HOW TO: Care for your jeans and save money!
First things first… yes it is ok to wash your jeans.
Most vintage jeans are made from rigid denim which is usually always made with a fabric content of 100% cotton fibre. This is quite a heavy and robust fabric. Let’s not forget that denim and jeans were first designed to be worn for miners and farmers at work.
There is a lot of conflicting information out there when it comes to the best way to care for your jeans, but I have cut through the fat, and put to bed some of those misleading (and sometimes strange) myths regarding best denim care practice.
“You should never wash your jeans”…right?
Well, beyond this not being true all this will do is create a very smelly wardrobe that may explain the reasons why your friends stay a certain distance away from you. Gross. The smell that is coming from your jeans when you haven’t washed them is bacteria that has began to grow within the fibres of the fabric. This can be caused by a large number of factors that will depend on what it is exactly you do in your jeans. Sweat is a big cause but also that coffee you spilt in your lap on the commute to work definitely has a role in it as swell.
The best advice would be a rule of 4-10 wears before washing. Now this again depends on what you do in your jeans, if you sit at a desk for work you will generally be able to wear yours a lot longer than someone who rides a horse for a living.
“Put your jeans in the freezer instead of washing them”…right?
Although this has been widely suggested throughout the internet from denim brands it is just simply not true.
The myth is that by putting your jeans in the freezer, the temperature will in fact kill or freeze any active bacteria that is living on your jeans and therefore eliminate the smell. Now, I would love for this to be true as it would solve a lot of our water issues but it is not scientifically backed. Household freezers do not get close to the temperature that these bacterias need to be killed. You may find that the smell is reduced when pulling them out of the freezer for the first time, however this will be fleeting as the denim warms up to room temp or body temp, all the bacteria that was not killed wakes up like a slumbering animal and so too does that very ‘lived in’ smell.
So…the best way to clean your jeans is good old fashion mild detergent however there are a few things to keep in mind before throwing them into the machine.
Flip your jeans inside out
Turn your garment inside out before placing it in the washing machine. This will reduce the harshness of the detergent to the surface area, do a quick check of all pockets (it could earn you a coffee). Zip up, button zip and tie up any fastening opening or trims.
Wash in cool or cold water
The best way to keep the shade of your jeans for the longest time is to always use cool or cold water. When choosing a detergent go for a mild liquid and avoid using bleaches at all costs (this is what can definitely break down the fibres due to harsh chemicals).
Wash with similar colours
Just like your non-denim garments, denim likes to be washed with similar colours, even when opting for the cold cycle. Colour may bleed for the first few washing cycles (not likely for your vintage jeans) and we want to avoid colour migration where possible. It’s also a great idea to wash any darker coloured denim, deep indigo jeans especially, prior to wearing it for the first time.
Spot wash wear possible
If you decide your jeans don’t need a full cycle but you’ve just dropped something nasty on your leg, spot washing is a great alternative to a machine. Best practise for the most effective spot washing are:
Place a tiny amount of mild detergent on a tooth brush and massage it in to the stained area until it fades. Then rinse the area with cold water until all the soap has been removed.
You can also make your own fabric refresher by diluting white vinegar in water and adding a few drops of essential oil. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and mist your jeans as necessary.
NEVER use a dryer
Tumble dryers are the enemy to your jeans, not washing machines. Exposing your garments to lengthy periods of heat will damage the fibres, shrink your jeans and speed up the ageing process. Tumble dryers also require large amounts of power in order to operate, so this is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint and power bill by opting for a natural drying method.
To dry, simply shake denim out after pulling them from the washer/sink, flattening out creases in the process.
Lay the garments out to dry, flat and in the shade. Sunlight may affect the level of colour and deteriorate your jean.Drying your jeans naturally will cause them to be a little stiff at first, it will only take a short time of wear for them to revert to their normal softness.
Heres an interesting video I found for you that dives a little deeper into the …’wash or not to wash’, debate.