How to take care of your jeans

1. Do not wash your jeans too often

You may have heard this one before and you will hear it again: Do not wash your jeans too often. As little as possible actually. This way of treating jeans has become more and more popular in recent years among jeanslovers and after trying it with my MiH Oslo Kara, I must say that I'm a fan. If you own a good pair of jeans, the denim will adopt the shape of your body. That is what a lot of jeans enthusiasts actually like about denim. It kind of customizes itself. You will see colours fade where the creases are when you sit and your jeans will naturally become more adapted to your body.

The main reasons why you "shouldn't" wash your jeans too often is because its colour will fade faster and it makes the fabric in your denim tense up so it will shrink slightly. This is why many people wash their skinny jeans, so it will fit properly again. The trick here is to buy a pair of jeans that is just a little too tight. As you wear it, it will become perfect. In my experience, really good jeans does not lose too much of its elasticity, even after it has been worn.

2. Use a damp sponge for stains

We understand that some of you prefer washing your jeans anyway, for obvious reasons. Before you toss your jeans in the washer, check if your trousers are really dirty. Most of the time, cleaning off stains with a damp sponge will do the trick.

You can also air your jeans in your garden or on your balcony. If you do not have an outside space, hang your denim in the bathroom while you take a bath or shower. The steam will freshen up the jeans.

3. When you do wash...

When you do wash your jeans, try a hand wash. This is tricky business as it's not easy to dry, but it is the mildest way of washing. Wash it in the tub at a mild temperature and use as little detergent as possible. For dark denim, add some vinegar to your water. This will help retain the colour of the denim.

If you do like to machine wash, turn it inside-out and wash it at a cold programme. In general, washing jeans increases the wear and tear of your garment, which can be convenient if you are aiming for a vintage look, but it will reduce the lifespan of your garment, and that is something you need to be aware of.

4.Drying your jeans

Dryers are convenient, but they are a real enemy for your clothes. Your jeans feels fresher, but tumble drying does speed up the ageing process. It is best to hang your jeans to dry after shaking out all the big creases.

5. Ironing

Ironing softens up the fabric of your jeans. Perfect for when you've dried them naturally as described above. It can also help you to regain length if shrinkage occured.

6. Altering

The golden rule for altering your jeans: do wash your denim before you take out the scissors. This way, if any natural shrinkage should occur, your jeans doesn't end up being too short.