There’s nothing worse than purchasing a pricey new pair of jeans as a gift to yourself for getting fit for the summer, only to accidentally dry them on a super-hot setting. It’s a mistake that can make you feel like you never shed those extra pounds in the first place! Yep, we’ve been guilty of this once or twice, and we have to tell you, attempting to stuff yourself into denim that once fit like a sleeve can really mess with your head…

Because even we aren’t immune to making laundry-related faux pas from time-to-time, we looked into the issue a little closer– and found a super simple solution that, thankfully, doesn’t require a trip to your local seamstress.

What’s best about this hack is that it works for each and every part of the pant, which is great considering that jeans don’t just tighten at the waist– they constrict at the ankles, calves, and definitely the thighs. How rude!

So, to get started on your hassle-free, denim-stretching journey, first grab your necessary materials. For this tutorial, all you will need is:

1. The pair of shrunken jeans

and

2. A clean spray bottle filled with water

That’s it, folks. No sewing machine required!

So, now that you’ve got your offending pair of denim in hand, along with your spray bottle, let’s get started on stretching those jeans!

To begin, simply lay your jeans out on a flat surface, like a kitchen table or craft table. There is a possibility that your surrounding could get a little wet, so if this is a problem for you, it’s best to take this project outside.

Once your jeans are in position, start spraying the tightest areas of the denim with water from your spray bottle. Generally, jeans shrink the most around the waistband and calf areas, which means that those parts might need some extra attention. Of course, if the pants feel suffocating everywhere, then feel free to splash a liberal amount of water on all areas.

Now that your jeans are properly saturated, they are now ready to be stretched! To do this is in the most effective manner, place each hand on opposing sides of the fabric, think about a current issue in your life that is really irking you, and pull, pull, PULL on the fabric! Repeat in every direction possible, both up-and-down and against the seams.

Yep, concentrate all of that aggression in your hands, and while you might not be solving the world’s problems by simply hand-stretching your jeans, it WILL be a cathartic experience for you, nonetheless!

You will know when you are finished pulling at the fabric when you feel that your jeans have gained a bit of flexibility and surface area. This will be especially obvious along the beltline.

Now that you have all of the hard work done, lay flat to dry, and do NOT put them back in the hot dryer that shrunk them in the first place. In fact, since the jeans are obviously susceptible to shrinking, it’s probably best that you keep them out of the dryer altogether!

Pro tip: If your jeans still feel a little tight along the beltline, add a few sprays after pulling them on and stretch your hips around. This will give you even more wiggle room!

How easy was that? Now you can wear those jeans you love— and actually be comfortable in them!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this denim-stretching hack. Have you ever tried this before? Do you know of any other jeans hacks? How do you dry your jeans?