How to properly wash your jeans

Oh, man! I feel like this blog post is one that’s been a long time coming. Today we are going to talk about how to properly wash your jeans. This doesn’t just go for your jeans but basically any type of denim that you have in your wardrobe. Let’s make a promise to each other that we’re no longer going to throw our jeans into the wash with all the rest of our clothing on hot and then dry them on hot afterward. Let’s…not do that anymore. Your denim is begging you haha Instead we are going to learn how to properly wash those babies so that they last for a long time!

The few topics I will touch on will be how to keep your jeans from shrinking, fading, smelling bad, and dispel some myths. Do we need to wash our jeans after each wear? Does the vinegar trick work? We will get into all of that! I will also let you know some of my favorite laundry detergents that I use for washing my jeans (and clothing). So, let’s jump in!

How do I properly wash my jeans?

First of I just want to say this, all jeans (and denim) are not created equal! If you have bought jeans at any price point, you probably noticed that some jeans are stretchier and some jeans are more rigid. And everything in between! So, to answer that question with a short answer, you need to make sure you read the label inside that pair of jeans. I do this just to make sure that if there are any special instructions, I don’t miss that and mess them up in the wash.

I always wash my jeans with other denim, and I wash them inside out. This has helped preserve my jeans and spare my other clothing in case there is extra dye on the jeans. *If you have a pair of white jeans, wash separately from your darker jeans. I recommend washing your jeans using cold water and a detergent that is free of dyes. From researching this topic, I did see recommendations to use detergent for dark and colors. I believe Tide has a detergent specifically for this and I will have that linked. This can be a good option, but I personally have not tried that detergent yet. Maybe I will do a detergent showdown for my jeans?  

To dry or not to dry your jeans?

This next step can be a little controversial. Drying your jeans! You can dry your jeans just FYI. Like I said before, read the label to make sure you dry your jeans using the correct heat setting. I do dry my jeans, but it does depend on the pair of jeans and I have a method that I use. My drying method is to dry them on the lowest heat setting for about 20-30 minutes. Just until the jeans are damp. Then I hang them up until they are dried. For many of my jeans they do stretch a little bit, so I want them to regain their form, and drying them does help with that. It also knocks out the wrinkles. But if you do not want your jeans to be near a dryer, just hang them up to dry 🙂

What if I’d rather handwash my jeans?

In some, you do not want to throw your jeans in the dryer at all. A case like that would be if the jeans had rips in them. That large piece in the middle of your washer machine will tear up your distressed denim! Instead of using the washer machine to clean your jeans, you would need to either spot clean your jeans or wash them by hand in your sink(or something similar). Fill your sink or tub with cold water then add some liquid detergent in there. After you add your jeans move it around in the water for a couple of minutes. To get a deep clean you are going to leave the jeans in the sink completely submerged for about 20 minutes. 

You will then empty out all the dirty water and refill your sink or tub with some fresh cold water to rinse off any excess dirty water from your jeans. Soak for another 10ish minutes, then drain the water and squeeze out all the excess water. At this point, you can either dry the jeans in the dryer as mentioned above or hang them to dry.

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How many times should I wash my jeans?

So that was the rundown on how to properly wash your jeans. These methods you can also use for any type of denim. These are great tips to keep your denim in top shape. Next up is the question of how many times you should wash your jeans. There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer to this, it’s a preference. But just remember that the more times you wash your jeans, especially in a machine, the faster your jeans will break down and begin to fade, fall apart, etc.

I usually wash my jeans after 6 or so wears, apart from me sweating in them or I spilled food on them. If that is the case a tend to hand wash them if I had just sent them through the washing machine. If its food or a mark on the jeans, I like to spot treat. A way to keep them super fresh between washes is to let them air out and spritz a little fabric freshener on them. I really lean on this method especially for jeans that have rips in them, and I want to preserve the distressed detail. 

*Disclaimer* This doesn’t go for those who wear jeans in a heavy-duty work setting. Like farming, working with animals, working on cars, etc. If this is you, definitely wash those jeans after a long day out doing those daily activities. This goes for the jeans that you would wear in a setting other than a heavy-duty work environment like that. You will find yourself washing your jeans probably every day with a more heavy-duty detergent so that they can be fresh and clean.

Okay, so what detergent should I use?

My go-to laundry detergent is Arm and Hammer’s sensitive skin laundry detergent. It has zero dyes and perfumes in it. Ya girl has eczema so I don’t need to be flaring that up for no reason. That detergent works so well not only for my jeans/denim but also for all my clothing! I would stick with a clear formula to avoid any added dyes but I know there are some formulas created specifically for darker colors so I will add that below for more info on that. So, here are my fav’s! 

Clean and Clear Detergents

• Arm and Hammer Sensitive Skin
• All-Free and Clear
• Tide- Free and Gentle
• Seventh Generation

Detergents for Color:

• Tide Color Defense 
• Tide Studio Darks and Colors
• Cheer Color guard 

Let’s dispel some myths about washing your jeans!

There are some interesting myths floating around when it comes to how to properly wash your jeans. Let’s take look at some of these and debunk the myths!

The freezer will kill off bacteria from my jeans, so I can wash them less
So…no lol Putting your jeans in the freezer will not kill off bacteria. Some bacteria can survive temps at that level so don’t rely on that. If you are trying to avoid washing your jeans so often, maybe do a hand wash or spot treatment to avoid the aggressive washer machine.

I need to wash my jeans after every wear
No, you don’t! If you do this, you will exponentially reduce the life of your jeans. Maybe in this coronavirus time, it makes sense. There are alternatives to washing your jeans in a machine every day so if this is the case. I would wand wash to preserve the life of your jeans and have a couple of pairs of jeans so you can rotate them. Throwing them in the machine, not a great idea. 

Never dry your jeans in the dryer
This is so false, and I explain why up above. You can dry your jeans just be sure to read the label and follow the instructions. If you want to micromanage the process, then see my method HERE.  

Okay, that was fun, and I hoped you learned a whole lot about how to properly wash your jeans! My goal is for you to learn how to create an amazing wardrobe and take care of it so that it lasts. If you have any tips on how you take care of your jeans, comment below and let me know!