The Laundry Mistake That's Leeching The Life Out Of Your Jeans

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Be it skinny, wide-legged, bell bottom, or cuffed, jeans are a wardrobe staple for many people. Although you don't have to wash them after every use, you typically want to put them in the washer after you wear them about three times. When the weather is cold, your jeans don't smell rank, or they don't have any stains that need spot treatment, you may even get away with up to 10 wears before washing your jeans. Whatever the timeline, you'll have to eventually trust your washing machine with your favorite pair and hope the cleaning cycle doesn't alter its fit. If you're tired of lamenting the loss of yet another perfect pair, determine if you're committing a common laundry mistake.

Not closing up the zippers and fastening all the buttons before starting the wash cycle will leech the life out of your jeans and ruin their natural shape. You want to check the snaps, too. This is an important step you shouldn't skip before starting a load of laundry because it'll define the fate of your denim within the washer. It might also affect the other clothing items you put in with your jeans. While you're at it, check the load to ensure you don't have any wayward metal clasps or hooks primed to tear through your dress shirts or delicates.

Leaving zippers and buttons open on jeans is something everyone gets wrong when doing laundry. Take a few minutes to zip up and button all of the denim in your wash. Zip up any decorative zippers on your jeans, too. By closing all the fasteners, you will give your denim a solid structure and prevent it from losing its shape during the wash cycle. Open zippers could cause stretching or warping. 

This practice will also prevent other types of damage. The teeth on open zippers could get caught on parts of the washer or other clothes, potentially damaging the zipper and affecting how well the jeans zip. It also keeps the buttons and zipper teeth from ripping other garments, like your delicate silk blouses, expensive dresses, or woven laundry items. Those articles of clothing could develop tears or holes, courtesy of the sharp metal teeth of a jean's zipper.

Moreover, ensure your pockets are empty before doing laundry to keep your denim from getting stained (candy and pens can do that) or covered in lint from those leftover tissues. You're also doing the machine a favor since sharp objects, like keys or coins, can damage the drum of your washer. If you own a frayed or ripped pair of jeans, pinch the ends together with sock clips to keep them from ripping more than intended. RICHCO original sock clips are a good option. Otherwise, put such jeans in a large mesh bag, like Kimmama oversize laundry bags, to elongate their lifespan. Additionally, remember to patch any holes before laundering denim to prevent the tears from getting worse. You must also turn them inside out if you don't want them to fade or suffer from color bleeding.

Your beloved jeans aren't the only pieces of clothing you should zip or button up before loading your laundry. Zippers on all your clothing items, including hoodies, dresses, t-shirts, and trousers, should be pulled up and locked in place before laundering them. Like with your denim, this will protect their shape to keep them looking great for longer. It also keeps other fabrics away from the sharp teeth of the zipper. Plus, it'll keep your washer in good condition and scratch-free. So, don't risk putting anything inside with an unzipped zipper. The same goes for the hooks on your lingerie, skirts, or dresses.

As for the buttons, you want to fasten them on your trousers to maintain their shape. However, the buttons along your shirts, including the cuffs and collars, are a different matter. Unbutton them so the shirt has breathing room and the buttons don't pop off due to the tension. Buttoned shirts might also lose their intended fit due to the rigorous movement inside the drum, causing them to become stretched or distorted. Bonus advantage: you'll have to spend less time working out the wrinkles in the fabric since the free movement of an unbuttoned shirt tends to make it wrinkle less. Additionally, pull out rolled sleeves and remove detachable collar stays for a thorough clean. Empty out the pockets, too.