A STURDY pair of jeans can last you decades if you take care of them – but many people don’t know how to wash their denim.
Many people are realizing that they are washing their jeans improperly and causing serious damage to the material.
1
It may seem tempting to Wash your jeans after each wearReader’s Digest experts recommend against it because of hygiene.
It is possible to wash your jeans at different times depending on how and where you wear them.
The pros suggested that you use a way to tell when it’s time for you to wash your jeans. It could be anywhere between 3 and 10 times.
First, look at your jeans for stains. You should wash your jeans if you find a grease stain, mud or other substance on the jeans.
Next, do a smell check. You don’t need to wash your jeans if you didn’t sweat or if they don’t smell stale.
It’s time to clean your jeans if they start to smell. This is because bacteria can cause denim to become soiled and erode its cotton fibers.
“Denim is such a durable fiber, and as such, it doesn’t require a lot of washing,”Adam Taubenfligel was co-founder and CEO of Triarchy sustainable denim.
You should still wash your jeans as per the type of jeans you are wearing.
You can check the tag to verify that your jeans are 100% cotton. Also known as “rigid denim,”Or, have a stretch fabric (such as Spandex) added.
“Rigid denim will open up and loosen slightly with wear,” Sarah Ahmed, co-founder of DL 1961 told the outlet. “Some people like to wash their rigid denim after a few wears to tighten the weave.”
Stretch denim is designed to keep its shape so that you don’t have to wash them as often.
“The only reason you would wash your stretch denim jeans is if they were dirty past the point of spot cleaning,”Ahmed stated.
Spot-treat the area immediately and don’t wash until it is completely dry to maintain color and structure.
A denim spray can be used to kill bacteria, prolonging the time between washes.
Turn your jeans inside out when it is time to wash them in the washer. This will prevent color from fading.
Next, wash them with mild detergent and cold water.
You can also use a second rinse to ensure no detergent is left behind in the fibers. After that, you can air dry your jeans.
You can hang them on a hook or dry them on a rack. This will prevent them shrinking.
If you do need to use the dryer, use the lowest heat possible and never add dryer sheets – the chemicals from a dryer sheet can build up a film that breaks down your denim, the experts warned.