1. Wash inside out
2. Wash on cold
3. Hang dry/air dry
4. Use a gentle detergent or woolite dark

Honestly I think the "never wash" trend has died out. Jeans last longer when there isn't grit and dirt grinding away at the fibers. Also bacteria can essentially rot your jeans so do not feel guilty about keeping them clean.

Is the mud mainly on your lower legs? Then you should really be wearing boots with the trousers tucked in. If you get that dirty on a daily base I don't think you are wearing the right kind of outfit at the moment.

If the mud is everywhere, then I think I'd still say the same thing, and you need to get more suitable trousers for the kind of work you do.

Is something like this no good? Sioen Louisiana 4600 Bib & Brace (northseaworkwear.com) Maybe take off at the end of the day, hang outside/in shower and hose down and then let airdry? You may need a few pairs to have a dry one every day. Or are these not very hard wearing? Or something like this: Regatta Water Repellent Action Trousers - TRJ330 (totalworkwear.co.uk)

Although the standard recommendation is to wash jeans as little as possible, in your work situation, frequent cleaning is necessary. Here are some tips for caring for denim to keep it durable:

1. Remove large debris: Before washing, gently brush or scrape off large debris and dirt from the jeans using a brush or soft cloth. Avoid using overly abrasive tools to prevent damage to the denim.
2. Hand wash inside out: Turn the jeans inside out and hand wash them using cold water and mild detergent. Avoid using bleach or strong cleaners. Gently rub the denim, especially on stained areas. Rinse with clean water afterwards.
3. Prevent fading: To maintain color vibrancy, you can soak the jeans in some vinegar before washing. Vinegar helps to set the color and reduce the likelihood of fading.
4. Air dry: Instead of wringing or machine drying, gently squeeze out excess water from the washed jeans and hang them to dry in a well-ventilated area. Avoid direct sunlight to prevent fading.
5. Infrequent washing: Avoid washing jeans too frequently and only clean them when they are truly dirty or have odor. This helps prolong the lifespan of denim.

Overall, while you need to clean your jeans frequently, these methods can help you maintain their durability as much as possible. Remember that every pair of jeans will acquire wear and natural marks over time, which adds to their unique character.

Adding salt to water the first time you wash jeans can help set the dye and prevent it from fading.

Heat breaks down spandex so if there is any stretch to them at all hanging to dry and not ironing is better.

Starching can help protect the fibres from dirt and other contamination so can help prolong fabric strength.

Shrinking has to do with heat generally so washing in cold water and hanging to dry is really the only way to prevent it. Not every fabric shrinks however so knowing what you are buying can help you make informed decisions about sizing and aftercare.

Fabric is fibers, and cotton fibers will tighten up under heat. Artificial fibers like polyester won't shrink as much, that's why a lot of fabrics are a mix of cotton and poly fibers: rule of thumb, the higher the polyester percentage, the less reactive a fabric will be, compared to a 100% cotton fabric.

So, denim and jeans. Any garment should have a care label somewhere, and if you find it on your jeans (likely near the size label) you'll very likely see something about avoiding machine/tumble-drying - you do not - ever - put denim in the dryer, unless your goal is to destroy it (ditto with any amount of nylon, rayon, or spandex in the fabric). If the cut is well made, the garment will keep its shape, otherwise it might get deformed, especially around any seams.

But the main reason you don't wash a pair of jeans every time you wear one, is because fabric degrades every time it's washed - literally think of washing your jeans as permanently damaging them a little, and you'll be less inclined to overwash. Especially so with darker tones: indigo dye will eventually wash away, and if you buy very dark indigo jeans you'll probably be advised to wash them separately (always always always with cold water!), at least from any whites, especially for the first handful of washes. Flip them inside out for washing, to help reduce any loss of dye. Washing a couple of times eventually fixes the dye and it won't transfer so easily - but avoid wearing brand new dark indigo pants while sitting on a beige couch - not for the pants, but for the couch!

As for shrinking, fabric always does this in a specific direction (per the fibers that make up the fabric), mostly during the first couple of washes, and then it finds its place and tends to stay there. Pants that don't shrink (much) are made with pre-washed fabrics that basically have already shrunk. Lighter tones and sandblasted denim pants would normally be pre-washed so dye transfer and shrinking is much less of a concern then. In any case, a trip in a tumble dryer is very much a very traumatic experience for any garment. Jeans and other tight-fiber garments want to be dried hanging.
Knits (especially wool) want to dry on a flat surface (hang and it'll stretch and deform under its own weight; you don't want that).

Dress pants and suits, especially higher-end fabrics, you simply do not wash, ever. Send them to a dry cleaner if you must, but the chemicals they use will absolutely destroy any treatment of the fabric.

Idk who keeps their jeans in the fridge but w/e.

You do not need to wash them unless they are dirty or smell. Fewer washes means they fade slower and last longer.

I would always hang them up after wareing them. Folding them with other Jeana will lead to a stale smell quicker.

Wash inside out cold and hang dry  if you worry about shrinking. 

Low heat dryer will shrink them but 1 days ware will stretch them back out.

