How to wash jeans properly
Few things can match the popularity of regular jeans! Successfully combining convenience and practicality, this type of trousers has won truly worldwide recognition. They are worn by children, adults, men and women alike. And from time to time, both those and others ask a seemingly simple question: "How to wash jeans?"
Banal, at first glance, it suddenly becomes important after the washed trousers suddenly change color, or for some reason become at the wrong time.
Denim specificity
This fabric has several well-established synonym names: jeans, denim and others, more slang. All of them are used when it is necessary to note its strength, durability and unpretentiousness in everyday life.
Nevertheless, despite its "indestructible" image, denim is quite whimsical when it comes to washing or cleaning. It does not tolerate friction, strong bends or kinks, and is also extremely sensitive to various bleaches (colored).
Mistakes in care can lead to the fact that the product loses its shape, changes color, or local deformations appear. Therefore, most of the recommendations on how to wash jeans come down to strict adherence to the rules for care. This is especially true for removing stains.
It is known that jeans are best treated with cold water. Since they are made from cotton, the initial structure of the fabric fibers can change significantly when certain negative conditions occur. These can be considered high temperatures and a violation of the drying regime.
Required washing frequency
Most experts recommend washing your jeans as little as possible. At first glance, this sounds shocking, nevertheless, there is some truth in this statement. Of course, it all depends on how you wear them, but in many cases, the optimal interval between washings is considered to be once a quarter or once every six months. This is determined by the degree of dirt and the frequency of wearing.
Why is that? The fact is that a significant amount of dirt and stains is removed locally, and in order to refresh the fabric and put it in order, you can do without a washing machine with its jeans washing mode. So, the established smell can be removed by placing the pants in the freezer of the home refrigerator (of course, it is better in a bag or cloth bag).
To even out creases and freshen up the color, just hang them in the bathroom, next to you, while taking a shower. Moisture and steam will act as a softener, so that after drying, the pants can be safely worn for a long time.
Note! It is advisable to wash jeans for the first time immediately after purchase. Beforehand, they can be soaked in warm water for a short time.This is done in order to remove excess paint from the product - especially true for black pants and in indigo color.
Before washing your jeans: preparation
First of all, you must carefully read the information on the label, which is sewn on the wrong side. Usually, manufacturers indicate which washing modes are allowed and what is allowed (or prohibited) at the same time.
First of all, you need to empty the pockets of debris, turn out your jeans, and close the zipper or buttons. Women's models, replete with "ruffles-fintiflyushki" must be additionally placed in a special bag, preferably a canvas one, but you can also in a mesh bag.
If there are stubborn stains, it is advisable to pre-treat them with a stain remover (or other suitable remedy) and wait a little. Further, it all depends on the selected washing mode.
How to do it correctly?
There is no universal recipe for jeans care, but in most cases, general tips and tricks include:
- Read the instructions on the attached tag.
- Surface preliminary mechanical cleaning.
- Before washing trousers in a washing machine, you should make sure that there is a special mode and strictly adhere to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Wash - only in cold or lukewarm water.
- If possible, it is better to do with the so-called dry cleaning.
- Do not squeeze jeans.
- Follow the drying rules: do not overexpose and place correctly on the clothesline.
Additional Information! Washing should be done as little as possible. If there are no clearly distinguishable dirt or stains, the appearance of sagging in the back or scuffs under the knees can be a sign that it is time to send the pants to the machine.
Washing mode for jeans in a washing machine
First of all, you need to remember two rules: temperature and mode. Denim is strongly deformed when exposed to high temperatures, as well as in case of excessive mechanical stress.
Therefore, in order not to spoil expensive trousers, the following recommendations should be strictly adhered to:
- Wash jeans inside out only.
- If possible, do not use powder. There are special gels for this. In principle, a regular gel station wagon will do.
- Select the desired mode. Modern machines often have a special program for washing jeans. Otherwise, you will need to enable the delicate wash option.
- Try not to spin. If there is no such function, set the minimum permissible speed.
- You can add conditioner.
- Do not use an automatic dryer!
How do I hand wash my jeans?
This is the most optimal care method. However, it may not be entirely convenient, since washing such pants does not involve wrinkling or curling them. Jeans should be washed at full length. This may require a bathtub or a large trough. The water should be either at room temperature or heated, up to a maximum of 30-35 degrees.
