Do ripped jeans rip further in the wash? Of course, ripped jeans rip more in the wash. You had a long walk down to the store and your eyes probably ignored the distressed knees and hips.
Unfortunately, owing a pair of ripped jeans comes with a burden, so you can’t ignore the consequences of that when washing.
You would probably do that once, drop your ripped jeans in the machine, and then return to find a savage and filamentous version of your jeans; it has formed a new confusing design that’s yet to be discovered.
Unfortunately again, it can’t be fixed. Virtually any cloth can get torn in the wash for certain reasons. Your ripped jeans seem to have every reason to tear further in the wash and they come out of the machine like “more rips for you, brother!”
How Your Jeans Rip Further When Washed
In case you’re asking, no! our jeans did not meet at a certain point to agree on ripping in the wash. They just have a way of devouring our hard-earned fortunes.
When you decide to wash your jeans with your hands (probably because a machine is not available or you are afraid the jeans will rip further), you have to be careful with the distressed areas so you don’t end up crafting your Jean’s misfortune.
If you unintentionally slip a finger in the ripped holes while washing, you might end up tugging and tearing the jeans. Also, the loose threads are fragile so you have to be careful not to pull by mistake.
The same applies to your machine. Unfortunately, you won’t beat your machine up if it tears your ripped jeans by mistake.
As the machine rolls, tumbles and scrubs your ripped jeans, it has no eyes to see ripped or distressed areas. This is similar to fragile clothes like socks, singlets, etc.
A loose thread can be caught and snagged while the washing process is going on within the machine. While the thread is pulled out and probably hanging in a corner of the machine, the tumbling continues and the thread continues to be pulled out till all you have left is a cluster of “good old days”.
How To Wash Ripped Jeans Without Ripping More
It is possible to wash your ripped jeans without ruining the entire fabric. It is a lot easier to not ruin the “entire” fabric when using your hands.
Speaking of a washing machine, it’s not very possible. But it is possible to wash your ripped jeans without ripping further, even in a machine.
First, all jeans can be damaged by excessive washing. The more you wash, the higher the risks of wearing out. Some jeans give you no warnings before they stretch out.
Be sure your jeans need to be washed at the moment so you don’t have to take any risks. If you must wash, then this guide is for you;
- Safe Wash With Hands
- Safe Wash With Machine
Safe Wash With Hands
Spot Clean
By spot cleaning your jeans, you will be a lot more focused on dirty spots. That way, you will be naturally careful with distressed areas since you are focused on fishing out the dirty spots only. Spot cleaning is a way of getting rid of stains but it doesn’t always replace washing.
If you however need to wash your jeans, then spot cleaning won’t be needed and you would have to put some extra effort into avoiding distressed areas on your jeans.
Read Tag For Care Instructions
There are usually instructions on how to wash your jeans on the labels. With this, you can tell whether to wash cold or warm. You will also know if it’s okay to wash in a machine.
Wash the insides out
Sometimes, this is stated in the care instructions on the tag. Sometimes, it is not. However, this is usually important when washing your jeans.
All jeans are prone to wearing out and fading. While this method is not very effective in preventing your jeans from stretching out, it works against fading.
It doesn’t stamp out fading but it slows down the process. You can consider this an important bonus since fading is also a turnoff in jeans.
Put off jewelry to avoid snagging ripped area
Your wristwatch or ring can get caught in the loose threads on your ripped jeans.
The moment you pull back your hand or scrub, the thread will be pulled. It’s even worse if jewelry slips in the ripped hole and you pull back your hand. The distress rips immediately.
Scrub gently
It is important to be careful when scrubbing your jeans. Scrubbing can cause your jeans to wear out quickly. You should scrub gently around the ripped areas so you don’t pull your jeans apart by mistake.
Safe Wash With Machine
Turn jeans insides out
Turn the insides of your jeans out when preparing to wash in the machine. This doesn’t only reduce the risks of snagging but also reduces the risks of fading.
Most distress designs are still dangerous to wash in the machine, even when the insides are turned out.