Warm and hot water shrink them same with dryer. Agitation can also cause some shrinking.

If your trying to shrink them it's said warm water then hang dry is the best method repeat as needed. This will cause fading.

Just rember if you are worried about them shrinking to much in a dryer they will. If you are trying your best to shrink them just a little they wont!

Edit

You wanted a technical reason for the shrinking.

As far as I know heat and agitation cause the weaves to pull in tighter together. When drying especially the water evaporates from between fibers and they pull together.

I wash everything in cold water and hang it all to dry. I've still got jeans from 10 years ago.

Hot anything destroys fiber.

Depends on the jeans and type of wear they get, along with your own personal preference.

I've only had two pairs of jeans in the past 4 years, black 3Sixteen (worn maybe 50 times) and dark blue N&F (worn maybe 300 times), both raw denim. They've both been washed once on a cold water cycle, and hung to dry. I washed the black ones because I spilled something on them, and I washed the blue ones because I sent them out to be repaired and it was a requirement of the repair shop.

The N&F jeans are probably my favorite item of clothing that I've ever owned.

You're going to find everyone has their own opinion on this and there is no right or wrong answer. I simply just wash my jeans in cold water whenever I feel they're dirty (i.e. I've felt sweaty, they smell, or I've dropped something on them). Usually results in me washing my jeans maybe 1 in 20 wears. My jeans last me years. Too little washing also isn't a good thing. Cotton is a natural fabric and needs moisture, otherwise you'll blow the crotch/high friction areas. Of course if you want sik fadez then you'll probably need to go longer without washing. Also I would recommend air drying your clothes if you want them to last longer. They feel a bit harder but they'll soften after you wear them for 10 mins.

Selvedge jeans doesn't mean anything except that the denim was made using shuttle looms. It doesn't automatically make it special or higher quality than those spun with projectile looms.

How often depends on how important getting those 'sick fadez' are to you (assuming your new jeans are raw denim). Washing in the right way (inside out, cold cycle, air dry) will prolong the fabric but washing often will result in even fading. Woolite dark is recommended.

I wear my new raw denim for the first six months before washing, then once every couple of months. It does mean I have earlier crotch blowout.

I wash jeans every 3-5 wears on average.

>When should you wash them?

Whenever you want to / they get dirty. I have a pair of ONIs that I wash once a month because they see heavy wear. I have a pair of N&Fs that I wash when I notice a smell or they get dirty because of infrequent wear. It all depends on wear/personal choice. The sweat spot for many people seems to be about once every 2 or 3 months with basic wear.

>How should you wash them?

/r/rawdenim has a few opinions on it. My personal choice is to soak them in a tub of luke warm water with Dr. Bronner's soap and gently agitate the jeans and the water for about an hour. You'll want to drain the tub and then rinse the jeans off until there's no soap residue in the water. Afterwards, hang dry (or drip dry). Woolite Dark is suggested for helping to hold the darker colors better, but after using it a couple of times I haven't noticed a significant difference.

Some people will suggest to wash the jeans in the washing machine and remove them before the spin cycle. Most people will say to hang dry instead of risk getting dye streaks from the dryer. Keep in mind that the hotter the temperatures that you use to wash your jeans and the hotter the drying temperature, the more the pants will shrink.

>How do you treat your jeans?

Like any other pair of pants. You do not need to baby them. I do hang them separately in my closet from the belt loop in order to prevent any indigo bleeding from getting on other articles of clothing.

How do your Ben Davis carpenter pants fit? Are they true to size? Do you have to size up? I wear size 36 in Levi’s but when I wear my original Ben’s I have to size up to 38. Wondering if it’s the same for carpenter pants

Put in washing machine add tide pod close lid turn on and boom- you did it

Your best bet is to go to a dry cleaners but if that’s not possible then turn them inside out, cold wash(not tap cold), use a dark colored detergent, and air dry them. You really shouldn’t wash them so next time I would starch them to protect against dirt and grime.

Quite a good basic guide: https://www.thrifted.com/blogs/the-edit/how-to-wash-jeans

I heard somewhere you are only supposed to wash your jeans every 10+ wears. I tend to wash them when they feel physically dirty/smelly because putting on freshly washed jeans is a nightmare.

Oh, and never put them in the dryer!

I don’t wear denim personally, but I know that in general, washing clothes less often, and air drying rather than using the dryer, makes them last longer.

Isn't that Dr.Bronner's a castile soap?

I recommend against washing with soap. (soap and laundry detergent aren't the same thing)

I usually just use some Woolite Dark. I always thought that was super fancy but I think I need to up my game

Great write-up bro. I've been wearing raws for almost a decade and I haven't found a single source for washing instructions as succinct as the one you made. Kudos. Looks like you live in Switzerland? Looks beautiful outside.

Will be saving this post for future reference!

Excellent guide. Thank you!

I just did this instead of a tub soak for the first time yesterday and it worked fantastic!! Bucket is much more convenient in my house!!

Home Depot bucket.

Regular Tide detergent.

