Should you wash your jeans after every wear, or can you wait? If you choose to wait, how many wears are ideal?

Jeans can be a cumbersome laundry item, whether you wash them by hand or machine, one should be careful about how often they wash their jeans.

There has always been an ongoing debate about how often jeans should be washed and even how they should be washed. Many experts have put forth their reasons and there is a general concession that jeans shouldn't be washed often.

Why you shouldn’t wash your jeans often

1. It leads to wear and tear

Denim makers advise against washing jeans often, as it affects shape, colour, and longevity. Unwashed jeans improve appearance through creases and exposure to the elements.

Additionally, less frequent washing can help prevent denim fibres from breaking down prematurely, reducing the likelihood of holes or rips.

2. Frequent washing harms the environment

Washing jeans contributes to the denim fashion industry's carbon footprint and plastic pollution since old jeans are discarded where they form landfills and harm the environment since they are non-biodegradable.

How often should you wash your jeans?

The frequency of washing jeans depends on how many times they are worn and where you wear them. For instance, if you wear them to a building construction site, they are likely to get very dirty.

Denim is a thick fabric, so it can be worn multiple times between washes. It is recommended to wash jeans after 10 or more wears, once every two weeks, or whenever they smell stale or unpleasant.

In between wears, remove odours and add a clean laundry scent with a fabric freshener. Microbes found on jeans after wear are harmless, making frequent washing unnecessary. You can spread them after every wear and spot-clean any dirt you notice.