When one washes jeans, there is this concern that usually prevails. It is a concern about whether it is actually safe to wash blue and black jeans together. The answer is yes. Provided that this is not the first time you are going to wash the jeans. If you are washing jeans for the first time, it is advisable to wash them solo. But if it is not the first time, it is actually safe to wash it with like colors. This means you can wash black with dark blue jeans.
But let us be direct on this.
Hand washing your jeans is the ideal way to go. But yes, you can always machine wash your favorite pair of jeans. You can do this while making sure to minimize or even avoid damages to the garment.
How then should you wash your favorite pair of jeans?
First of all, know that the recommendation is for you to wash your jeans every five to ten wears. For some, that may be too much.
If counting how many times you wore the jeans does not work, there is another way. Once the pair of jeans develop an odor, you can wash it. Or if the pair of jeans start looking dirty, you can wash them. It does not matter whether you only wore it twice since its last wash.
Remember to wash your jeans more frequently. This is especially true if you wear them a lot. This is also true if you move in them a lot.
But if you wear your jeans and sit in the office the whole day, you can wash them after many wears.
Now, how do you machine wash your jeans?
There are actually a few things you need to remember.
Here they are.
List of Contents
How to Machine Wash?
When it comes to washing jeans, there are a few factors that cause the dye to fade. One of these factors is washing. The other is drying. The dirt and oil building up are also another cause for the dye to fade.
Finally, frequent wear of the pair of jeans can result in dye fading.
But this does not mean you buy your jeans and do not wear them at all. There will always be ways to minimize or even slow down its deterioration.
One is to make sure you machine wash your jeans right.
- Inside Out
- Determine the Detergent
- Like Colors
- Be Gentle
- Air Drying Works Best
When you wear your jeans, the part that gets enough contact with your skin is the inside part. This means that sweat and oils from your skin attach themselves to the inside part of the jeans.
Before washing the pair of jeans, turn it inside out. This is for the machine to be able to clean more the inside part of the jeans.
Aside from this, there would be fewer chances of the dye to fade fast. This is because the dyed part of the jeans gets less contact with the water and the detergent while washing.
Also, make sure that after turning the jeans inside out, you zip it up.
Zipping them up will ensure that the zipper will not snag on any fabric while being washed.
It is of utmost importance to choose your detergent wisely.
Some laundry detergents work well with jeans. And usually, these are those that are actually designed for dark clothing. Using such detergent would ensure that you prevent fading.
When washing, avoid using bleach. This type of chemical can cause permanent damage to the dye.
Also, if you can skip the fabric softener, do so. These can build up in the fabric over time.
When this is the first time you will wash the jeans, make sure to wash them alone. This would prevent the dye from transferring to the other pair of jeans.
However, if this is a subsequent wash, you can wash the jeans with other pairs in like colors. This means that you can actually wash black with blue jeans.
But remember, denim can be heavy. It holds a lot of water.
It would be advisable to minimize the washing to two pairs of jeans at a time.
One of the things you need to remember is to be gentle when washing your jeans.
Always use the gentle cycle. In some machines, they call this a delicate cycle.
Also, choose the coldest water option possible. Then add the smallest amount of detergent.
And wash.
Yes, it is fine to machine wash your jeans.
But when drying, make sure not to put them in the dryer.
When air drying your jeans, start with unzipping the zippers. If your pair of jeans have buttons, unbutton them first.
Lay the jeans flat on a surface. Or another thing that you can do is to hang them on a hanger. When doing so, choose an area with sufficient enough airflow.
But if you insist on a dryer, make sure to use the lowest heat possible.
Freshen it Up
Not a fan of washing? Here are a few things you can do to freshen up your favorite pair of jeans. This is without even going through the process of washing them.
- Hang Them
- Fabric Fresheners
- Spot Clean
Hanging your favorite jeans in the window is one of the best ways to freshen it up. Either you hang it in a window or hang it near a fan.
Doing so would also reduce the odor.
Did you know you can make your own freshener?
Yes, you actually can—homemade fabric fresheners by can from white vinegar and water. Just dilute the white vinegar into the water, add a few drops of essential oil for that extra scent. Then transfer everything into a spray bottle.
Once transferred, you can spray it on your jeans for that fresh scent.
Now, there are times when one spills something on their favorite pair of jeans. When this happens, the whole pair of jeans is not fully dirty. The dirt or stain is only on one or two parts of the jeans.
In such cases, spot cleaning your jeans is the most preferred mode of cleaning.
To do this, you only need a tiny speck of mild detergent. Put it on a toothbrush. Brush it on the affected part of the jeans.
