How to Prevent Hanger Marks on Shoulders

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: November 2, 2022 References

It's frustrating to step out only to notice that the top you're wearing has hanger bumps on the shoulder. To stop these from happening in the first place, fold your tops in half before hanging the sleeves and sides over the top of the hanger instead of sliding the hanger through the garment. You should also avoid hanging heavy knit garments since the weight will pull down the fabric and create dimpling. If you do get the dreaded bumps, it's easy to wet them down and dry the fabric so it lies flat.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Hanging Long-Sleeved Garments Properly

1
Fold the garment in half lengthwise. Lay your long-sleeved garment open on a flat surface. Then, bring the sleeve and bottom corner of the garment over onto the other side. This stacks the sleeves and body of the garment.^{[1]
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- Smooth out the fabric to minimize the wrinkles in the fabric.
2
Select a hanger that won't make bumps on the fabric. Choose a hanger that has smooth shoulder support rods in a single line. You could use hangers made from wood, plastic, or wire as long as the support rods are straight and smooth. Try to choose a hanger with support rods that are as long as the shoulder of your top.^{[2]
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- Avoid using hangers that have grooves to catch the fabric. You should only use these hangers for tank tops or spaghetti-strap tops.
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3
Lay the hanger on the folded garment so the hook is at the underarm. Arrange the hanger so the hook extends away from the fabric of your garment. If your hanger has a horizontal bar at the bottom, this should form a diagonal line across the item.^{[3]
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- You'll need to be able to grasp the hook so you can fold the fabric over the hanger.
4
Bring the folded sleeves down over the support rod of the hanger. Keep the folded sleeves together and bring them across the top of the hanger so the cuffs are near the middle of the folded garment.^{[4]
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- If your hanger has a horizontal support bar, there's no need to weave the sleeves under it.
5
Fold the bottom of the garment's body over the other support rod of the hanger. Bring the folded body of the item over the hanger so it rests on the folded sleeves. The garment now forms a pentagon-shape and you can lift up the hook. Hang the item in your closet.^{[5]
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- Hanging the garment in a pentagon-shape evenly distributes the weight of the item so it doesn't pull on the shoulders.
6
Avoid hanging heavy or bulky sweaters. If you've ever tried to hang a heavy knit sweater, you'll notice that the weight of the sweater pulls the garment down, which creates shoulder bumps. Although you could try folding the garment in half and draping it over the hanger, you might find that the thick sweater takes up too much space in your closet. If so, fold the garment and store it in a dresser.^{[6]
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Did You Know? You can actually damage the knit fabric by hanging it from the shoulders for a long period of time. This is because the weight of the material weakens the fibers as they hang.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Removing Hanger Marks

1
Wet the hanger marks with your fingers or a damp cloth. Dip your fingers into water or soak a small cloth in water and wring it out. Rub your wet fingers or the cloth on the shoulder bumps until the fabric is damp.^{[7]
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- Dip your fingers in more water if the fabric isn't damp right away.
- If it's more convenient for you, rub an ice cube over the bumps so it slowly melts and moistens the fabric.
2
Flatten the wet fabric with your fingers and leave it to dry flat. Lay the garment flat on a smooth surface and let it dry completely. The fabric will relax as it dries so the hanger bumps disappear.^{[8]
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- It takes about 5 to 10 minutes for the fabric to dry.
Tip: If you're in a hurry, turn on a blow dryer to a warm setting and use it to dry the fabric.
3
Re-wash and dry the garment if you still can't remove the hanger marks. If nothing seems to remove the marks and you have time until you plan on wearing the garment, put it back in the washing machine. Wash the garment and tumble dry it or lay it flat according to the care directions on the tag. Then, fold your garment properly to prevent future hanger bumps.^{[9]
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- To lay the garment flat to dry, spread a clean dry cloth on a flat surface. Arrange the garment on the towel and let it dry. Turn it to completely dry the opposite side as well.
4
Use steam to reshape the garment. If you have a little time before you need to put on the top and you notice hanger bumps, lay it on a flat surface in the bathroom and run a shower. The steam relaxes the fibers and then you can smooth the hanger bumps with your hand.^{[10]
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- If you have a clothing steamer, you could use that instead of running a shower.
5
Moisten the bumps and put the garment in the dryer for 10 to 15 minutes. If you don't have time to wait for the top to dry, dampen the bumps and toss the top in the dryer. Run the dryer on a warm setting so the garment is completely dry and bump-free.^{[11]
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- Remember to read the care instructions on the garment label. You may need to dry the item on low or gentle heat, for instance.