How to Make Jeans Look Distressed
Jeans sometimes look better when they're beat up. But buying pre-distressed jeans can be costly--every rip or worn spot seems to drive up the price a few more dollars. You can distress your jeans on your own with a few simple materials and save a few dollars in the process. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Bleach
- Rubber gloves
- Sponge or wash cloth
- Washing machine
- Sandpaper or pumice
- Water bottle (optional)
- Goggles (optional)
Instructions
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How To Distress Your Jeans
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1
Wash them over and over. Jeans get a little softer every time you wash them, and washing them repeatedly will age them quickly. This takes time, but it works.
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2
Prepare the jeans for bleaching. Chances are you will want to have a slightly different pattern on the front and back of the jeans, so prevent the bleach from bleeding through by lining the inside of the legs with plastic.
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3
Bleach the jeans. Put on your rubber gloves and dampen--do not soak--the sponge in bleach. Wring out excess, and apply the sponge lightly in the pattern you wish to make.
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4
Wash immediately. As soon as you've finished bleaching, wash the jeans by themselves in cold water.
Alternate Techniques
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5
Substitute a wash cloth for the sponge. Using a wash cloth will create a more even-colored effect.
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6
Substitute sandpaper or a pumice stone for the sponge. Both are absorbent and will help soften the jeans and create frays.
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Substitute a water bottle: Put a bit of bleach into a spray bottle full of water, and use it to lighten the jeans. Use goggles; the bleach could get in your eyes.
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8
Use a knife to scrape and fray. This is a bit riskier because an unsteady hand or applying too much pressure can ruin the jeans. If you want to use this technique, practice first on a few pairs of jeans you don't mind ruining.
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References
- Photo Credit Dark blue jeans texture, jeans pocket image by Antalia from Fotolia.com
