Dark jeans are made out of cotton fabric dyed with a dark indigo dye to give them a dark blue hue. This dye sometimes washes off, bleeds or fades if the jeans are washed in harsh chemicals that strip the color from the fabric. Although many people think strong chemicals like bleach are the only way to remove stains, using mild cleaning products designed to remove specific types of stains, washing the jeans in moderate temperatures and preventing the surface of the jeans from excessive wear will prevent fading.

Turn jeans inside out and wash them with liquid laundry detergent. Turning the jeans inside out will allow the water and soap to saturate and clean the jeans with rubbing the outer surface of the jeans against the washing machine spinner and causing fading.

Wash the jeans in cold water. Hot water not only sets stains and makes them harder to remove, but it also fades dark colors. Cold water and liquid laundry detergent will remove stains just as well as hot water but won't fade the color.

Apply one tbsp. laundry detergent directly to the stain before washing it. This will act as a pre-wash spot treatment that will help break down the substance causing the stain. Allow the laundry detergent to remain on the stain for about five to 10 minutes before putting in the washing machine.

Wash the jeans when the stain is still fresh, since fresh stains are easier to remove than old stains that have dried and settled into the fibers. Cleaning the stains before they have dried requires less cleaning and reduces the chances of fading.

Soak protein stains such as food, blood, urine or mud in cold water before washing the jeans. Hot water will cause the protein to coagulate in the fibers of the fabric and make the stain harder to remove. After soaking the stain in cold water for a half hour, wash the jeans in warm water with a liquid laundry detergent.

Wash the jeans in a laundry detergent made for dark colors. These laundry detergents do not have any of the harsh chemicals other detergents have that often cause fading.

Remove an oil or grease stain by sprinkling an absorbent powder on the stain. Sprinkle talcum powder or baking powder on the oil stain and let it sit for a half hour before brushing the powder off. Wash the jeans in warm water and liquid laundry detergent after to remove the powder and remaining oil.

Soak the jeans in an enzyme soak product before washing. An enzyme soak product will break down the substance causing the stain and wash it away. Soak the stain for about five to 10 minutes before putting the jeans in the washing machine.