If you’ve gotten a new pair of jeans and are eager to break them in, you don’t have to wait for months of normal wear and tear to get them to feel like your old favorites. Soften your stiff blues with a simple trick to loosen the fibers and get your jeans feeling like you’ve had them for years.
Jeans Preparation
Start by removing all sales and brand tags from your denims. Unfold any cuffs and unsnap any pockets. This will help all of the fabric to get full treatment for your softening process. If you have more than one pair of jeans, pair them together as a time-saver. Reverse your jeans by pulling them inside out.
Pre-Softening Process
Use a washing machine to soften your jeans. Turn the water on lukewarm or cold to avoid shrinkage. Add fabric softener, white vinegar and a pair of clean sneakers to your load. Turn the settings down to low if you will only be washing a single pair. You can always put in an extra pair or two.
Softening Process
Wash the load combining your softening agents, jeans and sneakers. The sneakers will serve as a beater as the jeans bounce around in the load. The combination of the chemicals and the rough handling from the washing cycle with the sneakers will expedite the softening. Wash on a long wash cycle or repeat washing.
Care Instructions
Dry the jeans using about six fabric softener dryer sheets. Allow the jeans to air dry halfway, then put in the dryer. Dry on low heat so you don’t stiffen the jeans more. Once dry, you should see a significant difference in the tightness of your jeans. Repeat a few more sessions if necessary depending on the stiffness of the denim or to your desire.