Ask Lemmy

Okay, I’m sensitive to the fact that both Unilever and Levi’s want to sell more product, and that 24 hours is not some magic number for everything, but for fuck’s sake people, wash your goddamn pants sometimes. I personally will wear unstained, unsmelly pants for three or four days, but for special stuff, sure, you can go longer. The “never” or “once a year” thing is just yucky though.

Denim is not magic, and neither are you. Your legs have skin cells and sweat glands and your jeans cover your asshole. You never fart with your pants on? Ever? For months on end? Then there’s the environment. You sit on things, walk alongside busy roads, etc. You know, LIFE.

Never washing your pants simply because you like the particular shade of slightly unstable dye they came with is nasty and a very weird, bullheaded flex.

I know everyone says it but why would it be okay to not wash your pants just because they're jeans? All pants get dirty the same amount regardless of material.

I wash mine regularly and don't notice any change after washing but maybe I don't buy "nice" jeans

Dirt, sweat, dead skin are all things that will get on the fabric just by wearing it. I'd rather have it regularly cleaned ;)

Sounds gross to me. The human body is dirty. All that oil and dead skin gets caked into the jeans like any other piece of clothing. That then starts to decompose and attract bacteria and other microbes in addition to holding on to your body odor. Those microorganisms can't survive on denim alone, but that skin oil and flakes are plenty to keep them alive for a while.

Unwashed clothes are a common cause of acne and other skin conditions because even if you wash your skin, the oil and bacteria just rub right back off of the clothing into your pores.

I'm not saying you have to wash every piece of clothing, every time you wear it. But be logical. If you wear it with clothing in between, like a jacket or hoodie over a T-shirt, it doesn't collect as much gunk. If you wear it while exercising, it probably gets more gunk. If it's made of a material designed to repel water and oil, it probably doesn't need to be washed as much. But plain denim is absorbent and not directly a hostile environment to the microorganisms.

I don't understand this "don't wash jeans" concept. Prior to this post, the only time I have ever heard this said before was that old college humor sketch with the woman that has shit stains on her pants and she yells "you don't wash jeans!" When it's commented on the fact that she has shit on her pants.

What the fuck?

direct contact clothing washed after single use. mid to mid outer layers 1-3 uses depending on physocal exertion and environmental filth. outermost layers up to a month only for non porous. I don't buy rain gear with non removable fabric.

...do you not?

I typically wear my jeans for about a week at a time (barring spills, mud, etc.) and wash them and all my other clothes on whatever the washer's regular setting is. I do this with hoodies as well.

Yes. Washing isn't that hard on them. Hang dry only. Putting them in the clothes dryer is what causes them to shrink and wear out faster.

I have a few pairs of jeans that are probably ten years old and have been washed many times that still look nice.

I'd say I wash a pair of jeans about 10-14 days after first wearing them (often in rotation with another pair). I wash them inside out at 30 degrees and use a laundry sanitiser in addition to a non bio detergent, and hang dry. My jeans are mostly Levi's 501s (nice enough, not crazy fancy or anything), and I'd say even the pair that's a few years old now doesn't look much different from when they were new

Oh no

I wash all my clothing

Well, I don't have a single pair of jeans, because I don't like the fabric. Hearing there are filthy pigs not ever washing their clothes because of some sort of a fetish is just disgusting. People don't be stupid, wash your clothes, you're not animals anymore.

Raw denim I wash after a few weeks, normal ones I wash after a few days. I hate the idea of being dirty or smelly.

Yes and thanks, this reminds me I need to wash the jeans I bought a couple months ago. They're finally relaxing and I need to wash them so they tighten up again. I hate wearing belts.

I wah everything, even what I'm not supposed to. It's a crime, i know, but I get itchy if i don't. Psychological shit and all that.

The most I wear a pair is maybe the next day if I didn't have them on very long the day before.

Yes. I buy two pairs of black jeans every five years or so and switch between them while the other is in the wash every couple of weeks or when they get dirty. They're the only trousers I wear for gardening, going out, being in the house, painting, etc. Only exception is concreting, for which I have my previous jeans (and that's only because my current jeans are only a couple of years old)

Yes, once a week.

Yes. I also wash my nice boxers, my nice t-shirts, and dry clean my suits.

No, because I don't have any jeans. let alone a nice one.

When I was still living in Europe where the weather is rather mild, I would go for 5-7 days without washing them (usually not consecutive days though), now that I'm in Asia, nothing lasts me more than a day.

I have lots of nice jeans. I'm currently roating through some Onis Secret Denims and S.Da 45th anniversaries right now. Been into denim for a long time at this point. Even did the beach wash on my brand new APC PNSes in an /fa thread back in the day.

At one point in time, right when I was checking Rawrdenim multiple times per day every day, I never washed 'em but once every year max. Nowadays, I wash about once or twice per month because I don't like high contrast fades and lifestyle changes (not a student anymore) make it so my jeans feel dirtier quicker. I just turn them inside out and wash separately with a half cap of Woolite Dark Defense and air dry.

After having done loads of heavy squats I had to stop wearing jeans entirely. I'd get about 4 months of use from a pair before they rip on the crotch due to my thick thighs and ass.