Wear 'em and throw them in the wash, am I right? As it turns out, probably not. While you absolutely should wash your jeans if you get them super dirty or have a really sweaty day, washing jeans after every wear could be overkill. After all, you want your fave jeans to feel like an old friend for years to come.
Wash Jeans After Every 4 to 10 Wears
I totally get throwing gross, dirty jeans in the wash ASAP so they're nice and fresh for your next wear, but it isn't always necessary. If you've been rolling in dirt, wiping floury hands on them while baking, or you wore them hiking on a 100°F day, then, of course, throw them in the wash right away. But if you're not gardening, hiking, or rolling around in the grass with your jeans, then you should wash your jeans anywhere between 4 and 10 average wears. Why? Because overwashing can destroy denim.
Average wears are days that you aren't sweating heavily, doing yard work, or anything else that would cause them to become dirty or grimy faster than usual.
How to Know When It's Time to Wash
Of course, some of this is common sense. But if you're on the fence or have inaccurately counted (or not counted at all) how many times you've worn them since their last wash, here's how to find out if they could use a spin in the washer.
Give Them the Sniff Test
That's right. Put them up to your nose and take a big whiff (or maybe, to be safe, a small sniff). Do your jeans smell? If you don't like how they smell, wash them.
Eyeball Them
Okay, so here's the thing. I spill crap on my jeans all the time. When that's the only dirt on them, sometimes I can get it out with some stain remover, a spritz of fabric refresher, and a quick tumble in the dryer. But other times, I need to do the whole kit and kaboodle — treat the stain and toss them in the wash. If a stain doesn't come out right away by treating it, always wash your jeans so it doesn't become permanent.
If you've treated the stain and it doesn't come out, don't throw your jeans in the dryer. Dryer heat will set in stains and make them really hard to remove. Treat it again, and toss your jeans in the wash.
Consider the Jeans' Fabric
The material of your jeans can quickly help you determine how often to wash them. Classic denim pants are meant to be worn several times before washing. You'll lose that amazing faded, broken-in look of your favorite jeans once you wash them, and you'll have to wear them a few times to fully break them in again.
But jeans made of polyester or spandex can lose their shape after several wears. Washing them can help bring them back to their original shape.
Related: Feeling Blue About Bleeding Jeans? Here's How to Make It Stop
Keep Your Favorite Jeans Perfect for Years to Come
When you love a pair of jeans, it's a sad day when you have to retire them. I've held on to some favorites long after their best days were behind them just because they were so comfortable. But those sad retirement days come a lot less often than they used to for me since I stopped washing my jeans after every wear and started caring for them the right way.
