To make sure that your jeans last longer, it is wise to always wash them inside out. This will minimize the amount of stress placed on the fabric, which helps preserve its integrity over time.
Turn your jeans inside out when washing them to help protect the fibers on the outside of the jeans from friction and direct exposure from detergent, which helps prevent fading. However, it's not rare for jeans to bleed dye, especially if they're new.
Prevents color bleeding
The washing process can agitate or loosen dyes and hot water temperatures are typically known for causing color bleeding. Turning your clothes inside out before washing can help to reduce fading.
When to Use Warm Water – For man-made fibers, knits and jeans, use warm water (90°F). Most of your clothes can be washed in warm water. It offers good cleaning without significant fading or shrinking. When to Use Cold Water – For dark or bright colors that bleed or delicate fabrics, use cold water (80°F).
Cold water helps dark wash denim retain color; however, hot water cycles clean clothes better. Wash your denim sporadically in warm water for the best of both worlds. Denim is a dyed fabric that will bleed as you wash. Protect your other clothes by washing all of your denim in its own load.
The friction from the washing will cause fading/ pilling on the inside side of your clothes instead of the outside.
Shrinkage is a natural byproduct of machine washing and drying pants. How much a pair of blue jeans might shrink depends in part on whether the manufacturer took steps to control shrinkage during production.
A good rule of thumb is to wash your jeans after every 3-10 wears, or when they start to smell. If you're regularly active in your jeans (think: manual work, anything where you work up a sweat), wash them every 3 wears, but if you're working at a desk, you can probably go through multiple wears without washing.
To avoid shrinking jeans in the wash the main thing that you want to avoid is the usage of heat. Use cold water in the washing machine and use either tumble dry low in the dryer, or choose to air dry your jeans after you have finished washing them so that your jeans do not suffer any shrinkage.
For denim, it's best to wash denim as little as possible—not only to prevent shrinking and fading, but also to conserve water and lessen the impact on the environment. When they're ready for freshening up, turn jeans inside-out, wash separately in cold water and line dry, if possible.
Even after several washes, always be sure it is only washed along with other dark items in the future. You can get past the major bleeding stage faster by washing and drying the denim 3-4 times before wearing. The hotter the water, the more the dye will come off—using a little detergent will also help.
New or old, you should always turn jeans inside out before placing them in the washing machine. This helps minimize the abrasion that causes fading as well as the wear that can happen along the hems, pockets, and fly and waistband edges.
As long as your jeans aren't truly filthy, cleaning denim at a cold temperature (washing at 30 degrees or lower), and for as little time as possible, will help them last longer and look better. Bright and dark colours prefer quick and cold washes.
Using too much detergent can result in concentrated detergent being left on the fibres, making them feel coarse. Make sure that the washing machine is not overloaded – especially with heavy cotton garments such as jeans or towels which absorb a lot of water.
Hand wash your jeans or choose a gentle cycle. Wash jeans at around 40 degrees as this will clean them but is not so hot that they will shrink too much. Air dry or tumble drying for a short time.
All jeans will stretch to varying degrees over time, explains Dean Brough, academic program director of QUT's school of design. "Jeans by nature actually do stretch. The fabric is meant to morph and form to the body which is why we love them," he says.
Jeans tend to shrink when washed and when worn they expand. This is why you should always buy jeans that you can only barely fit into (as long as you can close the button it's ok) because as you wear them they will become the right size.
Outer clothes like dress shirts and khakis can be worn a few times before washing unless it is hot out and you are sweating or they are visibly dirty or stained. Jeans can typically be worn 3 times before washing. Leggings and tights should be washed after every wear to get rid of the baggy knees.
Turn your garments inside out before doing laundry to preserve their vibrant colors and to avoid dye bleeding on their outer layer. Fashion items' inner layers are usually more resistant. They also may have lighter colors that withstand heat better.
Turn the jeans inside out to protect the hems, pockets, and zipper (which should be zipped) Always opt for low heat on a delicate cycle. Dry partially in the dryer and then hang dry damp jeans (this way, you'll prevent over-drying, which can cause unwanted shrinkage and overall wear and tear)
Wash New Jeans
Wash your dark denim jeans inside out with cold water, as it's more gentle on fabric dyes and hot water will cause your jeans to shrink. To be on the safe side, wash the jeans by themselves without any other clothes in the machine on the first go-round of washing them.
All the heat will constrict the fibers in the denim, making your jeans snugger than they were before. There's just something about a deep black wash. Sew a small piece of elastic onto the back of the waistband.
Wash your black jeans with a detergent made for dark clothes. Never use fabric softener. Hang dry in a drying cabinet or on a drying rack. Never tumble, it causes extra tear on the fabric and will make the colors fade.