24 Feb, 2021. Scour the internet for how often you should wash your jeans and you will find everything from 2 weeks to 10 years!

A brief history of denim

Denim manufacture began in the mid 19^th century as was used for workwear uniforms because of its toughness and durability. In the 1960’s, denim entered the fashion world and by the time the hippie era of the 1970’s came around, denim was well and truly a fashion statement with embroidered bell bottoms and flares.

Today, most people own several pairs of denim jeans to suit any occasion. The debate is on about how often to wash your denim jeans, even if they are pre-faded and prewashed!

So how often is often enough?

In general, the less you wash your jeans the better. They will hold their colour, shape and texture. And if you’ve paid $150+ for a pair of new jeans, you’ll want to make them last a few years, and so they should anyway.

Your jeans develop a unique wear pattern ideally for your shape. The fibres will stretch and crease according the way you move and sit. If you wash them too much, you’ll lose this unique fit.

If you invest a considerable amount of money in jeans and you love them, we recommend every six to eight wears. Any more than this and you’ll wear them out unnecessarily sooner than later. Of course, if you sweat more, then you’ll need to wash them more often. And if they are smelly after a couple of wears, then you definitely need to get them into the wash!

When you do wash them…

Turn them inside out and wash with cold water. This will keep them in shape for longer.

What you can do between washes to keep them fresh

1. Spot wash – use Sards Wonder Laundry Soap to spot wash or remove unsightly stains. This soap is called wonder soap for good reason!
2. Hang outside in the fresh air and sunshine in between wears to freshen them up and kill any lurking dust mites or bugs. Even after one wear, clothes will hold natural body oils and dead skin cells which attracts dust and mites.
3. Hang them in the bathroom while you have a shower. The steam will kill some bacteria, remove odours and freshen them up.

And you may have heard about freezing your jeans to kill bacteria?

In doing our research, this doesn’t work. To kill bacteria, you need much colder temperatures than what normal household freezers are capable of.

Bring your beloved denims into a Star Laundromat for a gentle and effective clean

Our gentle giants (our washing machines) will look after your beloved denims very well. These state-of-the-art washing machines are gentle on your clothes while cleaning them effectively. And while you wait for your laundry, you can hop on our free WiFi and catch up on things.

There will be a Star Laundromat near you. Check out our locations below.

What our customers are saying about us

“Easy to find and ample off street parking. Place was super clean and the benches available for storing wash baskets or folding are great. Lots of new shiny machines available, no lint or hairs to be seen. Added bonus of washing liquid included in the wash price is fantastic! Ability to pay with cash or via an easy to use website which works well on Android a bonus! The mobile phone charging station is a thoughtful touch. Thanks! Will be my new regular wash spot.” Geoff