How to Fade Jeans with Bleach

Distress your denim jeans with household bleach.

Achieve the look of well-worn, faded jeans by bleaching them with chlorine bleach. If your jeans are very dark or raw denim, you can bleach them to almost white. Although chlorine bleaching can leave some spots lighter than others, those who favor an acid wash or unevenly faded look can achieve it at home. Unlike oxygen or color-safe bleaches, chlorine bleach fades jeans dramatically and rapidly.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber gloves
• Small bottle chlorine bleach
• Bathtub

Instructions

1. Fill the bathtub with approximately 4 inches of lukewarm water.

2. Put on the gloves. Empty the bottle of bleach into the tub. Swish the water with your gloved hands to mix in the bleach.

3. Soak your jeans in a separate sink.

4. Submerge the jeans in the bleached water. Smooth them out flat. Leave them in the water for 20 minutes. Remove them from the tub.

5. Wash the jeans by themselves with laundry detergent. Hang them to dry.

References

• Zappos: Zappos Blogs: Fade Jeans
• Sequin Magazine: How to Bleach Jeans (Acid Wash Jeans)
• Oki-Ni: Denim Washes and Finishing Process
• Paula Burch: What Chemicals Can Be Used to Remove Dye?
• "Shei Magazine"; DIY: Summer Clothes; Dora Sobze; 2011

Resources

• Clorox: Clorox Regular-Bleach Uses