Denim Care 101: Keeping Your Jeans Looking Great

A quality pair of jeans can last for years—even decades—with proper care. Yet many people unknowingly sabotage their denim with improper washing techniques, excessive heat, and poor storage. This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about caring for your jeans, from everyday maintenance to long-term preservation.

The Golden Rule: Wash Less Often

The single most impactful thing you can do for your jeans is wash them less frequently. Every wash cycle causes:

• Indigo dye to fade prematurely
• Cotton fibres to break down
• Stretch fibres to lose elasticity
• Fit to become looser over time

Denim industry experts—including the CEO of Levi's—recommend washing jeans every 10 wears or even less. Some raw denim enthusiasts go months between washes. For most people, every 5-10 wears strikes the right balance between hygiene and preservation.

When You Do Wash: The Right Technique

Preparation

1. Turn jeans inside out to protect the outer surface and indigo dye
2. Zip up zippers and fasten buttons to prevent snagging
3. Empty all pockets completely
4. Check for stains that need pre-treatment

Machine Washing

• Water temperature: Always cold. Hot water fades colour and can shrink denim.
• Cycle: Gentle or delicate. Standard cycles are too aggressive for denim.
• Detergent: Mild, colour-safe detergent in small amounts. Specialty denim detergents are even better.
• Fabric softener: Never. It breaks down fibres and can affect stretch recovery.
• Bleach: Never, unless intentionally distressing.
• Load: Wash with similar colours, especially in early washes when dye bleeds.

Hand Washing (Recommended for Premium Denim)

1. Fill a bathtub or large basin with cold water
2. Add a small amount of mild detergent or denim-specific wash
3. Submerge jeans inside-out and gently agitate
4. Soak for 30-45 minutes
5. Drain and refill with clean cold water
6. Rinse until water runs clear
7. Gently press out excess water—never wring or twist

Drying: Critical for Longevity

How you dry your jeans matters as much as how you wash them. Heat is the enemy of denim.

Air Drying (Recommended)

• Hang jeans by the waistband using a trouser hanger or clips
• Or lay flat on a clean towel, reshaping as needed
• Keep away from direct sunlight, which can fade colour unevenly
• Allow to dry completely before wearing or storing
• Drying time: 12-24 hours depending on humidity

If You Must Use a Dryer

• Use the lowest heat setting possible or air-dry cycle
• Remove while still slightly damp
• Hang to finish drying naturally
• Accept that machine drying will shorten the lifespan of your jeans

Special Care Situations

Raw (Unwashed) Denim

Raw denim requires a different approach to develop personalised fade patterns:

• Wear unwashed for 3-6 months minimum before first wash
• The longer you wait, the more pronounced your personal fade patterns will be
• When you do wash, cold soak in a bathtub for 30-60 minutes
• Some add a cup of white vinegar to the first soak to set the dye
• Hang dry away from sunlight
• Expect significant shrinkage on the first wash (account for this when buying)

Black Denim

Black jeans are particularly prone to fading. Special care helps maintain their depth:

• Wash even less frequently than blue denim
• Always turn inside out
• Use cold water exclusively
• Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the wash to help set the dye
• Use detergent specifically designed for dark colours
• Never dry in direct sunlight

Stretch Denim

Jeans with elastane or spandex require gentle handling to maintain their stretch:

• Cold water only—heat destroys elastic fibres
• Never use fabric softener
• Air dry only—never put in dryer
• Reshape while damp if they've stretched out
• Expect stretch denim to have a shorter lifespan than 100% cotton

Stain Removal for Denim

General Approach

1. Act quickly—fresh stains are easier to remove
2. Blot, don't rub—rubbing spreads the stain and pushes it deeper
3. Work from outside in to prevent spreading
4. Test any treatment on an inconspicuous area first

Common Stains

Food/Grease:

• Apply dish soap directly to the stain
• Gently work in with fingers
• Let sit 15-30 minutes
• Rinse with cold water
• Repeat if necessary before washing

Coffee/Tea:

• Rinse immediately with cold water
• Apply white vinegar to the stain
• Blot with clean cloth
• Wash as normal

Blood:

• Cold water only—hot water sets protein stains
• Soak in cold water with salt
• Apply hydrogen peroxide to stubborn stains
• Wash in cold water

Storage Best Practices

Daily Storage

• Folding: Best for jeans to maintain their shape. Heavy denim can stretch on hangers.
• Hanging: Acceptable but use clamp hangers at the waistband, not the loops.
• Allow jeans to air out between wears before storing.
• Don't crumple jeans on the floor—wrinkles can set permanently.

Long-term Storage

• Wash before storing to remove body oils that can cause yellowing
• Store in a cool, dry place
• Fold neatly and place in breathable storage bags or cotton pillowcases
• Avoid plastic, which traps moisture
• Add cedar blocks to deter moths (avoid mothballs, which leave odour)

Extending the Life of Your Jeans

Reinforcing Wear Points

Common areas where jeans wear out:

• Crotch/inner thigh: Friction causes thinning. A tailor can reinforce this area before holes appear.
• Knees: Bending stress weakens fibres. Limit squatting in stiff jeans.
• Back pockets: Phone friction creates fading. Consider a front pocket or different pocket for your phone.
• Hem: Dragging causes fraying. Ensure proper length or cuff.

When to Repair vs. Replace

Worth repairing:

• Small holes in discreet areas
• Worn crotch area (can be reinforced)
• Broken zippers or missing buttons
• Hem damage

Time to replace:

• Significant loss of colour or character you don't like
• Large holes in visible areas (unless that's your style)
• Complete loss of stretch in stretch denim
• Overall thinness of fabric throughout

Final Thoughts

Caring for denim isn't complicated—it mostly involves restraint. Wash less, use cold water, skip the dryer, and your jeans will reward you with years of wear. The best-looking jeans are those that have developed natural character over time, with fade patterns unique to how you move and live. Proper care ensures your jeans develop this character gracefully rather than falling apart prematurely.

Remember: every pair of well-worn jeans represents hundreds of hours of life. Treat them accordingly, and they'll remain a reliable part of your wardrobe for years to come.