How to Wash Jeans by Hand

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References Approved

Hand washing is a great way to extend the life of your favorite pair of jeans. It is a gentler process than machine washing and prevents, or at least slows, the fading and break down of fibers. Choose between hand washing your jeans in cool water or spot cleaning.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Your Jeans in the Tub

1
Fill your bathtub or utility sink with cool to lukewarm water. Make sure the area is clean and that you run enough water to fully submerge your jeans. Wash dark jeans and brand new jeans in cooler water to prevent fading.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
2
Add a small amount of mild, liquid detergent to the water. Swish the water a bit so the soap is mixed in well.
- Avoid powdered detergent. It doesn't mix well in water that is cool and standing.
- Most liquid detergents will work but a mild, color safe detergent will preserve your jeans' color better.
- In a pinch, you can use baby shampoo, liquid dish detergent, or even white vinegar.^{[2]
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3
Place your jeans in the water and swish them around. Use your hands to move the jeans around in the water for 1-2 minutes. Avoid rubbing the fabric against itself. If you have a spot to address, gently rub it with a washcloth instead.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
4
Soak your jeans for 15-30 minutes. You want to make sure they are fully submerged in the water for the best results. If the jeans are buoyant and floating to the top of the tub, you can place bottles of shampoo and conditioner on top of the jeans in order to hold them down.^{[4]
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5
Drain the dirty water and run another tub full. Gently move the jeans around in the clean water and then let them soak for 5-10 minutes.
6
Roll or fold the jeans up and press the excess water out of them. Once the rinse water is drained, fold or roll your jeans up lengthwise. Press down with both of your hands, palms open, using the weight of your upper body to compress the jeans at the bottom of the sink or tub. Do this several times, rearranging or flipping them over to get more trapped water out.
- Never wring your jeans. This damages the fibers and contributes to wear and tear.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Drying Your Jeans

1
Air dry your jeans to avoid shrinkage and fading. Stretch jeans out on a drying rack (or another flat surface) or hang them on a line. They will dry faster if they are not folded or hung over an object like a chair or door.
- Air drying your jeans will preserve the fibers for longer than machine drying.
- Air drying will also prevent shrinkage and fading.^{[5]
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2
Machine dry your jeans on low heat if you are pinched for time. If you put your jeans in the dryer, make sure to protect them by using a low to medium heat setting. Nothing destroys jean fibers more than high heat electric drying. ^{[6]
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- Machine drying will shrink your denim and, over time, fade the color.
- If your favorite jeans are prone to stretching out, machine drying will tighten them back up.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Spot Cleaning Your Jeans

1
Spot clean your jeans to prevent unnecessary wear and tear. Spot cleaning is a good way to care for your jeans and avoid unnecessary wear and tear from over-washing. If your jeans are mostly clean but you spilled something or got a little mud on them, consider spot cleaning to preserve your jeans and save on water.
2
Use a dab of mild detergent on a cotton swab or washcloth. Put just a little bit of liquid detergent, baby shampoo, or liquid dish detergent on a damp cotton swab or washcloth.
3
Gently rub the stained area until the spot is gone. Use your cotton swab or washcloth to gently rub the jeans in a circular motion. If it's difficult to see if the stain is really gone, you can rinse the spot with a little water to remove the soap for a better look.
4
Place a blotter cloth behind the stain. As you rub the stain with a damp cloth, the excess liquid and the stain itself will be absorbed by the blotter cloth behind the material. A paper towel folded up can serve as your blotter cloth if you don't have anything else on hand.^{[7]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

Will handwashing clean my clothes?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Absolutely. It's an especially good option if you're worried about damaging your clothes. Just be careful when about over-scrubbing. People tend to get kind of aggressive when they're hand-washing their clothes because they think it's making them cleaner, but it's usually just damaging the fibers.
Question

I was washing my jeans by hand, but I realized it was shirt. Am I still doing it right?

Community Answer

If the shirt still looks okay, then it is probably fine.