Denim should be distressed – not faded or damaged. As a hard-wearing twilled cotton, denim is durable when it comes to washing, but it still needs some TLC to keep it looking its best. Otherwise dyes can run, the material can shrink and you can ruin the item, along with everything else in the drum.
That’s why we’ve pulled together the GHI’s top tips for cleaning denim, so you can help your favourite jeans or jacket last longer. From how often to wash denim, to removing stubborn stains, we’ve covered everything you need to know.
New denim
It’s a great feeling wearing denim for the first time, as the colour looks bright and bold. That’s because there’s still a lot of dye present on the material, which can become a problem when you press yourself against something it could transfer on to.
My grandad experienced this for himself when he took a seat on my mum’s white leather sofa – and left a stubborn blue stain behind! I’ve experienced a similar stain on the back of a pale handbag after it’s rubbed against my hip.
To avoid this, you should always wash your denim before you wear it for the first time. If you’re using the washing machine, you also need to wash it separately from other items, or else you risk the dye transferring over. In fact, the GHI recommends soaking denim in a bowl of lukewarm water mixed with some salt to help set the dye. Afterwards, wash your jeans according to the instructions below.
Even after the first wash, I’d always wash jeans alongside similar colours to avoid obvious dye transference.
What not to do with your washing machine
13 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER WASH IN THE WASHING MACHINE
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How often should you wash denim?
Denim is one of those materials that’s often over-washed. Because we wear garments beneath, it’s not usually touching any areas of skin that harbour bacteria, so it can last for longer between washes.
We recommend washing denim every 10 wears, but keep in mind that if you’re wearing a denim jacket, with exposure to your armpits, this will need washing more regularly. Do not over-wash denim. Not only will it put unnecessary wear on the item and fade it more readily, it will be a waste of water, energy and detergent from your washing machine.
How to clean denim
First and foremost, follow the care label. This will specify whether the item is machine washable or hand wash only. If the denim features embellishments or is heavily distressed, we recommend steering clear of the washing machine, as it could easily be damaged.
Denim is durable, as we mentioned before, and heavy when wet. So if you’re using the washing machine, keep delicate items, such as those with lace or silk components, out of the cycle. This is because the zip could easily catch and the fabric itself is quite abrasive. Wash denim with similar fabrics instead.
Before you load your denim in the washing machine, turn the item inside-out and do up any zips. This helps prevent both running and snagging. Double-check the pockets have been emptied, too; loose items are one of the 13 things you should never put in the washing machine.
Wash according to the care label, going no higher than the recommended temperature. Stick to the delicate or gentle cycle with a cool temperature to help your denim last longer. For coloured jeans, use a detergent designed for colour, such as Persil Colour Laundry Washing Liquid. Other detergents can contain optical brighteners, which may contribute to fading. The exception to this rule is white denim.
Once the cycle is finished, remove your denim immediately to prevent wrinkles from setting into the fabric. Some jeans are safe to tumble dry, but we recommend hanging them to air dry instead to avoid damage. This is particularly the case for elasticised denim, as tumble drying can ruin the stretch. Hang denim jeans from the hems so they dry faster. Keep coloured denim inside-out so it doesn’t fade in the sunlight, although you can switch it the right way around for white denim!
If you plan to iron your denim, you should do so while it’s still damp on a high setting, ideally using steam at the same time.
How do you get stains out of denim?
Depending on the type of stain you’re dealing with, most should be removed in the wash using the hottest temperature recommended on the care label and a colour-safe stain remover, such as Vanish Gold Oxi Action Stain Remover Powder For Colours. For white denim, you could use a stain remover designed for whites, such as Vanish Gold Oxi Action Stain Remover Powder For Whites. This will help brighten the material at the same time.
For a particularly stubborn stain, pre-treat your denim using a stain remover designed for that specific stain. Dr. Beckmann offers a range of products to suit all kinds of stain, including ink, grass and oils.
There are also dyes you can purchase to bring the colour back to your denim, such as Dylon All-in-1 Fabric Dye.
If the denim dye has transferred on to a leather item, use a leather cleaner to restore it, such as Leather Honey Leather Cleaner.
Denim cleaning kit
Persil Persil Colour Laundry Washing Liquid Detergent
