Jeans are without a doubt the most versatile and sought-after garment in any self-respecting wardrobe. They are comfortable, easy to combine and they do not clash in almost any context, regardless of the brand or the style of the jeans: ripped, fitted, oversize, high waisted, vintage, straight, embroidered, low, skinny… they never go out of style.
For many, including myself, they are almost a uniform for day to day, so it is rare to find laundry in which we do not find at least a couple of them.
Surely it is also your case, you use them for a couple of days at most and they go straight to the washing machine, even if you have not had any type of mishap in the form of a stain.
This might seem like the most normal thing in the world, now It seems that it is a big mistake that threatens the life of denim garmentsand there are many cleaning experts who seriously question such a high frequency of washing for this type of garment.
The controversy with washing jeans reaches such an extreme that there are even some who directly say that they should never be washed.
How often should you wash your jeans?
What all the experts do seem to agree on is that you shouldn’t wash jeans after each use (although you should wash them as soon as you buy them). Except for a disaster in the form of a stain, it is not necessary, being even counterproductive, since with each wash the fibers break down a little more.
The approximate amount of time in which you should wash jeans ranges from three to ten uses. To determine the moment, it is best to be guided by its appearance and, above all, by its smell.
If you haven’t sweated and they smell clean, they can be used again, but if your nose alerts you to a problem, it’s time to wash them, even if you’ve only worn them once, they should go in the washing machine. If there is a smell, the bacteria have infiltrated the fabric and can eat away at the fabric, and it is also not good for your skin.
The color of the jeans does not affect the time between washings
Jeans are made from 100% cotton fibers or a stretch blend of cotton plus lycra or spandex.
The former loosens up a bit with use, so some people like to wash them frequently to get them back to their original shape, while the stretchy blend is made to retain its shape even after many uses. Regardless of the type of fabric, the frequency for cleaning should not vary.
As for color, the same rules apply, although you have to be a little more careful in the washing process for light-colored jeans, this does not mean that they should be washed more than dark jeans.
In general, although denim is tough, washing jeans too often wears out the fibers and reduces their lifespanYou can also change the fit and color, so the recommendation is to wash them only when really necessary.
Freeze jeans?
The designers themselves warn that jeans are not items that need to be washed as often as other items of clothing. In fact, urban legends say that the CEO of Levis spent a decade washing his jeans, or that Victoria Beckham, the posh spice girl, never washes them and only airs them out.
There are even many who bet on freezing jeans for cleaning, a bad decision, since this process neither cleans, for obvious reasons, nor does it kill bacteria, which could end up damaging the fabric and our skin.
To finish, now that you know how to determine when you have to wash your jeans, we leave you with a few Tips to make your cleaning more effective, damaging the fabric as little as possible:
- If you use a washing machine, use the delicate wash cycle and detergent for delicate clothes.
- Before you throw it into the hype, turn the jeans inside out.
- Do not rub the stains or you will have a lighter edge than the rest of the pants.
- If there are no stains, wash the jeans in a basin with cold, soapy water. Then rinse with clean water and let it drain.