The Big Debate... To Wash or Not

Everyone has their own preference when it comes to caring for their jeans. Some don't wash their jeans at all, others wash after each wear, some will put them in the freezer. At Brooklyn Denim Co. we like to keep it simple- if your jeans are dirty, wash them. This blog is more focused on raw denim, so if your jeans are already rinsed, wash when needed. The best and easiest way is inside out, on cold and hang dry. There are a few different detergents out there that specialize in denim care, like Mr. Black's Denim Wash. This detergent is nice because it is a concentrated solution that is enzyme free, so it will get the jeans clean but not pull the dyes off your jeans. 

When it comes to raw jeans people might hesitate because they think they are a lot of work. It's actually quite the opposite. All you need to do is wear your jeans, wear them often, everyday if you want. Once you can start to smell them and they have an oily film all over, it's time to wash! (This timing varies but it's usually about 6 months, depending on how often you wear them... you'll know.) Depending on how intense you want to be, washing can really be done in three ways.  

 Before      After           Before    After 

#sickfades

1. In a tub, with cold water and a little bit of detergent. Let them soak for about an hour, rinse out the detergent, then hang dry.

OR

2. Throw them into the machine and let it do the work for you. Turn them inside out and set the machine to a cold wash/ delicate cycle and put in a small amount of detergent. 

*Note that cold water is better to wash in because it reduces shrinkage and helps keep the color longer.*

OR

3. Dry Cleaning... leave it to the real professionals. Crisp, Clean and Ready-To-Go. 

DO NOT DRY YOUR JEANS- yes, we said it. If you think you spent a decent amount of money on your jeans it's best to keep them away from the dryer.  Many think that drying them will shrink them back up after they have relaxed a bit, it actually will break down the cotton and make them looser the next time. Cold water does the trick, shrinks them right back up. Hang dry, it's better for the environment and your jeans. 

Please, don't put your jeans in the freezer, that's gross. If you aren't ready to wash them try Mr. Black's Denim Refresher to help the smell. If you want to kill the bacterial growing on your jeans, that means you need to wash them, don't put your nasty bacteria ridden jeans in with your food.

Washing your jeans will actually pro-long the life of your jeans. The cotton needs to breathe, if too much dirt is stopping that holes happen faster. 

*Side note: Jeans get holes in them, especially if you wear them often, frictions a bitch, but don't worry, we offer denim repair by Joswick, (see examples here). We will warn you now though, you MUST WASH YOUR JEANS before we will work on them.*

Just remember, jeans were meant to be worn, wear them, rough them up, let them get fades and please, wash them when you can smell yourself, because everyone else can too.