In NYC, Why do my clothes shrink from the Laundromat?

This blog was updated on July 9th, 2025

• Clothing shrinks for a few different reasons, all of which will be explained here
• Some garments can shrink from the washing process too, often after using hot water
• Dryers are the biggest cause of shrinkage, mainly because of high heat
• Many NYC laundry companies use large commercial dryers and mix clothing together in the same dryer
• Hang and Air Drying are good options to prevent shrinkage
• At Todd Layne Cleaners, we give customers an option to select their water and dryer temperature
• At Todd Layne Cleaners, we have our dryers set to lower temperatures to avoid shrinkage and offer air and hang drying for gym gear and delicates

There are many reasons why clothes can shrink from the Laundromat. These reasons vary from using hot water to a dryer that’s too hot. I’m going to outline a few of the main areas in this blog.

Dani Ofsink – Answering your Questions…

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Dani Ofsink and I am a student at Penn State. I work as an Intern on researching the Laundry Industry for Todd Layne Cleaners and helping to increase visibility on the most common questions that people are looking for answers on. Many recent questions relate to an explanation of “why clothes shrink from the Laundromat.” My email is at the bottom of this blog if you would like to get in touch for additional information.

Shrinkage at a NYC Laundromat

• While most people think that garments shrink from the dryer, the washer can also be a likely culprit
• Due to manufacturing changes, some delicate items are best suited to hand washing

Why do my clothes shrink? There are many reasons that clothes shrink when you get them back from your local laundry service or Laundromat. While many people think that shrinkage can only occur in the dryer, there are many items that can shrink just from the washer. Due to recent manufacturing changes, some delicate items are really only suited to hand washing. Don’t panic, this certainly doesn’t apply to the majority of garments.

The Dryer – The biggest culprit

• The dryer is definitely the biggest cause of shrinkage
• Many NYC Laundromats and Laundry Companies use dryers set to a much higher temperature than residential dryers
• At Todd Layne Cleaners, our dryers are set to much lower temperatures

The dryer is often the biggest cause of shrinkage. Most Laundromats have dryers that operate at a much higher temperature than a standard residential dryer. The reason for the higher temperature is that most laundry facilities want to dry as many clothes as possible in the shortest amount of time. This is the greatest cause of garment shrinkage. At Todd Layne Cleaners, our dryers are set to much lower temperatures to prevent shrinkage. It takes us longer to do a customer’s laundry, but we think it’s worth it. 

Mixing customer’s clothing together in the Dryer?

• Many Laundromats and Laundry Companies in NYC mix customer’s clothing together in the same washer and dryer. 
• To do this, they place clothing in a large mesh bag and process several customer’s clothing at the same time
• Large commercial dryers are used at hot temperatures, causing a severe risk of garment shrinkage
• At Todd Layne Cleaners, we never use mesh bags or mix customer’s clothing together. Our dryers are calibrated to operate at much lower temperatures

Many local Laundromats and Laundry Businesses in NYC mix customer’s garments together in the same washers and dryers. If you’re wondering how they do this, each customer’s clothes is placed in a large mesh bag and washed and dried together.We know that sounds gross, but it’s just how its done. It’s also an explanation of the high dryer temperature and shrinkage. If the price seems to good to be true, you now have an explanation. I wrote another blog about how much wash and fold should cost in NYC, you can read it here.

At Todd Layne Cleaners, we promise to never mix customer’s clothes together. Also, our dryers are calibrated to operate at lower temperatures. We recognize that this takes more time, but we have less issues with shrinkage and it keeps our customers happy 🙂

Hang and Air Drying Option at a NYC Laundromat

• Hang and Air Drying are a great option to prevent shrinkage, especially with gym gear and delicates
• Hang Drying means that garments are taken out of the washer damp and placed on hangers
• Air Drying is something that we developed at Todd Layne Cleaners. We have unique dryers that operate with dehumidified air and no heat. We can give back garments on hangers or folded. This is the best option for gym gear and delicates.
• The Air Drying process is very time consuming, but our customers really like this option and we think it’s worth it. Other Laundromat’s and Laundry Companies say that they offer this service, we don’t believe it. 

Hang and Air Drying are great options in preventing shrinkage for gym clothes and other delicate garments. Try to find a Laundromat or laundry service that offers this option. Hang Dry means that garments are not placed in the dryer and are returned damp on hangers. Air Dry means that garments are placed in a specially calibrated dryer with air and no heat. Air dry garments are returned dry either folded or on hangers. Many of our customers use the Air Dry option for their Lululemon and other expensive gym clothes and delicates.  It is important to recognize that the Air Dry process is a very time consuming process and most Laundromats are reluctant to offer this service. At Todd Layne Cleaners, we offer this service with no limit of the number of garments.

How to Find a Laundry Company that won’t shrink your clothing?

• A simple Google search with keywords like Laundromat, Laundry Service, Wash and Fold and Hang or Air Drying is a good place to start
• Make sure that any laundry service that you choose has their own laundromat and does not outsource laundry to another company
• Low prices per pound generally indicate that a laundry company is not doing their own laundry
• At Todd Layne Cleaners, we have our own laundromat and do laundry inside our storefronts. Free Pickup and Delivery is available in NYC.

The easiest way to find a laundry service that won’t shrink your clothing and do a great job washing them is to use Google and type the keywords Laundromat, Laundry Service, Wash and Fold, Hang and Air Drying. Compare pricing for each service and remember that you get what you pay for. A decent laundry service generally costs around $3.50 per pound.  At Todd Layne Cleaners, we offer laundry service at our storefronts and free pickup and delivery throughout New York City. We also have our own Laundromat for customers that want to do their own laundry. 

Trust Todd Layne Cleaners and Laundromat

• We are a local family-owned business that has been trusted since 2006
• Our average employee tenure is over 10 years, a great place to work with the quality and service that you deserve

Trust Todd Layne Cleaners with your laundry. Since 2006, our family-owned business has been serving the NYC community. Our average employee tenure is over 10 years, it’s a great place to work and we provide the service that you deserve. We were voted #1 laundry company in NYC by our customers.

Other Questions about why clothes shrink at the Laundromat?

If you have any questions or would like additional information about anything in this blog, please feel free to email me at [email protected]. We’re also happy to answer questions about our services, delivery service in NYC or anything else. Call or text us anytime at 646.661.4777. One of our friendly and knowledgeable staff will quickly respond.

If you are an existing customer, we would love to hear your feedback. Text or call us at 646.661.4777 or send an email to [email protected].

Thanks for Reading!
Dani Ofsink – Author and Niece of the Boss 🙂

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