You just bought yourself some classy dark jeans, but how do you keep that indigo dye in? Jeans will always color bleed the first time they’re in the wash—that’s inevitable. To help keep your new dark jeans looking new, they will greatly benefit from a salt soak before you toss them in your washing machine for the first time. We’ve talked about adding salt to a laundry load to prevent bleeding, but instead of dumping it right in, you’ll want to soak first. To get started, fill up a 2-gallon bucket with one gallon of cold water. Pour a couple tablespoons of salt in the water and soak your jeans for about an hour or so. The salt will help keep the dye in as well as help to prevent the dreaded fade. Then, when you get ready to toss your jeans in the washer, turn them inside out and use cold water on the gentle cycle. Afterwards, allow them to air dry. If you must use your clothes dryer, keep them turned inside out, and use the tumble dry-low setting. Also, you don’t have to wash your jeans every day. Some people take this old tale of advice and run with it—by never washing their jeans and using the freezer instead.
Photo by: Vivian Chen | Flickr
