You will find a pair of jeans in almost everyone’s wardrobe. And why not? They not only add to your style, but they are also super comfortable. What’s better, though, is that you can customize them and basically do whatever you like with them, whether it’s getting them bleached, de-wrinkling them, or wearing them wrinkled too, for that matter!
We want to help you customize or preserve your favorite pair of jeans by following the methods below.
1. Removing odor from your jeans
Although it’s advised to not wash your jeans too often, you still have to wash them eventually. Wearing jeans in all types of weather can lead to them soaking up all kinds of moisture and odor.
You may find it difficult to get rid of the smell. But, it’s not as difficult as you may think. All you have to do is fold your jeans, put them in a ziplock bag and keep them in the freezer overnight. This should be enough to get rid of any kind of odor.
2. Prevent color bleeding in jeans
Buying a brand new pair of jeans is always an exciting moment. However, sometimes you might be skeptical as to whether or not throwing them in the wash will lead to color bleeding. This unfortunate occurrence can stain your hands and can also ruin the other clothes in the wash.
The good news is that there’s an easy way to prevent this and it involves only one ingredient — salt. Mix an equal amount of salt and water together and wash your jeans in it. This will ensure that the blue color won’t bleed.
3. Prolong the lifespan of your favorite denim
Many times, we have become so fond of a certain pair of jeans that we just don’t want them to grow old. But with washes and rough and tough routines, they do tend to lose their sheen and newness with time. What if we told you jeans could be given an anti-aging treatment?
It’s not that difficult and can be done easily at home. All you have to do is iron the jeans while they’re damp, as soon as they’re out of the dryer. This way, they will stay newer looking for longer than usual.
4. Getting your jeans wrinkle-free
Begin the drying process on maximum heat mode. The steam created with the mix of wet clothes and high heat should remove all the wrinkles from your jeans, and they will be ready to wear right out of the dryer.
No one likes wrinkled clothing. Especially when the material is as rough as denim. Next time you come across this problem, keep in mind that you can also just put ice cubes in the dryer when you set it to dry the clothes.
5. Bleaching denim the right way
The process starts with filling up a bucket with one part water and one part bleach. Be prepared: different colored jeans react differently when they come in contact with bleach. The first step of the process is to dampen the jeans so that the bleach works better on them.
Then, you can bleach them with either a sponge, a paintbrush, or a spray bottle depending on the kind of effect you’re looking for. Don’t work on both sides at once, pick one at a time. If you want even-colored bleached jeans, you can simply submerge them in the bucket for 20-30 minutes. The last step is to rinse the jeans in cold running water and then put them in the washing machine to rinse.
6. Shrinking your jeans at home
For effective shrinking, wash your jeans in hot water, and then immediately dry them using the hottest setting for a quick dry. After repeating this a few times, your denim will shrink as desired.
There are also times when you just want to shrink a specific area of the jeans. For that, fill a sprayer with three parts water and one part liquid fabric softener. Spray it on, dampen the desired area, and immediately put them in the dryer. A rather strange way to shrink your jeans at home is by wearing your jeans and sitting in a bathtub filled with hot water. Sit in there for at least 20 minutes and then go enjoy some sunbathing until your jeans are completely dry.
7. Get the ripped jeans effect
Rather than buying new ones, it’s preferred to try the ripped effect on an old pair of jeans. Always pick light to medium washed jeans for trying the ripped effect instead of dark ones to get a realistic look. Making holes in jeans is easier with the help of scissors, razors, or knives. For a frayed look, you can also make use of a cheese grater or a pumice stone.
Make sure that you are not ripping it on the knee bend so that the tear does not extend while walking or bending. To avoid ripping the back of the jeans, place a piece of wood inside the jeans while cutting or grating.
8. Get the faded effect
You need to step outdoors to perform this experiment. Fill a tub with a quart of concentrated lemon juice and dip your jeans in it with water flowing on them from the hose. Let the jeans soak for few hours, while you keep checking them in between.
Once you are satisfied with the amount of fading done, rinse them well under running water. Then hang them to dry them in sun and repeat the process if desired.
9. Create distressed jeans
To begin, insert sandpaper inside of the jeans before making a cut. It’s important to keep the cuts half an inch to three-quarters of an inch apart. After the cut is made, pull out excess threads with the help of tweezers, especially the colored threads. Then, remove the excess fabric with the help of a lint roller. You can then wash your jeans immediately to remove any extra thread in cold water.
Some tips: Only denim with a weight of 20 oz or above can withstand the distressing process. Also, don’t wash distressed jeans too often.
10. Make your denim one size bigger
Would you ever believe that you can also make your jeans one size bigger to fit you better? First, pick the areas that you want to stretch like the hips, waistline, or thighs. Now, spray that area with lukewarm water. To stretch the waist band, stand on one side of the jeans with both feet on one pocket while stretching and pulling the opposite side with your hands. If you want to stretch them lengthwise, you need to stand on the dry parts of the jeans just above the knee and pull up.
Another method is to wear the jeans and sit in a tub full of warm water. After about 15 minutes, do some stretching and put pressure on the areas you want to make bigger while also pulling the areas by hand for at least 10 minutes. Let the jeans dry halfway while you are still wearing them, and keep streching the areas you want to make bigger. After they are half dry, take them off, and dry them under the sun.
11. Hem your jeans without a sewing machine
So, you are almost ready to go to a party when you hear a ripping sound. This sound was your jeans ripping, ruining your plans for the night. You need not worry now — even without a sewing machine, you can easily mend your jeans at home.
All you will need is a needle and thread matching the color of your jeans. If the tear is small you can do without an additional patch of clothing. Turn the jeans inside out first. Start sewing them with a straight or a blanket stitch. Tie a knot once it’s done and iron it well. Your jeans are ready to wear again and good to go.