Wash ripped Jeans in Mesh Bag
This might be the only step that makes sense and solves the entire issue. Just so you know, this is premium information.
Putting your ripped jeans in a mesh bag before putting in the machine is the ultimate step that protects your jeans from getting snagged in the machine unless the mesh bag is ripped.
The mesh laundry bag is for delicate fabrics like socks but clothes with loose threads can also make use of the mesh bag. With the mesh bag, the distress designs on your ripped jeans are successfully protected.
Air-Dry
Putting your jeans in the dryer is the worst idea you can ever get in your head. What comes back out of that dryer will blow your mind into repentance.
Once the washing process is done in the machine, bring your ripped jeans out of the mesh bag. Do not wrong jeans.
This can cause it to stretch out and look wrinkled. To avoid the risks of ruining your jeans and putting your initial efforts to waste, hang your ripped jeans out in the sun to dry.
Dry ripped jeans in mesh Bag
You can use a mesh bag in a washing machine. You can also use it in the dryer.
You can “also” imagine smiling through the safe process of washing your ripped jeans in the machine, just to have your jeans snagged in the final process. No one will advise you to tumble-dry your ripped jeans.
Air-drying is usually the advice but, with a mesh bag, tumble-drying your ripped jeans is totally safe. Similar to the washing machine, the dryer has a tumbling process which put your loose threads in danger. The mesh bag is the best idea in this case.
How To Know When Your Ripped Jeans Are Too Ripped
There is a level of rip that is attractive. There is a level of rip that is entirely stupid and raggedy. Then there is a level of rip that is just insanity.
Rips can be anywhere on the legs of your jeans, though most people choose to rip the knees. Some would rather have the rips on the hips.
When you choose to rip your jeans, consider the look and your movement. The rips on the knees should not be big enough to get torn further by your knees. It is usual to tear your ripped jeans further when putting them on.
This usually happens with the feet. However, when the rips on the knees are too wide, the knees can get caught in when standing or sitting and this will cause the ripped area to rip further.
The rips on your jeans are too wide if you find it hard to put your jeans on without dipping one or two toes in the ripped area. This will only cause the rips to tear wider till your once fashionable jeans become sewn pieces of rag.
Does Washing Ripped Jeans Ruin Them?
No one wants to go all day in smelly clothes or a stinky pair of pants so washing is necessary. However, not all necessary things are very good.
All jeans require washing at some time so you can’t call the act of washing bad in this case. This is why you are advised to wash your jeans only when necessary, whether ripped or not.
When you wash your jeans, there are a lot of possible effects. Some of them set in slowly while some pop up without warning.
The more you wash your jeans, the more it ages. and gets ruined. While jeans are supposed to last long, if you wash your jeans too often, they won’t last as long as they should. Your jeans will also fade as you wash.
Your ripped jeans suffer the same risks when washing. The distressed designs make the washing process riskier, as you won’t only have to worry about the jeans fading or stretching out.
You have to make sure the minor rips on the jeans don’t lead to the destruction of the fabric. However, the washing process is one of the easiest processes to make all of the mentioned misfortunes happen at once.
Can You Put Your Ripped Jeans In The Dryer?
Can you step in front of a moving train? You can. You just can’t tell what happens next. The dryer is the greatest enemy to any fabric with loose threads.
The machine will easily turn your beautiful jeans into a tangled piece of “good times past”. It would be a lot funnier if what should be “good times past” is still very new.
Yes, you can put your ripped jeans in the dryer. It is similar to washing coated jeans or drying leggings.
It is not a very good idea to get the process going but when it is done rightly and necessary precautions are taken, you are good to go.
Turning your ripped jeans inside-out will not prevent them from getting snagged in the dryer but a mesh bag can do the magic.
With a mesh bag, your ripped jeans will be washed and dried safely even if it had a billion greedy loose threads.
Conclusion
Ripped jeans don’t seem like the best option but they trend. If you will own a pair of ripped jeans, you’d better be ready to take care of it or it’ll take care of you!
