How to Stretch Jeans for the Perfect Fit

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Your expert guide to loosening jeans
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So you bought a pair of jeans that's a bit too tight, or you accidentally shrunk a pair in the dryer. We've all been there! Luckily, denim stretches, and you can actually add up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) to the waist, hips, butt, thighs, calves, or length of your jeans by stretching them out. We’ll go over some easy ways to do this, complete with helpful advice from laundry and fashion experts. Keep reading for everything you need to know!

How can you stretch jeans?

  1. Do some squats while wearing the jeans to stretch them out.
  2. Target specific areas with a hairdryer or iron to loosen them.
  3. Wet the jeans with warm water and stretch them by hand.
  4. Put on your jeans and soak in the tub, then stretch in them.
  5. Stuff your jeans with objects like foam rollers while storing them.
  6. Use a waistband stretcher or wooden hanger to expand the waist.
Section 1 of 3:

8 Ways to Stretch Out Jeans

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  1. If your jeans are just a bit too tight, putting them on and moving around in them might do the trick. Laundry specialist Robert Shapiro explains that jeans naturally contract a bit when you wash them, but the body heat and pulling that happens when you wear them can naturally loosen the fibers again. For the maximum stretch effect, try doing some squats or lunges in them.
    • To squat , stand with your feet about hip-width apart, then bend at your knees to lower your hips and bottom like you’re going to sit on a chair. Stand back up again and repeat a few times.
    • To lunge , stand normally, then take a step forward and lower your body until your front knee is bent at a 90 degree angle. Return to standing position and alternate sides.
    • After a few minutes of doing lunges or squats, check to see if your jeans feel looser and more comfy. The waist, hips, butt, and thigh area should feel a bit less tight.
  2. If your jeans fit perfectly in some areas but are a bit too tight in others, try applying some heat to the problem areas. This is a great option if your jeans fit well in the waist, but they’re too tight in the thigh, hip, or butt area, for example. You can use a hair dryer or an iron—whatever you have on hand. [1] Here’s a breakdown of how to use each:
    • Hair dryer: Put the hair dryer on a medium setting and hold it about 6 inches (15 cm) above the area you're targetting. Allow the hot air to warm the fabric for a few seconds, then pull and stretch the denim with your hands to stretch it out. You can also put your arm inside the jeans and push outward.
    • Iron: Fill a spray bottle with lukewarm water and spritz the area you want to stretch. Lay the jeans on an ironing board and steam iron the damp portion slowly. Right afterward, put the jeans on and allow your body heat and movement to continue stretching the area. [2]
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  3. For a more dramatic stretch, wetting your jeans is likely the best option. Lay out your jeans on the floor, then fill a spray bottle with lukewarm water. Spray the jeans section by section until they’re damp all over. From there, you can either put the damp jeans on so that they stretch and mold to your body, or you can just use your hands to pull and stretch out the problem areas. [3]
    • If you prefer, you can also fully soak your jeans in a water and detergent mixture, instead of using a spray bottle.
    • “I like to use lukewarm water and Tide Free & Gentle detergent because it’s delicate on clothes,” laundry specialist Rani Gorgis explains. “Soak the item for about half an hour, then squeeze gently to remove excess water. Lay down flat and use both hands to stretch in each direction as much as you can.”
    • When you’re done stretching, Gorgis says to steer clear of the dryer (which can shrink the fabric all over again). He suggests laying your jeans out flat to air dry, instead.
  4. 4
    Put on your jeans and soak in the bathtub for a few minutes. This option is a bit more involved than the other methods (and it can also be slightly uncomfortable), but it does give your jeans a great stretch. Fill your bathtub up with warm water, put on your jeans, and get into the tub for about 15-20 minutes. The water and heat will loosen up the fibers of the denim, and since you’ll be wearing them, they’ll mold to fit your body pretty perfectly. [4]
    • Once the time is up, get out of the tub, do a few stretches while wearing the jeans, then take them off and let them air dry. When you put them on again, they should be much stretchier and more comfortable.
    • You can also kill two birds with one stone and use the time in the tub as a relaxation session. Light a candle, read a book, do a face mask—whatever you’d like! [5]
  5. 5
    Stuff your jeans with items while you store them to stretch them out. If you don’t need to wear your jeans right away, try stuffing some large objects, like foam rollers, pillows, or rolled up blankets into the legs and waist area. [6] The constant pressure from these objects will loosen the pants as they sit in your closet, and they should feel a bit stretchier the next time you put them on.
  6. 6
    Widen the waist with a waistband stretcher, wooden hanger, or chair. A waistband stretcher is a super helpful tool to target the waist area of your jeans. The directions can vary depending on the type of waistband stretcher you buy, but the process usually involves wetting the waistband, interesting the tool, then leaving it for several hours or overnight to expand the fabric. [7]
    • You can also try inserting a regular wooden clothes hanger to the waist of the jeans or pulling the waist down over the top of a wooden chair to achieve a similar effect.
  7. 7
    Get some button extenders for a more comfortable fit. If you’re wearing a shirt that will cover the top of your jeans, a button extender is an easy solution to make the waistband of your jeans a bit roomier. You can also use an elastic hair tie if you don’t have time to buy extenders. Just loop the hair tie over the button, thread it through the buttonhole, and secure it over the button again. [8]
  8. 8
    Visit a tailor. If none of these DIY methods end up working for your pair of jeans, your best option is to take the pants to a professional tailor. They’ll likely be able to make adjustments and alter seams to give you the perfect customized fit.
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Care for Jeans

