How to Soften Jeans
New Jeans
To soften your new jeans denim you will want to make a solution of water and one of these products: vinegar, shampoo, salt or fabric softener. Mixing lukewarm water and any of these products in a large soup pot or basin will give you ample room to submerge your jeans. Let the jeans soak between 20-60 minutes depending on the product used.
This is How to Soften Jeans: 8 Proven Options.
Welcome to our article focused on helping you soften your newly bought jeans.
Buying high-quality denim jeans is an investment in your fashion and duration of clothing. You might have noticed the cost of your jeans was higher than jeans that mix elastic and other fabrics into their making.
Where the cost will set you back more, the life you will get out of them will make up for it.
But now that you have your jeans, it’s pretty noticeable how stiff they are, so let me help you fix that problem by softening them (also referred to as breaking in your jeans.)
What You'll Need:
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- Belt
- Vinegar
- Shampoo
- Fabric softener
- Salt
How To Soften Jeans
We have put together to top 8 methods to help you pick one that appeals to your most. Softening your jeans should be your first step whenever distressing, fraying and ripping your jeans.
Once you have softened them don’t chuck them in the corner of your room. Hang your jeans up or fold your jeans and put them away properly.
1. Wear them often
Total time: 1-2 months
Cost: 0$
The best thing you can do to soften your jeans is to wear them as much as possible right away. By wearing them to ‘break them in,’ the jeans will soften, mould and fold in the exact areas your body wants them to. By letting your muscles, bones and joints wear down the jean denim, you will not put any unwanted wear on the fabric from outside factors.
Pull up your jeans, put on a belt and get active!
2. Use the washing machine
Total time: 60 minutes
Cost: 45.34$
Put your jeans in the washing machine to soften them. Using the washing machine is an easy way to address this issue. Do not use hot water (hot water shrinks clothes.) Instead, for the first wash, use cold water. Using cold water will make sure you do not alter to shrink the denim. Once the jeans are dry, try them on to see if they have softened enough. If not, repeat the process (how long does a washer take?), but use warm water this time.
Follow our step-by-step guide on how to wash your jeans & how to wash jeans without shrinking.
3. Use the washer and dryer
Total time: 120 minutes
Cost: 45.34$
Put your jeans in the washer and dryer to soften your jeans. I would not suggest doing this method if the jeans you bought fit you perfectly. By putting the denim through the dryer’s tumble dry settings, you will give it a chance to shrink and change the complete feel of your jeans. However, if the jeans are a little big or baggy, this is a perfect method. Learn how to use a dryer properly.
Your jeans will shrink in the dryer so I suggest you read this guide to not let your jeans shrink in the dryer. And also understand how long a dryer takes.
Follow my guide on how to wash jeans with step-by-step photo instructions.
4. Use vinegar
Total time: 120 minutes
Cost: 24.99$
Put your jeans in a vinegar solution to soften them. Follow these steps to create the vinegar/water solution properly and soften your jeans.
For the 4 guides below, be sure to air dry your jeans. Line drying or drying flat both work well. But there are many ways to dry your jeans without using a dryer.
1. Fill basin to soften jeans with vinegar
Get an 8-12 quart stock pot, large tupperware container or sink and fill the basin with 3/4 full warm water.
2. Add one cup of white vinegar
Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the water filled container.
3. Submerge the jeans into the vinegar solution
Submerge the jeans fully into the vinegar solution. Making sure every part of the denim fabric gets soaked.
4. Place a heavy object onto the jeans
Place a soup can, bottle or weight onto the jeans to keep them submerged in the vinegar.
5. Soak jeans in vinegar for 20 minutes
Let the jeans soak in the vinegar water for 20 minutes.
6. Rinse off vinegar in cold water
Remove the jeans from the basin and rinse them in cold water until the smell of vinegar is gone.
7. Air dry jeans to let them soften
Air dry the jeans, do not put them into the drying machine.
5. Use warm water and shampoo
Total time: 130 minutes
Cost: 18$
Put your jeans into a shampoo and warm water solution to soften them. This process of softening your jeans is similar to the softening with vinegar. Follow the steps below to soften your jeans with shampoo.
1. Fill basin to soften jeans with shampoo
Get an 8-12 quart stock pot, large tupperware container or sink and fill the basin with 3/4 full warm water.
2. Add two squirts of shampoo
Put in 2 short squirts of shampoo (It’s better to have more than less.)
