Comments on: Washing blue jeans.

Question: Washing blue jeans.

TheManticore — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:01:28 -0800

I like to have a pair of jeans to wear for smart but casual occasions. I want to maintain the unvarying blue appearance they have when they're new. Are there any laundering secrets to keep that look for as long as possible?

By: grouse

grouse — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:04:07 -0800

I've started washing and drying trousers inside out to reduce wear on tear on the outside.

By: purephase

purephase — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:30:47 -0800

I second grouse's answer. Also, use cold water in the wash and look into some gentler detergents (some are just brutal on clothing).

Finally, do not wash them that often. Depending on what you're doing while wearing them, skip a few laundry cycles here and there and you should get a longer wear out of most pants (or clothing in general).

By: FlamingBore

FlamingBore — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:33:49 -0800

Agreed with all of the above and I'll add that I find that if I don't stick jeans in the dryer they stay blue longer. I just put them on a hanger and hang them on the shower rod.

By: j

Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:34:44 -0800

when you do wash them, line dry them after. do NOT put them in the dryer.
you see all the lint that is in the lint catcher? those are your jeans, slowly eroding away.

By: elisabeth r

elisabeth r — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:36:05 -0800

Wash inside out, on delicate cycle, and use the woolite that's meant for black fabrics.

By: geoff.

geoff. — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:36:19 -0800

I had a pair of too-cool-for-you European jeans and it came with a little guide:

- Wash the jeans inside out
- Do not wash for a month or more, if possible. This is to both preserve the natural wear look you'll create in them with creases and such and prevent a washed-out look.

It's very hard to keep pants clean, I gave up on all those rules and the jeans broke down to normal. While I was being anal about it they did look good.

By: geoff.

geoff. — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 07:36:36 -0800

Oh yeah for god's sake do not put them in the dryer.

By: Kellydamnit

Kellydamnit — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 08:04:20 -0800

If Woolite is a bit pricy for you (god knows it is for me...), Cheer now makes a dark-clothes laundry soap, too. I've never paid more than $3.50 for a good sized bottle of it (and usually less since I'm a sale ads and coupons kind of gal)

By: matildaben

matildaben — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 08:13:00 -0800

If you air-dry denim, doesn't it come out like cardboard?

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 08:44:54 -0800

just a couple of related points: around here at least, patchy faded jeans are fashionable anyway; if i buy a new pair of jeans and wear them pretty regularly, washing them inside out, then they stay looking reasonable for as long as that cut is current (so i'm not sure "saving for best" makes much sense).

that cardboard thing goes away after 10 minutes of wear.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 08:46:54 -0800

Use a front-loading (tumble) washer instead of a top-loading (thrashing) washer. All your clothes will thank you.

By: stopgap

stopgap — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 08:59:13 -0800

I almost never wash my jeans and I love the way they've broken in. It's my dirty little secret, but it gives great results.

By: theora55

theora55 — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 09:08:31 -0800

Most public water systems chlorinate water to kill germs. Cheer has an ingredient that neutralizes the chlorine. Highly recommended for dark clothes. Don't use in bleach loads - the bleach won't work.

By: bcwinters

bcwinters — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 09:26:24 -0800

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned, so here's one other option: dry clean 'em.

I worked for a few years with a guy who dry cleaned all his black jeans to keep them from fading. If you're the sort who drops off dress shirts for laundering every week anyway, it won't make a huge difference budget-wise. Just make sure you tell them not to press creases into the front!

(And don't tell anyone you do it, because they will think you are insane. But it works!)

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 10:24:31 -0800

Just make sure you tell them not to press creases into the front!
what is it with americans and creases? a hotel put creases in a pair of jeans of mine last time i was in the states. i had to get an iron and press the damn things out. it was a pile of work.

By: puddinghead

puddinghead — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 12:53:42 -0800

All of the above, plus wash them in cold water.

By: salad spork

salad spork — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 16:19:59 -0800

I almost never wash my jeans and I love the way they've broken in. It's my dirty little secret, but it gives great results.

Same here. I wash my jeans maybe twice a month. I'm the only one who knows, and they don't smell, so what harm is done?

By: Dreama

Dreama — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 18:18:23 -0800

Put 1/2 cup of plain white vinegar in your rinse cycle and skip the fabric softener. It will help set the dye, it will help them to rinse more cleanly (the trapped in soap will cause fading too) and it will soften the fabric without breaking down the fibers.

By: whatitis

whatitis — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 19:08:28 -0800

in summary, since i'm one of those people that wears "too-cool-for-you European jeans"... ;-)
- wash as little as possible. i go about a month - trust me, no one will notice
- wash inside out + gentle + cold cycle
- air dry by hanging, no dryer