Temp depends-- the older the jeans the hotter I wash them.

I do turn them inside out, but not for the reason most people do: Have you ever looked under the selvage fold in the outseam? It can get packed up with lint. Pockets should get turned inside out too for the same reason. And of course unroll any cuffs.

I only hand wash because I don't have a washer/dryer in my unit. I would recommend not getting too neurotic about how to wash your denim--maybe turn them inside out for a machine wash, but otherwise just treat them like you would other clothing. Remember that denim is supposed to be hardy workwear. All those awesome vintage faded jeans you see were likely washed repeatedly in hot water and not babied at all.

(I think it's weird as hell that people will abuse the crap out of their jeans by wearing them 6+ months without a wash, but when it is time to wash they treat the jeans like they're super delicate cashmere or something. Like yo, you marinated those jeans in ballsweat for 12 months but you're worried about ruining them if the water is too hot or if you use the wrong detergent?)

Maybe unpopular opinion, but I’ve never had a pair negatively effected by a washing machine. Inside out at 40c or hand wash cycle with low spin and you are golden. They are jeans after all.

bin with warm water and dr. bonners or woolite agitate and submerge. inside out buttoned up uncuffed

Fill bath tub with cold water. Add some woolite detergent and submerge and let sit for an hour. Drain and repeat with just water. Hang dry.

1. Water with soap. The Laundress Denim Wash or TGC044 oud denim wash.

2. Cold water. (reduces indigo loss and shrinkage)

3. Inside out. Unroll cuffs.

If your jeans smell and are dirty just wash them. Wash inside out on cold and then hang dry.

So on a small scale i do this for work. I have 3 pairs of identical jeans and i wash them every 3 days and work 6 days. They last alot longer since they are only being washed 2 times a week. Its alot more expensive but yeah. If you had 5 -7 pairs you could just wash them once per week and they would last alot longer. Also cold water and inside out. I dry on low heat, some people say to hang dry. Aint NO way im wearing a pair of jeans multiple times without washing. 10 times?! Ha get out of here with that crap levis

Change over to chinos. You cannot handle jeans

If they are dirty, wash them. If they smell, wash them.

A bit of an amalgam of comments I’ve previously posted here before:

Even if you’re striving for high contrast, there’s a lot of misconceptions about how important not washing your jeans are. If you’re wearing your jeans really hard, you’re gonna get pretty great fades even if they get washed relatively early. Same goes the other way, - if you don’t wear them hard and never wash them you’ll just have smelly old dark jeans. If anything, washing in and of itself can also really help bring out the fades and increase contrast.

When I was intentionally going for super high contrast, I used to try washing my jeans on a cadence like (1st wash) — sometime in the first 3-6 months (subsequent washes) — 1x a month. But if something gross happens to them, just wash them sooner. The fades will survive.

Getting back into raw denim now as a dad, I wash probably every 3-4 weeks since little kids are gross (but wonderful). I’ve also probably had some of the best and quickest fades I’ve ever had since I’ve been significantly more active / crawling around / bending over while playing with them.

IMO it’s really the first 1-3 washes that matters most for high contrast, but once you’re happy with the contrast you can really increase the frequency in which you wash your denim. Especially if you’re doing anything to minimize indigo loss (turning inside out, cold water, no spin, personally I don’t actually think I can tell when I’ve used woolite dark vs not). Your denim is not going to noticeably lighten with something like a monthly wash.

As for for thought for the ‘na my jeans never smell / get dirty’ camp. I used to be a member, and would pretty routinely wear for a year without washing. Figured I’m generally very neat person, worked in an office, don’t really sweat much, etc.

Then I read a tip that quickly soaking your jeans (like running them under a shower head) first before washing can help prevent marbling. And uh, I’ll just say I had a real come to Jesus looking at the brackish water that ran off from my ‘clean looking / clean smelling jeans’ on my walk to the washer.

Your jeans are never as clean as you think they are if you’ve been wearing them. There’s gonna be dead skin / body oils / sweat / general grime, and all of that’s just gonna be accumulating. Even if it doesn’t smell or visually stain, none of that is great for your jeans - so a wash can be healthy.

This video might give you some perspective.

I personally think it's very subjective and it boils down to personal taste and preference. If you want to wash your jeans regularly, go ahead. If you don't, then don't. You do you.

I wash about every 3-6 weeks if I’m wearing daily or near daily. I do a little detergent and gentle hand agitation in the tub with cold water and air dry.

It’s different for everyone but in my climate/what I do in my pants… they very much do start to smell unpleasant in that 3-6 week range so I wash them.

Not really interested in people who want to tell me to do something different or in trying to tell other people to do it my way.

Learn what works for you and tune out the haters.

I stay in the tropics and not washing is really unbearable because of the humidity. The best I can get from them is about 8 wears before I need to cold wash. I think that the environment plays an important part in your decision.

Ha - Thanks! Hopefully helpful to someone out there.

I wear denim for at least 3 months before cold water and vinegar soak and hang dry. I dont go commando so my jeans stay clean for a long time as I only wear them when I'm out on the town.