How To Clean Raw Denim Jeans
Raw denim sits with vinyl, books and black coffee. It’s purer than the denim most of us are accustomed to, but it’s also more expensive and fussy. Ordinarily, denim jeans are washed at the end of the production line. This softens the material, lets out some dye and reduces the amount of future shrinkage. With a pair of washed denim jeans, consumers can swipe their cards with less risk, as they know how the jeans will look for the foreseeable future.
But with raw denim, the whole shrinking and fading process is left entirely to the wearer. It skips the wash and sits in stores with dye still clinging tightly to the cotton. This means that with every wear, the denim records your life. It’ll begin to fade where it’s rubbed the most, and it’ll mould to fit around your body and your routines. Think of it as a diary – that’s the appeal.
It’s quite a romantic idea, but the cleaning process requires a lot more than just tossing it into the washing machine. If you’re unsure how to best care for your raw denim jeans, follow these steps.
Raw denim jeans should only be washed after 6 months of wear. So you’ve bought a pair, you’ve worn them in and now it’s time for The Wash…
- Fill a bathtub with lukewarm water.
- Add a teaspoon of detergent and then submerge the jeans. Use a few shampoo and body wash bottles to pin it down flat.
- Soak for 45 minutes.
- Gently scrub at the jeans to remove any dirt or stains.
- Rinse the jeans in cold water for 10 minutes.
- Hang straight (not bent over a drying rack).
A few things to keep in mind: the washing of raw denim jeans is the loss of some of that indigo dye. Wash the jeans separately, unless you want your whites to become blues! Also bear in mind that washing will shrink the jeans a considerable amount, and the hotter the water, the more it will shrink.
For some, anything good is worth the trouble, but for others, quick and easy does the trick. At Laundromap, we’re experts in dry cleaning and we get the job done within 48 hours – what more could you want?
