Wash by hand in cold water.It’s best to use a tiny amount of gentle detergent (Woolite is available almost everywhere), or simply plain water. Remember to turn jeans inside out. Another trick is to use baby shampoo, but we prefer Woolite when specifically washing denim.
Dry cleaning is an easy way to preserve wear.Since dry cleaning is a chemical process, not water based, it doesn’t affect the indigo dye used in most jeans. It’s a surefire way to remove dirt without causing fading!
Air dry your jeans, even if you haven’t washed them.Denim loves to breathe, and airing out your jeans will help prevent them from getting funky. Coming home from a day of wear? Hang your jeans over a chair (not folded) or on a drying rack and keep the fabrics nice and smell-free.
Wait as long as possible to wash. Denim naturally deters a lot of the smelly issues you get with other fabrics, and is able to last extremely long without a wash.Besides, the longer you hold out, the better patina your jeans will develop. Trust us, no one will notice.
Repair damage prior to washing.Tears in jeans can spread quickly, and the agitation of washing will only make things worse. Unless, of course, that’s the look you’re after!
Check the care label.This is good advice for all clothing, but especially jeans, since you may not be 100% sure what the fabric content is (women’s jeans often feature lycra or other materials, for instance).
Spot clean.Cleaning just a blemish can cause areas of discoloration, so wash your entire jeans at once, unless you can live with a less than uniform appearance.
Machine wash.Using a washing machine at low temps won’t necessarily ruin your jeans, but if you really love them, don’t take the chance.
Tumble dry.Never, ever, put your denim jeans in the dryer. They willshrink.
Wash too frequently.It’s not necessary to wash your jeans after every wear, and some denim enthusiasts go for months between cleanings. Even gentle, at home cleaning will remove some coloring.
Forget to care for all your denim, not just jeans.Remember denim shirts, jackets and vests are cotton denim too, and require delicate care.
Store improperly. It’s important for denim to breathe, so make sure you don’t pack it too tightly in your closet. Like all garments, denim should be stored away from light, extreme temperatures, and never put away soiled.
Dry Denimis the term for dark, unwashed denim. Also referred to as raw denim,this is usually sold in deep, monochromatic shades. Unlike jeans that have been distressed or pre-treated, these are sold almost straight off the loom
The advantage of buying dry denim is that the break-in process creates a personalized garment – no two jeans wear in quite the same way. As denim gradually ages it can go through many stunning shades of appearance. For the purists, this is the only kind of denim to buy.
Dry denim is harder to care for since it ages so noticeably, and slightly uncomfortable until broken in. It’s also prone to transferring dye on other (particularly light-colored) textiles and hides.
Prewashed denimis generally more comfortable and colorfast. The downside of pre-aged denim is that they are typically worn uniformly by machinery (sanding, stonewashing, bleach, etc) and therefore not particularly personal or unique. Also, since denim becomes thinner with use, prewashed jeans will wear out sooner, no matter how careful you are.
Cotton Serge.Traditionally, denim was made of pure ‘cotton serge,’ a term for the weaving pattern used to create denim on a loom. Today, jean denim is often blended with other materials.
Stretch Denim.Women’s jeans (and perhaps super-skinny men’s jeans) are often made of this denim blend, commonly 98% cotton and 2% spandex.
Selvedge: The word self-edge refers to the "self-edge" of fabric. In the photo below, you can see by the sharp lines of the cuff and hem. The selvedge trend is especially popular in Japan, where artisan culture is hugely appreciated and respected. For denim-lovers, selvedge represents the delicate nuance of denim weaving technique and the commitment to quality from the heritage mills.
Meurice Garment Care is a family-owned garment care specialist. We've been cleaning and restoring designer clothing for over 50 years and we're passionate about quality craftsmanship and enjoy sharing our knowledge with our readers.
If you're not satisfied with your denim care, or concerned about keeping its original condition,Meurice offers a comprehensive denim treatment,throughout both our unique dry cleaning and wet cleaning processes. We'll keep your jeans in perfect condition for years to come.
I've got some serious denim expertise to share here. First off, washing denim can be a bit of a science. Using cold water and gentle detergent like Woolite or even baby shampoo helps preserve the fabric and color. Dry cleaning is also an ace method since it doesn’t mess with that indigo dye that gives jeans their character.
Air-drying is key for denim; it keeps them fresh without compromising their quality. And here's a pro tip: holding off on washing as long as possible not only preserves your jeans but also helps build that coveted patina. Plus, repairing any damage before washing is crucial; otherwise, those tears could get worse in the wash.
Care labels matter, especially for jeans that might have different fabric compositions like lycra mixed in. Spot cleaning can be a bit tricky; washing the whole pair at once avoids uneven discoloration.
When it comes to machine washing, low temps won’t totally wreck your jeans, but air-drying is a must—never toss denim in the dryer unless you want them to shrink drastically.
Washing too frequently isn’t necessary; some denim fans go months without a wash. But hey, denim isn’t just limited to jeans—shirts, jackets, vests, they all need TLC too.
And if you're into different types of denim, there's a whole world beyond just your regular jeans. There’s dry denim (also known as raw denim), which ages uniquely and creates a one-of-a-kind look. But it’s a bit high-maintenance and might transfer dye onto other clothes.
Then there’s prewashed denim, which is more comfortable and colorfast, but tends to wear out faster since it’s already gone through distressing processes.
Denim isn’t just pure cotton these days; it’s often blended with other materials like spandex for stretch denim or presented in different weaves like the traditional cotton serge. And let’s not forget the charm of selvedge denim, showcasing denim weaving techniques and quality craftsmanship.
For those seeking premium denim care, Meurice Garment Care is a go-to. With over 50 years of experience, they offer specialized treatments to keep denim in top-notch condition, whether through their dry cleaning or wet cleaning processes. They’re all about preserving that original denim quality for the long haul.