Finally, rinse the area. Make sure to use cold water. Do this until all the detergent you used is finally gone.
Can you wash dark jeans with light colors?
Mixing dark jeans with garments of lighter colors is not advisable. The colors of the jeans fade out. A certain amount of dye in your jeans goes into the water and the lighter garments. On certain occasions, it can distort the light colors of the clothes.
If you love dark-colored jeans, it is always necessary to know how to care for them. Knowing how to care for them includes knowing how to wash them.
To be honest, nobody likes buying dark-colored jeans, only for them to fade after a few washes. And yes, it can fade with improper washing.
Keeping your jeans as dark as they used to be can be a challenge. It is always hard to lock in that color. And when you wash your jeans, it is always tempting to just throw them inside the machine. It is always tempting to throw it in with everything else that you wear.
But this should not be the case.
Doing so will wash the colors away.
The goal here is to retain the dark color for as long as you can.
Here are a few ways on how to do that.
- Cold Water Helps
- Dark Goes with Dark
- A Pinch of Salt
This is one of the most important things you have to remember.
When you have black or dark-colored jeans, never wash them in warm water. This also goes for all your dark garments, jeans or not.
Garments that you soak in hot (or even warm) water see color fading faster. This is when compared to garments washed in cold water.
So, when washing your dark-colored jeans, the colder the water is, the better.
Now, this may result in a longer laundry time. But it is very important to sort your garments by color. It may take a bit of an effort, but we tell you, it is totally worth it.
Garments of all colors, when mixed in the machine, tend to fade each other out. This is especially true when you mix your dark garments with lighter ones.
Actually, this is not really just a pinch of salt.
This may sound weird but adding a teaspoon of salt helps. The salt works as an agent to prevent your jeans from bleeding excessively.
And that’s pretty simple.
Now, if you don’t want to wash your jeans, there is another way. You can just mist.
Spray your jeans and let them dry. Then wear it again.
While this may be able to clean your pair of jeans, the cleaning, however, may not be as extensive.
But then again, your choice.
Should you wash your new pair of jeans before wearing them?
So, you got yourself a new pair of jeans. Do you wash it before wearing it? The answer should be yes. This is because washing it before wearing it prevents the dye from bleeding. It does not bleed into your skin. The dye will not mix in with your clothes. So, yes. When you have a new pair of jeans, wash them first before wearing them.
This is a common question. And this is something that requires clarification.
One should always wash their new pair of jeans before wearing them. Except, of course, when what you have is raw denim.
Doing so will prevent the dye in the jeans to bleed into your skin.
But for one to maintain the quality of the jeans, it is essential to wash them as seldom as possible. This should maintain the fit and shape. This should also maintain its color.
Washing jeans should be no more than once or twice a month. This should come only after 5 to 10 times of wearing it.
And we know it already but let’s reiterate. When washing jeans, use a mild detergent. Wash them in cold water. Use the gentlest cycle possible.
Now, there are many ways to wash your jeans.
But the best method is to wash it by hand.
- Hand Washing
- Dry Cleaning
This is actually the most preferred method of all when it comes to washing jeans. But this may take a lot of effort, though.
When washing your jeans by hand, use cold water and a mild detergent. Before scrubbing, allow the jeans to soak. Give it about 45 minutes or so.
The reason for this is because of the denim’s make-up. It is absorbent while remaining sturdy. But the one thing is that it can lose its integrity every time you wash it.
Hand washing is the most preferred because it is the gentlest of all methods. This should also ensure that the pair of jeans will remain in good condition for a long time.
There should be no bleach. This will damage the fabric.
Once done with washing, rinse with cold water. Then lay the pair of jeans flat on a surface so it can dry. If not, you can also hang the pair of jeans so it can air dry.
This is actually something that most will not recommend. Again, if you can hand wash it, do so.
But other jeans specify dry cleaning as one of their methods. But when you do, make sure that the dry cleaning is not as frequent.
This is also to preserve the quality of the denim.
You can only wash or dry clean it when you have to.
Controlling Fading and Bleeding
Now, washing your jeans always results in bleeding. In time, it will result in fading of the dye.
How do you minimize these effects when washing?
One cannot always resort to not washing the jeans at all. This is especially true when the jeans have already gathered enough oil and dirt. This needs to be cleaned.
So, how do you preserve its dye for the longest time?
Use vinegar.
That may sound weird. But half a cup of white vinegar added to water the first time you wash your pair of jeans can help.
This should be able to help set the dye. And when you worry too much about the odor, fret not. It will disappear once the jeans begin to dry.