I dont wanna shrink my jeans - help please!

[MilSpex]

Sorry if this has been asked before but I searched and couldn't find an answer for my problem.

I've had my made in Japan Levis 501 '44 repros for about a year now and haven't washed em yet.

They're startin to stink and get too soft so I am thinking about washing em but the last thing I want is for em to shrink. I love the size though coz its not too baggy not too fitted and sits nice. They're a predistressed model so I guess the denim has been washed a few times already. I'm not sure if they'll shrink more when I wash em or not?

To get the minimum of shrinkage or avoid shrinkage totally and get em rigid again should I a) wash in cold water and add tons of starch or take them to the dry cleaners or c) an option I haven't considered?

What do all you denim addicts recommend? Thanks in advance!

2000AD Hectic Homeboys Lace Themselfs on a Daily Basis

Be Advised: Morgan Nixon AKA Moman631 AKA Moman6040 is a fraud.

[Geowu]

Ok, I've heard someone say that putting the jeans inside a bag in the freezer for a night kills the smell and the bacteria. I never tried it but will try soon with my unwashed jeans. If it works, then it's a good method. If it doesn't, then just try something else.

Guess the second option would be to dry-clean? Do you know if your jeans are sanforized?

[frogeyes]

Wash those suckers before you rot them, and your nuts off. Guy's have gotta get over their jean pussy-ness. One wash ain't gonna fuck your jeans up too bad. Dry clean 'em if you're that much of a pussy.

[wild_whiskey]

Dry clean them to avoid shrinkage, ask for starching if you want them to be stiff.

[M4TM]

hang em up outside and let the sun and fresh air do their magic.

strange highs and strange lows

[yen_kid0]

if they are predistressed usually they would have been pre-washed also, this would of taken care of most of the shrinkage already. Having said that, they will more than likely tighten up slightly, BUT a couple of wears (even around the house) will get em back to size.

What i find works well to naturally strech your jeans is if you sleep in them, not that I generally sleep in my jeans but you could try getting drunk and passing out in them lol.... i guess its a combo of the sweat, heat and movement that loosens the cotton.

One cold wash with a bit of detergent in cold water wont hurt, will probably make them smell better than a dry-clean too! good luck!

one whole year and no wash - do they stand up on their own? haha

Try it, you'll like it!

[MilSpex]

Quote:

Ok, I've heard someone say that putting the jeans inside a bag in the freezer for a night kills the smell and the bacteria. I never tried it but will try soon with my unwashed jeans. If it works, then it's a good method. If it doesn't, then just try something else.

Guess the second option would be to dry-clean? Do you know if your jeans are sanforized?

--- Original message by Geowu on Apr 22, 2005 09:17 PM

Hey, thanks everyone fer the advice.

Frozen jeans?, good for those summer days!

Geowu - Not sure if they sanfordized. How can I check? I checked the label and sez its okay to dryclean and has (P) for the chemical . what do you reckon?

2000AD Hectic Homeboys Lace Themselfs on a Daily Basis

Be Advised: Morgan Nixon AKA Moman631 AKA Moman6040 is a fraud.

[JohnW]

as yen kid says, if they are pre distressed then they've already been through the washing/shrinking process so any shrinkage will be really minimal and should probably stretch out after a few wears.

to know exactly, measure them, if the size is smaller than the tag, they've already shrunk. I think 44s don't really shrink much on the waist, but about 3" on the leg

Edited by JohnW on Apr 23, 2005 at 08:27 AM

[Serge d Nimes]

They are not going to shrink. I would just hand wash them in woolite black. Just soak them in it inside-out for an hour and rinse; don't wring. then hang them up to dry.

Carpe Denim!

[Geowu]

I done the freezer thing, let them for some 5 hours inside a closed plastic bag. There was no smell after that.

BTW.. dry cleaning pales the color of the indigo, gives the jeans a grey tone.

Woolite black is this?

Edited by Geowu on Apr 23, 2005 at 09:56 PM

[ringring]

Geowu - Not sure if they sanfordized. How can I check? I checked the label and sez its okay to dryclean and has (P) for the chemical . what do you reckon?

It's hard (impossible?) to tell if a garment has been sanforized from just looking at it. The shrinkage from raw will give it away.

Sanforization is a trademarked process which guarantees a certain level of shrinkage (like Goretex is a trademark of a certain type/standard of gas permeable membranes/coatings and CocaCola is a trademark of a certain recipe of cola). Not that many companies use it anymore. Many mills will use slightly different ways to stabilise denims, these will reduce shrinkage, but not as much as Sanforizing.

Edited by ringring on Apr 23, 2005 at 11:29 PM

[MilSpex]

cold washed my 44s yesterday and hang dried. Looks like Serge was right, coz no shrinkage that I can tell. added some starch to the rinse and they're nice and a bit rigid now, sit good. Thanks for all you guys help - appreciate.

2000AD Hectic Homeboys Lace Themselfs on a Daily Basis

Be Advised: Morgan Nixon AKA Moman631 AKA Moman6040 is a fraud.