Denim care guide

How to wash jeans?

When you come to washing your jeans – handwashing is best to retain shape and colour. 
Else a cooler wash in the washing machine will also help a pair of jeans maintain its original colour and fit. Washing on a temperature too hot will cause jeans to fade and lose their colour over time.

It’s also recommended to wash the jeans inside out, and also on their own in the machine, as overcrowding will cause extra creasing to the jeans. Plus, always take the jeans out of the washing machine as soon after the cycle has finished as possible, as this also helps avoid further creasing.

How often should you wash jeans?

To prolong the life of jeans, it’s recommended to wash jeans as little as possible, even up to every 10 wears. Obviously if jeans have become muddy, they will need a full wash, however between washes, if jeans are not especially dirty, a spot clean is recommended on certain areas instead, leaving the full wash for another day. If jeans can be treated between washes = even better for the planet. Top tip: Jeans can actually be placed in the freezer (in a sealed air proof bag) for 24 hours. This will freshen the jeans by killing any bacteria and eliminating any odours.

Should you tumble dry jeans?

No, you should not tumble dry jeans, this can cause denim to shrink and lose its shape. Once jeans have been washed, air drying outside, or laying the jeans flat is the best way for them to dry out.

How to hang jeans on the washing line

You should hang jeans upside down on the washing line and peg them by the bottom of each leg. The water will run to the waistband of the jeans helping them dry quicker and reduce wrinkles.

How do you iron jeans?

If your jeans have been dried flat, or outside in the natural air on a warmer day, they will hopefully not need to be ironed. However if creases have appeared on your jeans, once they are dry, or almost dry, your jeans can be ironed. Choose a temperature suitable for cotton, and place a piece of clean fabric, such as a tea towel, between the iron and your jeans when it comes to ironing them. Start by straightening out the pockets and ironing the legs first.

Are Gap’s Jeans responsibly made?

100% of Gap’s denim is now responsibly made using our global water-saving Washwell programme. This means that compared to conventional wash methods, Gap’s Washwell initiative uses at least 20% less water. So far, saving 447 million litres of water since 2016 – enough to fill 894 million water bottles. So when you do need to invest in a new pair of jeans, you can be confident Gap jeans will help do good, as well as look good. Check out our women’s denim fit guide, for help on finding the right pair of jeans for you.

Are there any extra care tips for looking after jeans?

Jeans, denim jackets and denim shirts can be treated with special denim care products if you wish to help prolong their life for even longer. Attirecare is one brand who create unique plant-based denim care products (crafted from natural essential oils), that can be used to treat your denim.

What do you do with jeans once you no longer wish to keep them?

When your jeans no longer fit you, or you’re ready to say goodbye to a pair, always consider passing these jeans on to a friend, donate them to a charity shop, or to somewhere that recycles fabrics – denim is a great fabric to reuse for creating new garments. And by making more sustainable choices, this helps reduce landfill waste, too.