3. Submerge the jeans into the shampoo solution
Submerge the jeans into the shampoo solution, making sure every inch gets wet.
4. Place a heavy object onto the jeans
Place a soup can, bottle or weight onto the jeans to keep them submerged in the shampoo.
5. Soak in shampoo for 30 minutes
Let the jeans soak in shampoo for 30 minutes.
6. Rinse off shampoo in cold water
Take out the jeans and rinse off shampoo in cold water.
7. Air dry jeans to let them soften
Air dry the jeans, do not put them into the drying machine.
6. Use fabric softener
Total time: 110 minutes
Cost: 14.52$
Use fabric softener to soften your jeans. Soaking your jeans in fabric softener will help break down the rigidness of your denim. Follow these steps to soften your jeans with fabric softener.
1. Fill basin to soften jeans with fabric softener
Get an 8-12 quart stock pot, large tupperware container or sink and fill the basin with 3/4 full warm water.
2. Add one cap full of fabric softener
Add one cap full of fabric softener, or two good glugs.
3. Submerge the jeans into the fabric softener solution
Submerge the jeans into the fabric softener solution, making sure every inch is wet.
4. Place a heavy object onto the jeans
Place a soup can, bottle or weight onto the jeans to keep them submerged in the fabric softener.
5. Soak in fabric softener for 10 minutes
Soak in fabric softener for 10 minutes.
6. Rinse off fabric softener in cold water
Remove the jeans and rinse off the fabric softener thoroughly under cold water.
7. Air dry jeans to let them soften
Air dry the jeans, do not put them into the drying machine.
7. Use salt
Total time: 180 minutes
Cost: 7.57$
Use salt to soften your jeans. Similar to the other methods, letting your jeans soak in salt will help soften them. Just be sure you rinse them thoroughly as the salt could harm the denim if allowed to set in over time. Follow these steps to use salt to soften your jeans.
1. Fill basin to soften jeans with salt
Get an 8-12 quart stock pot, large tupperware container or sink and fill the basin with 3/4 full warm water.
2. Add two heaping spoonfulls of salt
Add two heaping spoonfuls of salt to the basin.
3. Submerge the jeans into the salt solution
Submerge the jeans into the salt solution, making sure every inch is covered.
4. Place a heavy object onto the jeans
Place a soup can, bottle or weight onto the jeans to keep them submerged in the fabric softener.
5. Soak in salt for 60 minutes
Let them soak for 60 minutes in the salt solution.
6. Rinse off salt in cold water
Take out the jeans and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
7. Air dry jeans to let them soften
Air dry the jeans, do not put them into the drying machine.
8. Roll your jeans
Total time: 75 minutes
Cost: 24.95$
You can roll your jeans while they are warm to soften them. If you are not worried about shrinking your jeans, this method will be helpful for you. Be sure to have a belt or string/rope handy. Follow the steps below to roll your jeans once warm to soften them.
1. Put your jeans in dryer for 15 min
Throw your jeans into the dryer on a medium setting. Take the jeans out after 15 minutes or fully warm and loose.
2. Start rolling your jeans at the hem to soften them properly
Starting at the hem of your pant leg, roll up tightly.
3. Roll your jeans like a sleeping bag
Mimic rolling up a sleeping bag. Get both hands and scrunch them tight as possible.
4. Wrap your belt around the rolled up jeans
Once your jeans are fully rolled up, take the belt and wrap it around the center.
5. Tighten the belt around the jeans
Tighten the belt or string as tight as possible, once you have got it centered and the jeans have stayed compact.
6. Let the jeans cool for 60 min
Let your jeans cool like that for 60 minutes. Lay them down, hang them up, put the wherever, just let them cool in peace.
7. Unroll the jeans and try them on to see how soft they are
Once the jeans are cool take off the belt and unroll the jeans. Give the a try on to see how they fit.
FAQ
To soften hard denim jeans, the quickest, most effective way is to soak your jeans in vinegar, shampoo or fabric softener. Be sure to rinse thoroughly with cold water once done and let air dry.
The fastest way to break jeans in is to wear them all day long for a whole week. This will not only break your jeans in but also soften them in the exact areas your body needs for the denim to mould.
To soften jeans with salt, you need to submerge the teams in warm water with two heaping spoonfuls of salt. Let the jeans sit in the water for one hour, then take them out and rinse them thoroughly with cold water. Let them hang to air dry.
