How to Alter the Wash of Jeans

Sunlight is effective at fading the wash of jeans without damaging them.

Altering the wash dramatically changes the look of an old pair of jeans. While a dark wash gives jeans a sophisticated and classic look, a lighter or uneven wash -- such as acid-wash -- is typically more trendy and youthful. Changing the look of the wash involves fading, removing or darkening the dye used on the cotton -- using chemicals, cleaning agents or even natural elements. Choose any of these methods to achieve the desired results.

Things You'll Need

• Borax
• Chlorine bleach
• Laundry detergent
• Powdered color remover
• Powdered dye
• Bucket
• Tea
• Coffee
• Hydrogen peroxide

Instructions

1. Fade the jeans with sunlight. Wash them in laundry detergent and water to remove any dirt or soiling. Remove the jeans from the washing machine, and hang them on a clothesline in direct sunlight for two weeks.

2. Fade the jeans with borax and bleach. Wash the jeans in a washing machine with hot water, 1 cup of borax, 3 cups of chlorine bleach and 1/4 cup of laundry detergent. Since too much bleach causes yellowing, mixing in borax -- which fades colors without yellowing but is less effective than bleach -- will prevent you from having to use too much bleach to get the desired shade.

3. Treat the jeans with color remover. Place the jeans in a washing machine with 1 ounce of powdered color remover, and wash them with hot water. Since color remover is designed for removing accidental color bleeding on white clothing and not heavily dyed fabric, it will fade the color from the blue jeans without removing it entirely.

4. Dye the jeans by filling the washing machine with 3 gallons of hot water and adding 1 ounce of powdered dye. Place the jeans in the dye bath, and run the washing machine for 30 minutes. Remove the jeans and rinse them in cold water, until the water runs clear.

5. Darken black or dark-wash jeans with tea or coffee. Brew 1 gallon of strong coffee or tea, pour it into a bucket, place the jeans in the water and let them steep for at least 1 hour. Wash the jeans in liquid laundry detergent and water afterward, to remove the odor of the coffee or tea.

6. Wash the jeans with hydrogen peroxide. Place them in a washing machine with hot water and 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and wash the jeans on a full cycle.

7. Wash the jeans repeatedly in hot water, for a more subtle lightening of the color. Place the jeans in the washing machine, set the machine for the hottest water setting possible, and wash them on a full cycle. Repeat this process until the color fades as desired.

8. Pour hydrogen peroxide or bleach directly on the fabric to create splotches of white or faded color. Lay the jeans flat in a bathtub, and splash the jeans directly with hydrogen peroxide or bleach. Rinse the jeans afterward with water, to prevent the chemicals from setting on the fabric too long and damaging the fibers.

Tips & Warnings

• Overuse of harsh chemicals causes damage to fabric fibers and can ruin a pair of jeans.

References

• Jazzy Jeans: Mickey Basket
• Rit Dye: Washing Machine
• Rit Dye: Tips for Success