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Cleaning Raw Denim Early

ArliHawk`

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I had a question about washing raw denim early. This weekend, my beloved beagle was sick and threw up on my "project" as my wife calls my raw jeans. I felt this warranted a wash instead of a spot cleaning. Even though they were washed after two months and about 35 wears, will they still continue to develop character over time? Barring any more episodes like this, don't plan to wash them for another 6 months.
 

towen

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All that talk about not washing raw jeans for 6 months is bullshit. There's no need to baby your jeans, just do what you normally do. Now, that's not to say you should wash them all the time, but it's not a big deal if they get dirty.
 

dfagdfsh

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just wash them, the best faded jeans have been washedm any, many times
 

Using Technology

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Originally Posted by towen
All that talk about not washing raw jeans for 6 months is bullshit. There's no need to baby your jeans, just do what you normally do. Now, that's not to say you should wash them all the time, but it's not a big deal if they get dirty.

in my experience, it is not "bullshit" but it can be overrated. You are unlikely to develop really sharp honeycombs or stacks if you wash early. However, you can get plenty nice fadings, whiskers and so on by washing whenever.

Don't worry about the jeans. Give them a wahs. It will be fine.
 

2sweet

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Think about it like a normal person would. You have dog vomit on your jeans. What to do? Wash them.
 

dfagdfsh

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dude. you have dog vomit

on

your

jeans.
 

Confurious

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Please, just wash them. The common misconception as proliferated by many "reputable" sites is that a premature wash will completely sap the life of your denim. Now of course, you will lose some indigo after the wash, a loss which is usually most notable in the long run in the honeycombs which tend to be particularly difficult to develop, but the jeans can still be aged beautifully. Also keep in mind that dye job has everything to do with it. A premature wash for a pair of Nudies for instance will be more...detrimental to the darkness of the cast than that on a pair of Samurai's, etc. The former will experience more indigo loss than the latter. Still, your jeans are dirty. The most sensible rule of raw denim is as follows: if your jeans are dirty, wash them. Period.
 

ArliHawk`

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Thanks for the advice on washing, I actually stated in the original post that I did, indeed, wash them early. I was more interested in the effect on the aging of the jeans.
 

Using Technology

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Originally Posted by ArliHawk`
Thanks for the advice on washing, I actually stated in the original post that I did, indeed, wash them early. I was more interested in the effect on the aging of the jeans.

the main effect is really probably the loss in stiffness. You can spray your jeans with starch if you really care.

But the jeans will age well regardless (but again, maybe not as distinctly in the honeycombs or stacks)
 

MiniW

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I only wash my raw denim if it has **** on it, not vomit. Or was that the other way around... oh nevermind...
 

Confurious

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Originally Posted by ArliHawk`
Thanks for the advice on washing, I actually stated in the original post that I did, indeed, wash them early. I was more interested in the effect on the aging of the jeans.

Indigo loss, lighter fading of the combs, overall lighter patina. The jeans will still fade regardless, but depending on the quality of the dye job, the contrast may not be as significant.
 

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