How to Wash Raw Denim The Easy Way - The Best Way To Wash Denim

Many a denim head has never washed their jeans. This is all in the attempt to minimize indigo loss and to promote those awesome fades. Still, there is nothing cool about stinky jeans. There are many theories on the best way to clean raw denim: freezing, ocean washing, dry cleaning, or avoiding washing at all. In this video I discuss why I choose to wash my denim using the bathtub technique and how you can do the same in 10 easy steps.

#CarlMurawski #Denim

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Reviews of clothing, boots, and accessories for men, along with style advice and life philosophy. I've been working with my hands for my entire life as a mechanic, tow truck driver, and eventually a licensed electrician. Being a blue collar guy, I look for certain elements in a product: is it durable? Is it high-quality? Will it perform well over its service life? Whether boots, pants, jackets, or tools I believe it's best to buy once and cry once by getting the best you can afford. With so many options these days, choosing the best product can become a difficult decision, but that's where I come in. Helping you stay stylish, rugged, and handsome.
I don't care where it's made as long as it's made well, and allows you to buy less and buy better.

[phrayzar]

Just a side note on washing denim. During WWII, sailors used to tie their new indigo “dungarees” to a long line and trail them in the sea, sometimes overnight. This would give them the heavy use look that they wanted. E J Jernigan documents this in his book Tin Can Man.

[drwisdom]

As someone who has been wearing US made Levis shrink-to-fit 501s since the late 1960s, I believe that the magic of raw denim is the beautiful fading process that happens as the jeans wear from washing and usage. There is nothing special about keeping them dark blue or having horizontal fade lines. Don't worry about washing your raw denim jeans - unless you didn't have the sense to buy them big enough so they fit after they shrink.

Many people buy pre-faded jeans, even though the fading looks fake, because they don't like dark blue jeans. Other people buy dark blue jeans thinking that fading isn't acceptable, even though that is what cotton jeans do. In the old days jeans always started being dark blue and then faded as used. Modern society thinks that is quaint.

[MorethanGUNZ]

This is by far the most comprehensive and complete video on this topic on Youtube. Great presentation like always.

[ryanburbridge]

Ok now do a video on how you store your denim. Do you fold or hang? If you fold how? If you hang how? I enjoy this stuff. You make great videos

[edwardshepherd]

When you squeezed the water out of your jeans . You could see a bunch of indigo come out of your jeans. That made me realize that I'm never going to squeeze my Jean's ever when I'm done rinsing and I'm just going to hang them up and make sure that the legs are open and there is air circulation in the room I'm drying them in. That's it. To each there own but I want mine to stay dark as long as possible. Great video btw!

[vanguardcycle]

been a raw denim fan since self-edge opened up shop in NYC, you've done raw denim very well my friend. all good info without any of the hype or pseudo science from a lot of the 'denim heads'

[stevedoe]

Perfect timing. After eight months of wear I'm about to wash my first pair of raws for the first time.

[ianmedium]

Seeing these in the tub reminds me of when I was a toddler back in the sixties watching my older brothers who were Mods sitting in the tub with their new Levi’s shrinking them to fit then walking around outside on a summers day until they dried. The aim was for a skin tight fit!

I don’t have a tub or large enough container so I put my jeans ( always reversed) on a cold wool cycle in the washing machine which works well. In the cooler days when there is little to no perspiration happening I sponge wash them reverse first, then outer then sponge rinse them the same way, that works as well!

[ashbazookaG]

So much easier with someone showing me than telling me what I should do!

[whiskeythrottle]

2:14 is that a pair of Brave Star loomstate jeans I'm seeing. Brave Star makes great selvage denim. Ocean water is such a bad idea, it has a horrible smell and as Carl points out, you're actually adding bacteria to your jeans (don't believe us, go swim in the ocean, let your trunks dry and give them a whiff... it smells like socks mixed with mold). This is a great tutorial. I use cold water in the bath with Brave Star detergent.

[matts]

I do this method too (minus the agitation) and it works wonders on my denim, even though I still wear LEE modern fits. I don’t press the jeans to dry, just hang dry from the bottom. I usually go 6 months between washes and never hear any complaints, but I also have a 3 pair rotation. I do blind smell tests all the time too. I plan on getting my first pair of Raw soon; the GAP 1969’s.

