Tips for Denim Care

We all probably have it – and most of us are probably doing it wrong. Up until a couple years ago, I was one of those unlucky people who were in the dark about how you should actually care for denim. I was under the impression that you wear it, you wash it. I treated denim just like I did any old t-shirt. Sadly, this is far from the case, and I shortened the lives of many good pairs of denim because of it.

Lucky for us, there are now several tips and tricks out there for how to actually take care of your beloved pants. Here are five tricks of the trade that I found from my research (sources found below).

1. It’s ok to not wash your denim. Never wash selvedge denim. If denim is pre-broken in (washed several times in order to accomplish particular feel and fade before purchasing), then it’s ok to wash them if they bag out or get a stain. Try not to wash them more than once every few months or so.

2. But what about smell? You have a couple of options. You can spray them down with fabric freshener and either hang in a steamy bathroom while you shower, or seal it in a ziplock bag and place them in the freezer for a couple of days. That should just about take care of it.

3. Spot clean when possible. If you get a tiny dab on denim, don’t make it worth washing the entire pant. Just spot clean it and extend your denim’s life.

4. If you do have to wash your jeans eventually, wash them inside out, in cold water and with a mild detergent to preserve the color. Definitely don’t use any bleach.

5. Always let denim air dry. Just wear them around the house for a while to break them back in after washing.

(Information found here, and here)