Heads up people… you’re probably washing your jeans too much.

How often you should wash your jeans is a controversial question! People generally fall into two camps: there are those that swear you should never wash denim in case it loses its shape, and those that think it’s just gross not to.

 

 

To settle this debate, these are denim care tips directly from Jonathan Cheung, Head of Design at Levi’s®:

How often should you wash jeans?
Not too often – if you usually wash them once a week, try once every two weeks or every month instead. That said, if a pizza slice lands face-down on your lap, then it’s time to say hello to the washing machine.

Why shouldn’t you wash jeans?
Jeans look better when washed infrequently. And you save water and energy.

How to wash jeans?
When you do have to wash them, then I would recommend turning the jeans inside out and throw them in with your other dark clothing on a cool wash. Use a mild detergent, no bleach.

Should you wash a new pair of jeans?
Generally no. You don’t need to. I’d say use your common sense. I’m often hunting for rare old jeans which may be musty and dusty. In those cases I might give them a quick wash before wearing.

How to keep jeans fresh in-between washes?
You can spot clean the odd bit of dirt by dabbing the area with a damp cloth, otherwise pop them on a clothes line and hang them outside for some fresh air.

Denim care tips?
Don’t tumble dry your denim but rather air-dry them inside out. You’ll save water, energy and time – and your jeans will look better, denim is a fabric that gets better with age.