A brand new pair of solid, dark wash jeans are great…until they’ve been washed a few times & slowly begin to fade.
If you’re a stickler (like yours truly), for prolonging that gorgeous wash, the following tips may help you:
• Wash only when needed.
You don’t have to wash your jeans after every wear. If they aren’t dirty/stained/in need of refreshing, I think it’s safe to just hang them up after wearing; or you can fold them & put them into a drawer with your favorite dryer sheet.
• Triple protect, when washing.
1. Turn them inside out, zip them up & button.
Aside from heat & heavy detergents, I think the friction during the wash cycle destroys new dark colored jeans; it rubs the fabric, scrubbing off some of the dye. Just imagine your fresh jeans in the washer machine, mingling & rubbing up against other clothing with buttons/zippers/abrasive fabrics. Not a pleasant thought, I know. Reversing & closing them up protects the wash, only leaving them to rub against themselves. (I’m aware of how this sounds. LOL)
2. Wash using cold water, and set machine to gentle/delicate cycle.
Again…you want to control the amount of friction; and, hot/warm water encourages the dye to bleed & be washed away.
3. Use a gentle detergent, specifically made for dark colored clothing (I love Woolite, Extra Dark Care, and just discovered that we can sign up to receive printable coupons!).
Some detergents are just too harsh, because they are formulated with heavier cleansing agents to remove stains & impurities. These washing detergents simultaneously lifts some of the dye; not good for the looks of dark, solid wash jeans.
• Do NOT machine dry.
The heat from the dryer machine can cause fading. Hang or lay flat, and allow your jeans to air dry.
Following these suggestions, have made my dark wash jeans look new, for years.
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If you have any additional tips, please share them with me in the comments. Thanks!
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Great tips! I have a ton of dark jeans and I pretty much use all the above tips. I wash all my dark jeans together in delicate, but never thought to turn them inside out. Thanks for sharing
No problem
Thanks for the tips! I hate when my favorite pair of dark jeans fades and I have to go on the hunt for new favorites!!
You’re welcome
Is there any way aside from not wearing them to keep the knees from fading faster than the rest of the jean?
Not that I know of.