[jcv]

Soak unsanforized denim for 2 hours in hot water before first wearing them. Wear them for as long as you can but do wash them if they smell bad or delaying the wash will damage them. I usually wash them after 10 months in a bathub with warm water, followed by periodically washing them every couple of months or so. After the 3rd wash, all future washes go into the washer and air dry when done. Have been doing this with a variety of brands like oni, pure blue japan, momotaro, 3sixteen, naked and famous, and it has worked out well for me.

[eugenethomas]

Exactly what I do with my raws. Takes a bit longer and my wife thinks I'm weird but that shit ain't cheap and I want them to last! Great vid!

[par]

Great video on laundering raw denim. I wanted to reciprocate by sharing some additional points that have worked for me.

1. Wear your raw jeans for at least 90 - 120 days before first washing using a cyclical schedule; so many days on and at least one day off (rest). I use the "Genesis" cycle; six straight days of wear with one day off. Repeat.

2. During your raw denim "rest" day(s) turn raw denim jeans inside out and hang them up by the waistband in an area away from the Sun. Spray (a light misting) any "fragrant" areas with a "Febreze" product. The preferred area to rest your raw denim must have good - great ventilation.

3. Pre-Wash / First Wash - Your first wash should be on your "rest" day beginning with a pre-wash in a tub/ five gallon bucket of cool water with a dye setting rinse of either 2.5 to 3.0 cups of distilled white vinegar or 10 - 15 tablespoons of Epson salt completely dissolved in 5 - 6 cups of water. Put the distilled white vinegar / Epson salt dye setting rinse in the tub/bucket of cool water FIRST and evenly incorporate then place your insides out raw denim jeans in. Completely submerge the raw denim jeans in this pre-wash for at least 3 - 4 hours, preferably overnight. In addition to minimizing dye loss, this pre-wash will also disinfect your raw denim jeans.

4. Drain or remove your raw denim jeans from the dye setting pre-wash and press (not wring) out the excess water. Then follow immediately with your first wash. You should repeat this pre-wash/wash approach for your next 3 - 4 washes. The amount of dye loss from your raw denim jeans will be significantly less each subsequent wash cycle.


Using this method you can disinfect and deodorize your raw denim jeans several times, minimize indigo loss WITHOUT using laundry detergents

[demeanor]

Thank you Carl. Yes there is something missing. Step 5, after you agitate the jeans then turn right side out, how many minutes would you soak before agitate them again?

[Manavikageshjali]

This channel is the best channel regarding denim Jeans

[KeyJayTilly]

Probably one of the best videos on raw denim

[darrelllatham]

When I was stationed in Verde Bay we had a PX manager that loved 501's. He told me that if you soak them in salt water (tub of cold water enough to cover and a 1lb of salt) was the 1st step. After a 15 min soak, drain water leave jeans in tub over night. Fill tub with cold water & let soak for 2 hours and remove, turn inside out and hang to dry, sunlight is better. After they dry, fill the front pockets with bubble wrap as much as one can stuff in. Allow to hang this way for 24 hours. Remove from line, remove stuffing from pockets and then machine wash and dry was you would any pair of jeans, cold water w/ mild detergent & fabric softener. Machine dry alone. Remove from machine when dry. Have the jeans dry cleaned and pressed at your local dry cleaners. At this point you have a new pair of jeans that look like you have been homeless for a few weeks and the streets have not been kind to you.

[clint]

I actually bought some bravestar jeans based on your video that should arrive in the next week or so so the timing of this video is perfect!

[HifiCentret]

Hats off to those who want to go through all that hassle. I just throw mine in the washing machine inside out and once in a while if I feel they've got coarse dirt in them then outside out. When worn out after a couple of years I just buy a new pair. Usually jeans is all I wear and IMHO if they're not washed after a week of use they're going to get gross - especially around the crotch area as that is a moist place. Jackets you can do away washing once every or every other season depending on use - but they're also not as exposed to moist unless you got really sweaty armpits.
But do really wish that many manufacturers again would make that thick tight woven non stretch denim again. I found an old pair of forgotten jeans in my closet from some obscure long gone discount brand probably 00s. Of course I didn't fit them anymore (not surprising because of my age when those were bought) as I couldn't button them but the legs were very nice, comfortable and warm and really got a great feel both comfort and quality wise. Today most regular priced denim is stretch which I agree has its own rights but it's also very thin and cold (here's a colder climate most of the year) and doesn't seem to last as long as the old thick tight woven stuff. I want something in between for us that want a little better stuff than todays run of the mill but also not having to go through price and hassle of the very exclusive japanese denim.