Jeans are a timeless piece of clothing that can be worn season after season—if you take care of them properly. Want to preserve the color, fit, and longevity of your favorite pair? Our fashion expert Elin shares her best tips on how to wash and care for your jeans.
Wash infrequently—air out often
Wash your jeans as infrequently as possible, and only when absolutely necessary. It’s fine to wait a few months between washes. After wearing them, you can air them out instead—this refreshes them and gently removes odors. For best results, hang them outside for a few hours or overnight.
Prepare Properly Before Washing
Of course, sometimes it may be necessary to run a load in the washing machine. In that case, it’s important to do it the right way. Before washing your jeans, you should fold them inside out to protect the color—both on the jeans themselves and on any other items you might be washing at the same time. Be sure not to include any delicate items that could be damaged by the jeans’ zippers. Speaking of zippers, make sure they’re zipped up and the button is unbuttoned before you toss them in.
Wash gently to preserve color and shape
Use a gentle cycle at a maximum of 30 degrees so that the fabric and color of the pants are affected as little as possible. Set the spin cycle to low or turn it off. Use detergent without bleach and skip the fabric softener—it can actually wear out the spandex in the jeans.
Avoid Common Mistakes After Washing
It’s important to take the jeans out as soon as the wash cycle is finished to avoid creases and wrinkles. Turn your jeans inside out, but don’t wring them out, as this can affect their shape. Unfortunately, dryers and drying cabinets aren’t a good match for jeans—air-drying is the way to go. Hang them on a clothesline or drying rack and let them dry naturally. Your jeans will thank you!