Lee Haden Relaxed Straight Leg Jean for Men - Comfortable Denim

Hand washing

Our preferred method for cleaning denim is hand washing in the tub using cold water and a mild detergent. Denim is a sturdy, absorbent, and forgiving material, but it loses integrity with every cleaning. Hand washing is the gentlest way to wash your jeans and keep them in good condition over time. Stay away from anything that contains bleach, since this can damage the fabric and even cause white denim to yellow over time.

Follow these simple steps to hand wash your jeans:

1. Fill your bathtub or sink with cold or lukewarm water, and add a teaspoon of gentle detergent.
2. Allow jeans to soak for 45 minutes, scrubbing initially to remove any dirt or stains that have built up over time.
3. Rinse with cold water.
4. Lay them flat to dry.    

machine washing

The safest way to machine wash denim is to launder it inside out on a short, gentle cycle. Aside from hand washing, washing jeans on gentle is the best way to preserve their original color and appearance for as long as possible. Always wash your jeans with cold water, unless you're washing white denim, in which case you can use warm water on the same short, gentle cycle.

Don't ever use high heat to wash or dry denim unless you're actively trying to shrink your jeans.

Spot Cleaning

Spot cleaning your denim can actually diminish the overall look of your jeans by creating an inconsistent wear pattern and uneven appearance. Instead, our denim experts recommend leaving small stains to fade on their own, as they typically improve over time with regular wear. For larger stains, hand wash or machine wash as usual on a short, gentle cycle.

Dry cleaning

Dry cleaning your denim is not usually recommended, but if the care instructions include dry cleaning as an option or requirement, do so sparingly. To preserve your denim, only wash or dry clean as needed. 

Tips to control fading or bleeding

To minimize fading, we suggest washing jeans inside out. This is especially important when cleaning new or darker dye jeans, such as indigo or black denim. Wash your jeans in cold water with other dark colors by hand, or select a gentle cycle that will help preserve the original color of your denim for the long haul.

Our tried and true trick to reduce bleeding: Add a half cup of white vinegar to the water the first time you wash a dark pair of jeans to help set the dye. The vinegar odor will dissipate after your jeans dry.

How long does it take to air dry jeans?

Air drying jeans can take anywhere from a couple of hours outdoors in the sun to a full day or more indoors during cold or humid weather.

If you're in a pinch and need to speed the process along, run your jeans through the dryer on low heat until they're nearly dry, but not overheated. Then, remove from dryer and lay flat until they're completely dry. 

Do jeans shrink?

With the exception of raw denim, most jeans have been washed several times during their production process so by the time they are purchased, most of the shrinking that will occur has already taken place. The best way to reduce additional shrinkage is to air dry your jeans after washing. 

How to unshrink jeans (the bathtub trick)

We've all been there – you accidentally put your jeans on a full speed, regular or high heat drying cycle and now they're a bit too snug. If you've ever needed to unshrink your jeans, just try the bathtub trick. Hey, it may sound strange but it works.

1. Draw a lukewarm bath.
2. Put on your jeans as best you can and sit in the water for 30 to 60 minutes. The warm water will help the fibers stretch and mold to your shape again.
3. When the time is up, get out of the tub and walk around wearing your jeans in the sun until your jeans are dry.

How to shrink jeans

If your jeans have stretched out during wear, washing them should help the fibers tighten up again. To shrink your jeans even more, you can try running them through the dryer on medium or high heat. The only time we recommend putting denim through the dryer is when you want them to shrink.

Denim detergents

The best detergents for washing denim are both gentle and color safe. For indigo and other dark denim, we recommend using a detergent made for dark clothes specifically. Do not use bleach to wash denim – even if it's white – since you could end up yellowing the material. To help set colors on jeans that bleed or fade, wash the denim with a half cup of white vinegar to naturally cleanse and set the dye.

Freezing your jeans

To keep your jeans fresh in between washes, you might try freezing them overnight every month or so. The theory is that freezing temperatures help to kill bacteria and odors that build up after prolonged wear. While freezing your jeans isn't a replacement for washing the jeans as needed (since built-up dirt and grime can also deteriorate your jeans), freezing could help extend the time between washes while combatting smells and germs.

Ironing your jeans

Ironing your jeans isn't usually recommended, since extreme heat can shorten the lifespan of denim fabric. However, if you have creases you want to soften, using a steamer or placing a cloth between the iron and the denim fabric can help soften wrinkles more gently. If you have the time, you can also hang jeans in the bathroom while you take a hot shower, and smooth out the wrinkles afterward.

Caring for raw denim

Raw denim means that the denim fabric has not been washed during production, making raw denim jeans stiffer and more susceptible to fading and shrinking than stretch denim. With regular wear, these jeans will stretch and soften, conforming to your unique shape. Raw denim fibers will also develop unique whiskering and wear patterns as you break them in.

Raw denim can be sanforized or unsanforized, which means that it has either gone through a chemical process to reduce shrinking (sanforized) or it hasn't (unsanforized). Unsanforized raw denim will shrink much more than sanforized denim the first time you wash it. It’s important to know which kind of denim you have before washing raw denim for the first time. If you buy unsanforized raw denim jeans, always size up to allow room for shrinkage.

Selvage denim is woven with a special technique, using old shuttle looms that create tightly woven, finished edges, or a "self edge." Selvage jeans may or may not be prewashed, but most often you'll find selvage denim is also raw denim. If your selvage denim is raw, wash using the tips below. If not, you can wash them normally. 

Breaking in raw denim

Because raw denim is unwashed, a long break-in period is recommended before washing the first time – anywhere from 1 week of consistent wear to several months. A long break-in period lets the raw denim stretch to its maximum allowance so your jeans still fit after you wash them, and it ensures the fabric has enough time to develop its unique wear patterns.

The one exception to the rule of not washing raw denim before breaking it in is unsanforized raw denim. Because this kind of raw denim shrinks so much, we recommend soaking it before wear so the jeans shrink to their actual size before you break them in.

How to wash raw denim

Raw denim should be washed as seldom as possible to maintain color, fit, and shape, but you'll still want to freshen them up from time to time to keep them looking and smelling their best. The first time you wash your raw denim jeans, hand wash using our recommended method: soak in lukewarm water with a teaspoon of gentle detergent for 30 to 60 minutes, agitate to remove any dirt or grime, then air dry. For a custom fit that conforms to your body, slip your raw denim jeans on again when they're still damp and wear them while they finish drying.

If the urge to toss your raw denim into the washing machine strikes, resist! Always hand wash raw denim if you want to avoid changing its shape or color. The best way to combat bleeding and shrinking of raw denim jeans is to keep them out of machines entirely. Lay flat to air dry or hang them inside out from the waist to dry in the sun.

Caring for distressed jeans

The delicate nature of distressed denim makes washing them in the machine a risky move. Even on gentle, washing machines may be too rigorous for the rips and tears to stay intact without expanding beyond the original design. Hand washing with a mild detergent, followed by air drying, is our preferred way to clean distressed denim and will keep them closest to their original style and design as you wear and wash them.

Caring for embellished denim

Whether your jeans are embellished with lace, rhinestones, embroidery, fringe, studs, or something else, washing them in the machine puts all those little details at risk. Instead, hand wash embellished denim inside out with a mild detergent. If you must machine wash, turn inside out and wash on the gentlest cycle. Then, air dry your embellished denim.