Ever buy a pair of expensive – like really expensive – jeans? If they were made from raw denim, also known as dry denim, you may have gotten some very specific care-and-cleaning advice before leaving the store: don’t wash them. At all. For six months. And if you can wait longer – up to a year – even better.
It may sound like a lot of fuss for a pair of pants, but it turns out that keeping raw denim away from water helps preserve its dark color and durability while letting those “cool” creases, folds and faded spots form naturally through wear and tear.
The look may be worth it. But what do you do about the… smell? Traipsing around town in the same trousers for weeks on end, you’re bound to pick up some odor and funk.
Denim experts (yes, people specialize in this stuff) suggest something pretty simple to squash the stench: stick your jeans in the freezer for a few days. This will kill off odor-causing bacteria that has accumulated on the fabric, for at least a little bit of a refresh.
But what if something comes up? He calls. The date’s on. You need those jeans to not stink, like now. Enter method® Dyer-Activated Fabric Softener.
This hypoallergenic, concentrated spray– originally formulated to soften fabric, eliminate wrinkles and infuse a fresh scent — also happens to be perfect for an instant denim pick-me-up. No washing (or deep freezing) required.
Just dampen a towel, spritz it with method® Fabric Softener and toss it in the dryer with your jeans for 15 minutes. Voilá! They’ll look and smell like they were just picked up from the dry cleaners.
Do you have a waterless-wash technique that works? Let us know!