I bought some linen pants for summer but after washing them they came out super small and all wrinkled. Is there any trick to take care of them properly so they don't get ruined? I use a regular washing machine but I'm not sure if that's the right way to do it.
The trick is to wash in cold water on a delicate cycle with no spin, or directly by hand if you want to be sure. Linen shrinks when you wring it out too much and with hot water, so take the wet clothes out without twisting them, hang them or lay them flat to dry on their own. If it already shrunk, try washing again in lukewarm water with fabric softener and while it's still wet stretch it gently before hanging; sometimes it recovers a bit. For wrinkles, iron on medium heat while it's still a little damp, that'll save you effort.
Have you tried taking it out of the washer while it's still wet without spinning it out? What happened to you is typical of linen when you wring it hard or use hot water. The key thing is to get it out while it's still damp (but not dripping) and hang it up or stretch it really well on a flat surface, so it dries without shrinking even more. And while you're at it, steam press it when it's still a bit damp 🪴 - wet linen is way easier to straighten out than when it's completely dry and the wrinkles have already set in.
The important thing is to take the wet clothes out of the washer and hang them to dry without wringing anything out - seriously, no twisting or spinning. I had the same problem a while back with some linen pants that ended up fitting a kid after I put them through a normal cycle, so now I wash everything in cold water on delicate and hang it dripping wet straight out of the machine. Linen recovers really well when it air-dries hung up, because the weight of the water keeps it stretched out; plus, if it's still a bit damp when you iron it later, it smooths out way easier without ruining it. One more thing: avoid hot water at all costs because that's what actually shrinks it permanently.
First thing to know: don't do this. Strong spin cycles and hot water are poison for linen. You've already seen it happen to your pants. But don't get paranoid about everything people say about taking it out wet and that's it, because you do need some drainage or it'll be dripping for days. The key is finding the balance.
Wash in cold or lukewarm water (never hot), on a gentle cycle with no spin, or with a very gentle spin if your washing machine allows it. When it comes out, squeeze it carefully: wrap it in a clean towel and press without wringing, or let it sit on the towel for a few minutes. Then hang it up wet but not dripping. While it dries, smooth it out with your hands every so often if you see it getting wrinkled. Linen stretches a bit when it's damp, so take advantage of that moment to straighten it out before the drying sets in.
Oh, and use little detergent. Linen doesn't need much to get clean, and fewer products means fewer residues that'll make it stiff. Some people say a bit of white vinegar in the final rinse does it good, but being honest, if you use moderate detergent it's not essential. What does work is always hang-drying, never the dryer. Linen and dry heat aren't friends.
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