Denim jeans are available in a variety of colors, only of which is the traditional light blue color. While light blue is arguably the most popular color in which jeans are made, the second-most popular color is indigo. A type of dark blue, indigo offers a slightly dressier and more formal appearance than lighter colors. Therefore, many hardworking men and women wear indigo jeans to their job. Whether you currently own indigo jeans or are thinking of buying a pair in the near future, though, you’ll want to use caution when washing them. Failure to take some basic precautions when washing your indigo jeans may result in the color fading to a lighter color. So, follow these eight tips when washing indigo jeans to protect and preserve their original dark blue color.
#1) Go With Washed Denim Jeans
You’ll have an easier time preserving the indigo color of washed denim jeans as opposed to raw denim jeans. The term “washed denim” simply means that the jeans were washed during the production process. Manufacturers wash their denim jeans to help set the color and protect against future fading. In comparison, raw denim jeans have not been washed, so they are more likely to fade. If you’re worried about your indigo jeans losing their color, choose washed denim. Along with the other tips described here, it will protect your jeans from fading and discoloration.
#2) Wash With Similar Colors
The golden rule of washing garments, including jeans, is to separate them according to color. If you wash your indigo jeans with red- or yellow-colored garments, it may cause discoloration. Some of the indigo dye may bleed onto the red- or yellow-colored garments or vise versa. To prevent this from happening, you should only wash your indigo jeans with other indigo- or dark blue-colored garments. Granted, this may force you to wash several additional loads of laundry, but it’s a small price to pay considering the protection it offers for your jeans and garments.
#3) Turn Them Inside Out
A neat little laundry hack that works for most clothes is to turn your garments inside out before washing them. The general idea is to flip your garments inside out so that the exterior — the fabric on which the dye is most visible — isn’t directly exposed to the water or friction from other garments. You can use this hack to protect your indigo jeans from fading by turning them inside out as well. When you’re preparing to wash your indigo jeans, flip them inside out before placing them inside your washing machine. They should still come out clean, but they won’t fade. It only takes a few seconds to flip your indigo jeans inside out. Doing so, however, is an easy and effective way to preserve their original color and protect them from fading.
#4) Wash in Cold Water
Either cold or hot water can be used to wash and clean jeans. The latter, however, is more likely to cause fading. When exposed to hot water, the indigo dye will leave out of your jeans’ denim fabric. It’s not a substantial amount, but it’s still enough to cause a noticeable change in their color. You may discover that your indigo jeans are a lighter blue tone after removing them from washing machine — telltale sign that the hot water has faded them. The good news is that you can easily prevent this from happening by washing your indigo jeans in cold water.
#5) Add Vinegar
It may sound unusual, but adding vinegar to your washing machine can help protect your indigo jeans from fading. Vinegar works as a natural color guard to “set” the dye in the denim fabric. You don’t have to fill your entire washing machine with vinegar. Rather, add about 1 or 2 cups of distilled white vinegar to the load (along with cold water). Your jeans may smell like vinegar at first. After they dry, though, they’ll actually smell nice and fresh. And most importantly, your jeans will retain their dark indigo color.
#6) Use Gentle Cycle
Denim jeans aren’t considered delicate garments, but washing them on the gentle cycle setting of your washing machine can protect and preserve their original indigo color. The gentle cycle, while it varies depending on the washing machine, typically spins slower than the standard cycle. Therefore, it won’t expose your indigo jeans to the same amount of force as the standard cycle. Some people avoid using the gentle cycle because they believe it’s not as effective at cleaning. In reality, though, the gentle cycle works just as good as the standard cycle at cleaning and removing superficial stains.
#7) Avoid the Dryer
Why shouldn’t you place your indigo jeans in the dryer? Clothes dryers are simply too aggressive, and drying your indigo jeans inside them on a regular basis may cause the color of their denim fabric to fade. This probably won’t happen if you only dry your indigo jeans once or twice. If you continue doing it on a regular basis, though, you can expect your indigo jeans to fade. So, after washing your jeans, hang them outside on a line to air dry naturally. Air drying is a safer and gentler way to dry garments, so you don’t have to worry it causing your jeans to fade.
#8) Revitalize Color By Dyeing
Even if your once-dark indigo jeans have faded, you may be able to revitalize their color by dyeing them. You can purchase fabric dye at most home goods stores for as little as a few bucks a piece. To restore your faded indigo jeans, try using one bottle of black dye and two bottles of blue dye. The combination of blue and black should create a dark indigo color. Check out this Instructions article for a step-by-step walkthrough on how to dye your jeans. Basically, though, it involves submerging your indigo jeans in water, as well as the dye, for about a half-hour, after which you can let them air dry.
