How Often Should You Wash Jeans?

Wash jeans after about 10 wears, or sooner if they're visibly dirty, stained or starting to smell. That's Levi's own rule of thumb. Count a hard day as more than one wear: a sweaty commute, an afternoon of yard work or a spilled coffee can bring wash day forward on its own.

Ten wears sounds like a lot if you grew up washing everything after one day. But denim is heavy cotton, most of it isn't pressed against sweaty skin all day the way a T-shirt is, and every wash costs it a little color and shape. Levi's puts it simply: wash denim sparingly.

How often to wash jeans, by situation

How you wear them	Wash after
Desk job, casual weekends, cool weather	About 10 wears
Hot weather, or you sweat a lot	3 to 5 wears
White or light-wash denim	As soon as marks show, often every 3 to 5 wears
Work jeans that get muddy or greasy	After each dirty day
Raw denim	As rarely as you can, and by hand (see below)

These are starting points. Your nose and the state of the fabric decide. If the waistband smells at the end of the day, it's time, whatever the count says.

Why washing jeans less makes them last longer

Every trip through the machine pulls a little indigo out of the cotton and roughs up the surface. Levi's warns that hot water raises the chance of shrinkage and color loss, and that the dryer can both damage and shrink denim. Frequent washing also wipes out the creases and fades that build up behind the knees and across the lap, which is half the appeal of a pair you've worn in.

There's a practical side too. Fewer washes means less water, less energy and less wear on the seams and belt loops.

How to wash jeans without fading or shrinking them

Empty the pockets. Receipts and tissues turn to lint that sticks to the inside of every pocket bag.
Close the zip and do up the button so the metal doesn't scrape the drum or snag other clothes.
Turn them inside out. Levi's says this protects the outer color and keeps the face of the fabric away from detergent.
Wash new dark jeans on their own for the first few washes. Levi's recommends this to stop indigo bleeding onto other laundry.
Use cold water on a gentle or delicate cycle with a mild detergent, or one made for dark colors.
Don't cram the drum. Jeans need room to move to rinse properly.
Air dry. Hang them by the waistband or the belt loops, inside out, somewhere shaded. Levi's says a few minutes in the dryer is fine if you want them softer, but not a full cycle.

Before you hang them, tug the side seams straight and smooth the legs flat. Jeans dry in whatever shape you leave them in.

If your jeans come out smelling musty even after a cold wash, the problem may be the machine, not the denim. A drum and door seal that never dry out hold on to that smell. Our guide to cleaning a washing machine covers the fix.

Do jeans shrink in the wash?

Yes, if you use heat. Hot water and a hot dryer are what shrink cotton. Jeans that were washed at the factory have done most of their shrinking already, so a cold wash and air dry keeps them close to the size you bought. Raw denim is the exception. Levi's notes it isn't preshrunk at all, so the first soak will shrink it.

Jeans with stretch fibers need extra care. The dryer is hard on elastane, and once the stretch goes, the knees and seat bag out and don't spring back.

Spot cleaning and freezing between washes

A small mark doesn't need a full wash. Levi's suggests a little mild soap on a damp cloth or an old toothbrush. Work from the outside of the stain inward, then let it air dry.

You've probably heard about putting jeans in the freezer. Levi's says freezing can cut down odor but may not remove dirt the way washing does. At best it takes the edge off a smell. The sweat, skin oil and grime are all still in the fabric when they thaw, so it can stretch the time between washes a little but can't replace one.

Raw denim needs different rules

Raw (or dry) denim hasn't been washed or treated at the factory. It's stiff, dark and designed to mold to your body over time. Levi's denim care help page gives the method:

Hand wash in cold water with a gentle cleanser.
Don't wring it.
Press out the excess water.
Hang it to air dry.

Many owners wait months before the first wash so the fades form where they bend and sit. That's for the look. If raw denim smells, wash it.

Read any instructions that came with a specific pair, especially shrink-to-fit styles. Their sizing assumes you follow them.

Signs your jeans need washing now

The waistband or crotch smells at the end of the day.
The knees and seat have bagged out. A wash and air dry pulls the cotton back into shape.
There's a gray line of grime along the pocket edges or hems.
A spill has left a stiff or sticky patch.
They've been worn on a sweaty day, even once.

Before packing jeans away for a season, wash them and let them dry completely; our guide to storing seasonal clothes covers the rest. If you'd rather not count wears, a weekly ChoreLists.com reminder to check your most-worn pair on laundry day does the job.

FAQ

Should you wash jeans before wearing them the first time?

You don't have to. If they're dark indigo, a first wash on their own (cold, inside out) gets rid of loose dye that could otherwise rub onto a pale sofa, a light bag or your other laundry.

Can you dry clean jeans?

You can, but there's rarely a reason to unless the label says so. Cotton denim is made to be washed, and a cold gentle cycle is all most pairs need. Save the dry cleaner for tailored pieces and anything labeled dry clean only.