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  1. 1
    Wash your jeans in cold water. To avoid shrinking your jeans during the laundry process, personal wardrobe stylist Paul Julch suggests washing them inside out in a cold water setting. Warm or hot water can cause the fibers to contract and shrink, but cold water helps maintain your jeans’ stretch, and it also prevents the dye from fading. [9]
  2. 2
    Air dry your jeans. If you want to avoid shrinking, Julch says you should never put your jeans in the dryer. The heat can easily cause the denim tighten, making your pants less stretchy and less comfortable. Hang your jeans up by the waistband or lay them out on a flat surface to dry them, instead. [10]
    • If you line dry your jeans outside, hang them inside out to protect the dye from fading in the sun. [11]
  3. 3
    Wear your jeans a few times before washing them. “Don’t wash jeans as often as you wash your other clothing items,” Gorgis says. Jeans naturally stretch and mold to your body as you wear them, so they tend to get more and more comfortable the longer you go without washing them. Washing them less frequently also helps preserve their color and prevent fading.
    • For the best results, wear your jeans 2-3 times before tossing them in the washing machine—or, if you’re hard core, you can even go up to 10 wears without washing. [12]
    • If you had a minor spill on one area of your jeans, do a quick spot-clean instead of fully washing them. Just put some mild detergent and lukewarm water on a clean cloth or toothbrush, gently scrub the area, then rinse the detergent out.
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Section 3 of 3:

How to Pick the Best Fitting Jeans

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  1. 1
    Try on a ton of different options. If you’re in the market for a new pair of jeans, don’t just buy the first pair you try on. According to image consultant Alice Wu, “Jeans are a really, really hard thing,” and you “really have to try on a lot of brands before you know which ones will fit you.” So, when it comes time to jean shop, clear up a few hours in your schedule to hit a few different stores and try on several pairs.
    EXPERT TIP

    Kathi Burns, CPO®

    Board Certified Professional Organizer
    Kathi Burns is a board certified Professional Organizer (CPO) and Founder of Organized and Energized!, her consulting business with a mission to empower people to master their environment and personal image by assisting them in taking control, making change and organizing their lives. Kathi has over 17 years of organizing experience and her work has been featured on Better Homes and Gardens, NBC News, Good Morning America, and Entrepreneur. She has a BS in Communication from Ohio University.
    Kathi Burns, CPO®
    Board Certified Professional Organizer

    Take a friend when you're trying on jeans. You can't see your back end very well by twisting and looking in a mirror on your own. Because of this, it's helpful to bring someone who can look at you straight on from the back to tell you whether it's working or not.

  2. 2
    Do some squats and stretches. While trying on a pair of jeans, Wu recommends doing some squats and moving around to make sure they’re actually comfortable. Sometimes, a pair of jeans will look and feel good while you’re standing up, but they may be way too tight or bunch up in uncomfortable ways when you lean over or sit down.
  3. 3
    Size up, then take them to a tailor. If you’re having a hard time finding a pair that fits right in all the areas, Wu suggests buying a pair that’s a size too big then bringing them to a professional tailor to make adjustments. “A lot of my clients end up taking jeans to the tailor because jeans don't always fit people right off the rack. The tailor can size them down accordingly.”
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  • Question
    Does that work for non-stretch jeans like Levi's?
    Community Answer
    Yes, definitely! I did it on 100% cotton jeans with no stretch at all.
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  • Question
    Why would anyone want to stretch their pants when they can just get a bigger size?
    Community Answer
    Sometimes you gain weight and can't afford to get another pair, or they might be your favorite pair.
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  • Question
    Does this also work on cloth?
    Community Answer
    Yes, this method should work on natural fabrics.
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      Tips

      • If you cannot pull your pants up past your thighs, you will not be able to stretch the jeans out enough to make them comfortable. Jean stretching is best done when you need approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) of extra room. [13]
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      Warnings

      • Be careful not to set wet jeans on any light-colored carpet or towels. The indigo dye in the denim can easily stain carpet or fabric.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.tipsbulletin.com/how-to-stretch-jeans/
      2. ↑ https://www.tipsbulletin.com/how-to-stretch-jeans/
      3. ↑ https://www.purewow.com/fashion/how-to-stretch-jeans
      4. ↑ https://themomedit.com/how-to-break-in-levis-jeans/
      5. ↑ https://themomedit.com/how-to-break-in-levis-jeans/
      6. ↑ https://www.thelist.com/259352/heres-how-to-stretch-out-your-jeans-the-right-way/
      7. ↑ https://www.elle.com.au/fashion/how-to-stretch-jeans/https://www.elle.com.au/fashion/how-to-stretch-jeans/
      8. ↑ https://www.elle.com.au/fashion/how-to-stretch-jeans/
      9. ↑ https://www.levistrauss.com/2018/04/20/definitive-denim-care-guide/
      1. ↑ https://www.levistrauss.com/2016/01/19/how-to-care-for-your-jeans-5-tips-to-keep-looking-great-in-your-favorite-pair/
      2. ↑ https://www.levistrauss.com/2018/04/20/definitive-denim-care-guide/
      3. ↑ https://www.levistrauss.com/2018/04/20/definitive-denim-care-guide/
      4. ↑ https://putthison.com/should-you-take-a-bath-in-your-jeans-and-other/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To stretch out your jeans, start by laying them flat on the floor. Then, use a spray bottle to mist them with lukewarm water until they feel damp but not soaked. When you're finished, stand on one side of your jeans to hold them in place, and tug on the opposite side with your hands to stretch it. If you want your jeans to be longer, pull the legs up to stretch them out. Alternatively, if you want your jeans to be wider, tug on them width-wise. Once you've stretched the first half, repeat the process on the opposite side, and then hang your jeans up to dry before you wear them. To learn how to stretch your jeans using a hair dryer, scroll down!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Uthan Canpillo

        Jun 6, 2016

        "It took being patient in the bath and sitting still for 30 minutes, but it was worth it! My jeans stretched out ..." more
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