In case of extensive contamination, short-term soaking (hour and a half) is allowed. At the same time, to enhance the effect, you can add a glass of ordinary vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of sugar to the water. During washing, it is strictly forbidden to wrinkle the fabric or rub parts of clothing together. To do this, it is advisable to use a medium-hard bristle brush.
In this case, the treatment should resemble the mode of washing jeans in a washing machine - you need to carefully brush along the fabric, without crushing it or twisting it.
It is best to use regular laundry soap or gel. If you have to wash with powder, you must first dilute it, otherwise streaks may remain, even with a good rinse. Dry your washed jeans on a clothesline. If the clothes have shrunk a little, it is allowed to stretch them slightly, but only while they are wet!
Denim clothes: detergents
All denim care products can be divided into two types: stain removers and special additives. Typically, stain treatment can be carried out both at the preliminary stage before washing, and immediately after staining. The latter case includes all kinds of wipes and sprays.
More effective products are available in the form of gels or powders and are applied to the affected area during the soaking phase.
Therefore, before washing jeans in a washing machine, it is advisable to worry in advance and purchase a special gel for washing this particular type of fabric. As a rule, it is environmentally friendly because it contains natural ingredients.
The features of such care products include:
- Preservation of color (things do not fade).
- Effective elimination of most contaminants.
- Softening the fabric and saturating it with aroma.
- Lack of bleaching agents and third-party aggressive substances.
How to wash jeans to remove stains?
Most stains can be removed with the help of special chemicals, as well as with the use of so-called folk remedies. Typically, stains are treated both before and without washing. Below are the most common types of contaminants and popular ways to remove them:
- Coffee, grass, ink. They are removed with a solution of a conventional dishwashing detergent with water. In it, you need to moisten a clean white cloth and gently wipe the stain, moving from the periphery to the center. If the dirt is ingrained, it is necessary to process it from the inside.
- Typical pollution: dust, grease. Such stains can be removed well with regular salt. To do this, apply a thin layer of table salt to the stained area, and then blot it with a clean cloth moistened with detergent.
- Wine. Wine stains are best removed with hydrogen peroxide. In some cases, you can “salt” the stain before processing.
White jeans!
This type of clothing is especially sensitive to various dirt and careless wear. Therefore, the question of proper care for white denim trousers is very relevant. Basically, the whole difference comes down to the specifics of removing stains. For the rest, you should adhere to the general recommendations on how to wash jeans.
Most importantly, only a white cloth should be used when cleaning so as not to leave possible streaks. In this case, the affected area must be treated by getting wet, but not rubbing in any way. Even though the jeans are white, be very careful when using bleach - the fabric can turn yellow.
Also, the yellowing effect often appears when drying at high temperatures. In this case, the pants are hung out in the sun. Now, on the contrary, it will do good.
How to wash jeans: common mistakes
The most common mistakes when washing denim products are non-compliance with the temperature and drying conditions. Therefore, in order to ensure the proper appearance of the washed product, it should be remembered that it is categorically not recommended:
- Use hot water. At temperatures above 40 degrees, the fabric begins to shed and shrink intensively.
- Use bleach. Almost always, this only leads to a worsening of the situation (the exception is white jeans).
- Use detergents. The presence of phosphates in their composition leads to an acceleration of fading. This is especially noticeable on black items and indigo colors.
- Squeeze out. It is best if moisture leaves the fabric naturally, evaporating. Squeezing out in a typewriter or squeezing out water by hand often leads to loss of shape.
After washing: how to dry properly?
Even setting the required mode for washing jeans in the washing machine, or soaking them in the bathroom according to all the rules, the result may still be unsatisfactory. The fact is that washing is only one of the stages of denim care. It is also important under what conditions the clothes are dried.
First of all, you should not allow kinking or creasing of the fabric. If it is not possible to hang jeans by the belt or by the bottom, it is recommended to put a towel roller under the leg. Also, don't hang denim in the sun. Direct sunlight is a surefire way to spoil the original color.
In some cases, it is advisable to iron the pants in order to give them a more well-groomed look. This should be done when they are still slightly damp. Moreover, you can iron from the front side.
Understanding the rules of caring for denim products is not only a guarantee of their durability. Among people, there is often such a characteristic feature as attachment to material objects. Therefore, knowing how to wash jeans and properly care for them will allow you to wear comfortable and familiar clothes for a long time, which will make you feel "at ease" to a greater extent, regardless of the situation.
Video: how to wash jeans
