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Over time, 98-percent cotton/2-percent spandex jeans will stretch out. This is due to the movement of the person wearing the jeans and normal wear and tear. You can shrink jeans about one whole size by placing them in hot water. This will return the jeans to a smaller size, but, eventually, the jeans will stretch out again. Every time you want to shrink the jeans you can repeat this process to keep them smaller and in shape. However, it is important to remember that the use of so much hot water on jeans will also weaken them and make them fade faster.

Heat 5 gallons of water in a pot on the stove. Allow the water to heat on the highest heat setting until the water comes to a rolling boil.

Remove the water from the stove using the oven mitts and pour the water into the large bucket. Place the jeans in the water using a broom handle.

Push the jeans into the water with a broom handle until they are soaked. Allow the jeans to sit in the water until it cools.

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Run the jeans through the washing machine using the hot water setting.

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Remove the jeans from the washer and place them in the dryer. Dry the jeans in the dryer for 20 minutes to one hour until they are completely dry. The jeans should be much smaller. Shrink the jeans a second time to make them even smaller. Once the jeans shrink two or three times, they will no longer shrink any smaller.