Easy Ways To Stretch Out Jeans That Are Too Tight

stretch out jeans: woman wearing jeans stretching up

Photo: @Samanta

Nobody enjoys the feeling of being constricted by tight denim that impedes their blood flow, especially if you have a long day ahead of you that includes a lot of walking around or travelling. Discovering that your beloved jeans have shrunk in the wash is one of the most disappointing things that can happen.

The good news is that there are ways to stretch them out again.

Despite the initial disappointment, there is still a glimmer of hope for your shrunken jeans. These stretching tips are effective for a variety of jeans styles, including skinny jeans, straight leg jeans, and wide leg jeans.

You can create some extra room and wear your favorite jeans with confidence once more with these top tips:

Best Ways To Stretch Out Jeans

Selecting well-fitting jeans is the most essential step, but it’s easy to accidentally shrink them by washing and drying them at excessively high temperatures. However, purchasing a new pair of jeans can be expensive, and sometimes it can be a tough task to find jeans that you will love just as much.

If you’re wondering how to stretch out your jeans to get the original fit back or just looking to make a new pair of jeans fit just right, then read on!

Wear The Same Pair Over and Over Again

women wearing blue sweaters and straight leg jeans and boots

Wearing your jeans is the most natural method of stretching them. Similar to how breaking in a new pair of shoes is necessary, the same is true for jeans.

Denim fibres on new jeans are often packed together quite tightly so just wearing them a few times can begin to create more space within the denim fabric.

This may not be the most comfortable approach but the fabric will gradually expand with each wear. Initially, new jeans can be stiff and constricting, but after a few wears, they will begin to feel more comfortable, less restrictive and begin to form around your figure.

Use A Hair Dryer

hairdryer on jeans

If the prospect of waiting around in damp jeans doesn’t excite you, then you can choose to use a hair dryer or blow dryer to stretch them out. Use a low to medium heat setting to avoid burning yourself or potentially shrinking them even more, and concentrate on the areas that require the most stretching.

While the denim is warm, you can perform a few light stretches to enhance the results and maximise comfort!

Stretch It Out

stretches in jeans

Photo: @popsugar

If you don’t wear your jeans frequently enough then simply wearing them repeatedly may seem like it will take too long. To speed up the stretching process, you can attempt some stretches while wearing them.

However, be careful to not tear them! Overstretching denim can cause it to lose its form, and if you’re not careful, you might even tear open a seam.

If your jeans are excessively tight, it’s best to try other techniques before resorting to this one but this can be a good option if you need a quick fix in a pinch.

Use A Steamer

Jeans on hanger next to steamer

Photo: @Steamery

This way of stretching jeans is similar to utilizing a hair dryer, but it employs steam instead. As this method involves hot water, it’s advisable to make sure you are careful to not burn yourself

Apply the steamer to directly to the denim and begin gently stretching the fabric in opposite directions with your hands while it’s still warm and moist.

Be careful not to pull hard or you can cause the fabric to warp and be disproportionately stretched compared to the rest of the jeans.

This is an excellent method for stretching out jeans which can yield some of the best results compared to other methods.

Wet Jeans With Spray Bottle, Then Stretch

person holding a spray bottle over jeans

A different way to stretch out jeans involves laying them out on the floor and grab your trustiest spray bottle. Fill the bottle with lukewarm water and spray the jeans in the areas that require the most stretching.

Next, wear the damp jeans and allow them to dry whilst you have them on.

If the thought of wearing some wet jeans (especially ones that are already a bit tight) is daunting, you can spray them whilst you have them on instead. Just be sure to spray all the areas that need the most stretching.

Give Them A Warm Bath

Someone wearing jeans in the bath

Photo: @Akkadenim

Here’s another simple solution for when your favorite jeans become too snug: Give your jeans a warm bath to help stretch them. Soak your jeans in the bathtub with warm water and fabric softener for about 20 minutes.  Then put them on and wear them until they dry completely making sure to rinse the fabric softener completely out of the jean fabric.

The water will stretch out the denim, and the softener will make it easier to stretch them even further without damaging the jeans or warping the fabric.

Best Ways To Stretch Out Tight Jeans

If you have too tight jeans then you may need some extra tips on how to give your jeans more stretch.

Use a Waistband Stretcher

Waistband stretching jeans

Photo: @Tarphat

In the case that your jeans are mostly tight around the waist, then you can get yourself this little gadget and do these 3 simple steps to expand the waistband:

  1. Obtain a spray bottle filled with lukewarm water and proceed to spray the waistband until it becomes slightly moist.
  2. Insert the gadget and leave it to air dry for a few hours whilst making sure the device is tight enough to put a bit of pressure on the waistband but not so much that it would damage the jeans.
  3. After it has fully dried, remove the waistband stretcher and your jeans should have that bit of extra room for maximum comfort.
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