorted. Allow the jersey to sit like this until it dries.
Use an Iron
High temperatures can also be used to stretch out materials. Polyester and spandex fabrics stretch well with a mixture of hot water and a clothing iron.
Preheat a garment iron to moderate heat and lay the polyester jersey out on an ironing board. Spritz the top side of the clothing and both ends of a big, clean towel with hot water in a spray bottle.
Place the wet towel over the polyester and press it from start to finish while pulling the material outwards with your other hand.
Lay the damp towel on the garment after flipping it over and spraying the rear with warm water.
If the towel is completely dry, re-spray it with warm water. Continue the pressing and pulling steps until the fabric reaches the desired length.
Are Soccer Jerseys Tight?
Whether you want a professional-quality jersey to wear while participating on the field or a jersey of your favorite player to use while screaming from the sidelines, finding the proper size is critical for maximum comfort.
Soccer jerseys come in a variety of sizes, with some being cut somewhat larger than others.
Genuine jerseys also feature a snugger fit, as modern athletes desire their uniforms to be as light as possible. Nike jerseys are, overall, quite uniform in size.
Do Jerseys Shrink in the Dryer?
You may adore those sports jerseys of your favorite star that you picked up at the sporting goods store, but it won’t look quite right if it’s too large for you.
Some jerseys are made of a cotton-polyester combination, while others are made of 100 percent polyester that does not shrink.
If your jersey contains cotton, it may shrink it in the washing machine.
Jerseys made of poly-cotton fabric will shrink 3-4 percent, whereas clothing made entirely of cotton will shrink 7-10 percent when laundered for the first time.
How to Prevent Soccer Jerseys from Shrinking?
Stretching a jersey is easy, but repetitive strains are bad for the fabric. It’s critical to carefully care for your jersey once you’ve restored it to its original size to avoid additional shrinkage.
Here are some tips that you can use to avoid your soccer jerseys from shrinking:
- The easiest approach to keep garments from shrinkage is to wash them with hands. If you’re going to wash your fabric in the machine, stay away from the heavy-duty cycle. This loop spins at a high rate, stretching the fibers.
- To avoid further shrinkage, use a lower thermal setting instead of high temperatures when drying the jersey in the machine. To avoid wrinkling, always take out the jersey from the dryer as soon as possible.
- If possible, avoid using the dryer. It will reduce the chances of shrinkage.
Official Soccer Jerseys
Supporters and athletes who purchase real, officially licensed soccer jerseys want to ensure that their money is well-spent. Nobody wants a soccer jersey that fits fine at first but tightens after a few washes.
Therefore, it is necessary to learn and know how to prevent shrinkage and stretch your soccer jersey to its maximum size.
With the ways mentioned above, you can easily stretch your soccer jersey and save money that might be wasted on buying a new soccer shirt.
