Expert Tips for Keeping Your Jeans Looking New
You may be meticulous about how you wash your delicates or take care of your favorite blouses and tops, but when it comes to denim, the care rules are a little blurred. You may think washing your jeans on a regular basis fades the color, while someone else might think never washing them is gross. Some people hang their jeans up, others fold ’em. We turned to DL1961 Premium Denim Creative Director Sarah Ahmed to set the record straight once and for all. Here, she shares her answers to all of our pressing denim questions.
Let’s be honest. No one reallywashes their jeans as much as they wash everything else. Is that acceptable, or totally gross? Ahmed tells us that you can go longer between washes than with the rest of your clothes, but not as long as you might think. “I think it’s socially acceptable to wash them every two weeks, but in reality, you can get away with a month,” she says. So all you people who only wash your jeans, like, four times a year, get to the laundomat pronto.
The Best Way To Wash And Dry Jeans
When you do take the time to wash them, Ahmed has clear instructions on how to do it: “Wash them inside out and in cold water, then hang them to dry.” If you have distressed jeans with carefully crafted rips and holes, you may be hesitant to stick them in the washer because you don’t want the rips to get bigger. But Ahmed says you are totally fine washing them the same way. “Washing them inside out with a cold rinse works the best for all, from distressed to coated denim,” she says. Confession: We sort of love when distressed denim looks a little worn in after a few weeks of wear.
Getting Rid Of Odor
If your jeans smell a little funky, but you don’t want to wash them, Ahmed has an expert hack: stick them in the freezer. “Just make sure not to put them next to the frozen fish or steak. Surf and turf isn’t exactly the chicest perfume,” she says.
Hacks For Making Denim Last
Shopping for new jeans can be a challenge. Between the length, rise and making your butt look good, there’s a lot to consider. So if you’re looking for jeans that last, Ahmed says the best thing you can do is look for good quality denim. In other words, you get what you pay for. “Good denim is designed to not only last, but out-perform everything in your closet,” she tells us.
How To Store Denim
Obviously when you shell out for some premium denim, you want to make sure you’re storing them properly. So should you hang them or stack them? The verdict is: It doesn’t really matter. “Live in them, love them, roll them, neatly fold them, throw them — it doesn’t really matter. It’s all up to you,” she says. After all, jeans are made for wear and tear, and are built to be lived in.
What’s your favorite denim hack? Share your wisdom in the comments.
