How to wash jeans so they keep their shape and color

Start with the care label

The label inside your jeans is the most reliable guide, because it was written for that exact fabric. Different fibers behave differently in water and heat, so advice that's perfect for one pair can be wrong for another. Use this guide for the reasons behind each step, and let the label have the final word.

How often to wash jeans

Less often than you'd wash a T-shirt. Every wash wears the fibers a little and loosens a little dye. There's no magic number; it depends on the fabric, the weather and how you wear them. Some reasonable signals that it's time:

• They smell like they've been worn, even after airing out.
• There's a visible stain that spot cleaning won't lift.
• They feel stretched out or baggy and you want them to firm back up (this applies mostly to cotton denim).
• You've been somewhere hot, sweaty or muddy in them.

In between washes, hang jeans up to air out rather than leaving them in a pile, and spot clean small marks.

How to machine wash jeans, step by step

1. Empty the pockets and close everything. Zip the fly and do up the button so metal doesn't rub against the denim or other clothes.
2. Turn them inside out. Most fading happens where the outside of the fabric rubs against the drum and other clothes. Inside out protects the color.
3. Wash with like colors. Dark and black denim can release dye, especially in the first few washes. Wash it with similar colors, or on its own the first time.
4. Use cold water. Cold water is gentler on dye, on stretch fibers and on synthetic fibers, and it reduces shrinking in cotton.
5. Choose a gentle or normal cycle, and a mild detergent. A detergent made for darks can help dark denim keep its color.
6. Skip bleach, including on light washes. It weakens fibers and can leave uneven patches.
7. Go easy on fabric softener. It can coat fibers and, on stretch and synthetic fabrics, leave them feeling slick or holding onto odors. Many people skip it.

Drying: skip the heat

The tumble dryer is the biggest enemy of good jeans. High heat shrinks cotton, breaks down elastane (which is why some stretch jeans go baggy) and can affect synthetic fibers, too. Air drying is better for every kind of denim.

• Give the jeans a good shake and smooth out the seams and the hem while damp.
• Hang them by the waistband or fold them over a drying rack, out of direct strong sunlight if you want to protect the color.
• If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat or air-only setting, and take them out while slightly damp.

Hand washing and spot cleaning

For a gentle refresh, fill a tub with cold water and a little mild detergent, turn the jeans inside out and let them soak for around half an hour, swishing them now and then. Rinse in clean cold water, press out the water without wringing hard, and hang to dry.

For small marks, dab (don't rub) with a damp cloth and a drop of mild detergent, working from the outside of the stain inward. Test any stain remover on an inside seam first, and rinse the area well so you don't leave a ring.

Common problems and what to do

Storing and de-wrinkling

Fold jeans in thirds and stack them, or hang them by the waistband with clip hangers. Avoid hanging them over a thin hanger bar for long periods, which can leave a crease at the knee. To smooth wrinkles, a handheld steamer is gentler than an iron. If you do iron, check the label for the right setting, and use a low setting with a pressing cloth for synthetic or stretch denim.

Shapewear needs a little different care: it's usually best hand washed cold and hung to dry, so the stretch lasts. Always follow its label.