Style Lullaby

Fashion•Tips

Tips For Making Your Denim Last

August 15, 2016

If you’re anything like me, you’ll see denim as a timeless fashion piece that never goes out of style. I tend to splurge on my jeans because they are staples in my wardrobe all year round. They look great with tees, sweaters, jackets, and coats! With this in mind, I’ve learned to not skimp out on the quality of my jeans… even though quality designer jeans can cost up to several hundred. Let’s just say that they are a costly, but long-term investment.

Since I spend so much money on these staples, I’ve discovered different ways that work for me to preserve the longevity and colour of my jeans. There’s nothing more that I hate than faded out jeans that are meant to look dark and full of life! Some of my friends have asked me how I keep my jeans looking so new, so I figured this blog is for all of you and the rest of you wondering the same thing! 🙂

MACHINE WASH AS SELDOM AS POSSIBLE.

This probably sounds gross. I thought it was gross… and maybe still sorta’ do when I overthink it. I was introduced to this idea by a gay friend of mine during my university years. He sure knew how to keep his jeans in PERFECT condition. I was super jealous and thought that he just owned a lot of the same pairs of jeans, all new, since he wore similar styled jeans in similar shades to class everyday. I soon learned that he seldom washes his jeans! Before meeting him, all my jeans faded in colour and looked horrible because I was used to washing my jeans almost after every wear! Jeans are actually not meant to be washed often, and they fade in colour and texture every time they touch water and detergent.

USE VINEGAR.

If you must throw your jeans in the wash, try to do so sparingly… and when you do, wash the jeans separately from the rest of your clothing and put in a “shot” of vinegar. This is another trick I learned from my gay friend. I hate the smell of vinegar, but he saved my expensive pair of jeans with this tip! Use a mild detergent if you want to zero out the vinegar scent.

KEEP THEM OUT OF THE DRYER.

Never tumble dry your jeans. I always either air dry them outside or in my room. They tend to get crispy if I leave them out in the sun, so I usually just dry them in my room if I’m not in a rush for the jeans to dry quickly. I know this sounds like a hassle, but trust me, it will give your jeans many more years of life, and will do a good job at keeping the shape & fit of them.

WASH INSIDE OUT IN COLD WATER.

Again, this tip is for those who must wash their jeans. I’d recommend using a mild detergent if possible as this will help preserve the colour. Don’t forget the vinegar!

USE A STEAMER.

I like to use a steamer as an alternative to washing because the hot steam coming out kills bacteria. To release/refresh in odor, I spray a bit of Febreze over them after steaming. The result? Freshly scented clean denim with its original shape and colour!

CHOOSE WISELY.

Don’t wear your most expensive jeans to a park where you’ll be babysitting kids, playing ball, etc. Save those for the less dirt-intensive days. While I have my expensive jeans that I love to wear out, I also have a few pairs that I don’t mind getting dirty/washing more often than usual.

DON’T HANG THEM.

Depending on the fabric of the jean, hanging may cause some stretch marks around awkward areas (the crotch is a popular place for these stretches for some reason). I like to fold my jeans nicely, stack/organise by colour, and store them in my closet once clean & dry.

WASH WHITES WITH WHITES.

I know this sounds like common sense, but every so often we’ll find ourselves wondering why our whites never stay white. Bleach is actually detrimental to denim, as it can ruin the yarns in it. With this in mind, I try really hard to keep my whites white. The best way to do this is to wash white jeans inside out with other whites (can be other articles of clothing as well). I use the default cold water, but if you have any stains, hot water may be a better option.

NET THE RIPPED JEANS.

Again, a tip for those who must throw their jeans in the wash. Ripped denim can snag in the washing machine, so to prevent this from happening, I secure them in a clothing net before putting them into the wash.

I’m usually quite a clean freak, but when it comes to my favourite pairs of jeans that I paid several hundred for, I practice ways to preserve them while keeping them fresh & clean. Over the years, denim will grow with you and exhibit signs of wear and tear, but this adds character to them. However, this doesn’t mean they have to die off so early from lack of care. If you love yourself in ’em, take good care of ’em!

Do you have any denim care tips to share with me? I’d love to hear them!

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Comments

  11. Jessica Perkins says

    This is such a useful post! I knew about the not washing and so try and keep that to minimum (yes it grosses me out too if I think about it too much). I didn’t know that steaming kills bacteria, though! That’s excellent as I have only recently got one. I will definitely be trying that on my jeans with some Febreze now 🙂 xx

    Reply

  15. Christine Kong says

    These are excellent tips especially because jeans are costly but they are well worth the investment. I literally wear like my fav five pairs over and over again. And yes, gross, but I don’t wash them that often. Hehe. Thanks for sharing these amazing tips! Gonna wash them with vinegar now! xoxo, Christine
    http://dailykongfidence.com/

    Reply

    • Sharon Wu says

      Yes! Jeans are the one wardrobe staple that I don’t skimp out on price wise (unless it’s just too good to pass up on), so it’s important for me to make them look as new as possible… for as long as possible! 🙂 I am totally with you — I also like to wear the same pairs over and over. That’s why my steamer is my best friend. Thanks for reading, Christine! xo

      Reply

  23. Rachel G says

    Avoiding washing jeans definitely helps them last! I haven’t bought new jeans in a few years, but I love all the pairs I do have, and I know I’ll be sad when the inevitable day comes and I have to part with them! A good fitting pair of jeans is a treasure!

    Reply

  30. Liz says

    Yes, especially with selvedge and raw denim! My friends think I’m crazy because I rarely wash my jeans, but you’re exactly right, jeans are meant to be washed infrequently.

    Reply

  37. Marybeth says

    My husband is sooooo particular about his jeans that I manage to get out of washing them most of the time-I’ll have to point him to this list! I remember a funny clip about Anderson Cooper never washing his favorite jeans& this reminded me of it, you should look it up. I love Anderson cooper and it was a good laugh. I tend to OVER wash my jeans because I’m plus size and they stretch out so quickly when on in all the wrong places! ? Washing on hot is the only way to get them fitting well for me.

    Reply

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