Did you just buy yourself a good quality pair of jeans and are now wanting to know how to soften denim?
When you take a fresh pair of quality jeans out the pack, they can sometimes be a bit stiff and rigid. However, there’s good news – softening your denim is possible without sacrificing its authenticity. In this blog post,
I will give you various techniques to help you achieve a comfortable, lived-in feel for your denim. Whether it’s your favorite pair of jeans, a trusty denim jacket, shorts, a vest, or even overalls, softening your denim is a straightforward process that will make your outfits a pleasure to wear.
How to soften denim
Understanding Denim Softening:
New denim often feels stiff due to the tight weaving of cotton fibers and the sizing agents applied during production. As denim is used and washed, it naturally softens over time. However, if you’re eager to accelerate the softening process, here are some effective methods:
How to soften denim fabric softener
One of the easiest ways to soften denim is to soak it in a tub with water and fabric softener.
- Turn your denim garment inside out to protect the outer surface.
- Add a small amount of liquid fabric (a cap) softener to the bucket/tub
- Place the denim garment in with the solution.
- Let it soak for 10-15 mins
- Remove and rinse a few times with cold water
- Hang them up to air dry
How to soften denim with vinegar
You can also soften denim with some products you probably have at home in your cupboard right now, like with vinegar. A little tip, add a couple drops of fabric softener to the solution for added effect.
- Fill a bucket or basin with cold water and add one cup of white vinegar.
- Submerge your denim garment in the vinegar-water mixture and let it soak for about an hour.
- Rinse the denim thoroughly with cold water and allow it to air-dry.
- Vinegar helps break down the sizing agents, promoting softness and comfort.
Physically soften Denim
You can soften denim by simply wearing them often. Someone wearing their jeans every day like a construction worker will get results pretty quickly. Alternatively you can try the following:
- Loosen the fibers of your denim by kneading and scrunching it with your hands.
- For jeans, sit on a hard surface, bend and flex your knees, and move your legs to gently stretch and soften the fabric
- Wearing your denim around the house and engaging in daily activities will naturally soften it over time.
Soften Denim with salt water
Another household product you can use to soften denim.
- Fill a bathtub or basin with cold water and add a few tablespoons of table salt.
- Turn the denim inside out, dampen them a little with a spray and give them a good sprinkle with the salt.
- Submerge your denim garment in the saltwater solution and let it soak for a few hours
- Rinse the denim with cold water and air-dry it to achieve a softer texture.
How to soften Denim jeans freezer
The freezing method comes up a lot in different scenarios, like stretching shoes. You can also use your freezer to add a little more comfort to your denim.
- Place your denim jacket in a sealed plastic bag and put it in the freezer overnight.
- The cold temperature helps to relax the fibers, making your denim jacket more pliable and comfortable.
Soften Denim in your washing machine
Simply turn you jeans, or denim garment of choice inside out, and put them in the the washing machine. Add a little conditioner, and put it on a long spin cycle. This is comparable to manually scrunching the denim, but at a much higher rate. A couple of these and you will definitely heave a little more stretch in your jeans.
Soften Denim with Shampoo/Conditioner
I used to work on a farm, and I remember getting a pair of thick denim overalls, and boy did they chafe. With no knowledge of anything, I just went home and filled the tub with warm water and half a bottle of Head and Shoulders. My logic was if it softens hair, it will soften denim, and it worked !
So in short, just fill a tub with some water, add some hair conditioner or shampoo to the water and soak for a couple hours. Rinse the clothing, hang it up to dry and presto, chafing gone.
How to soften Denim using heat
So this is not my favorite method. I’m tall, and already struggle to find clothes that fit, so heat and fabric is a no no for me. Heat makes fabric shrink, but it also loosens the fabrics. If you dont mind shrinking your jeans a little, you can throw them in a warm wash, put them in the dryer or hang them out in the sun for a bit, the stretch or roll them a few times.
With the fibers warm and relaxed, the manual manipulation will break down the fibers and make it softer to the touch.
Wear them often
For most people, the easiest way to soften denim is going to be to wear it often. Just like breaking in a pair of new shoes, there will be a few days of tugging and lunging to get that little bit of extra comfort. Wear them a bit more often than you would when you first get something thats denim, and once you break it in you can wear it less often.
FAQ´s
I gave you this guide in a more general format, so you know how to stretch the fabric of denim as a whole and apply it to whatever you need. I will add some of the more commonly asked questions here below though and let you know the better option for each one.
How to soften denim jacket without washing?
Not everyone likes washing their denim jacket so often, so a good way to stretch a denim jacket without washing it is to use the heat method. Hang the jacket out in the sun for a while until you can feel the denim has warmed up, then wear it and do some stretches. Roll your arms around, tug at the sleeves, rough it up a little. You can also use a hair dryer, I have even put one in the oven before (do not recommend for safety reasons, if you burn your kitchen down thats your fault).
How to soften denim jacket with vinegar?
This would be using the vinegar + water soaking method. Check out the full description above.
How to soften denim jeans freezer ?
Just put your jeans in a zip lock bag, or a plastic bag, fold them up tight and leave them in the freezer overnight.
How to soften denim shorts?
There is no difference really, you can use all of the same methods you would use for a pair of jeans. Any of the above methods would serve you well.
How to soften jeans with fabric softener?
Using the soaking method. Fill a tub with water, put a cap of fabric softener in there and mix it up. Submerge the jeans and leave them for a few hours, rinse well and hang to air dry.
How to soften jeans with salt?
Using the salt method mentioned above, dilute some salt and water in a tub, submerge the jeans for a few hours, rinse and air dry.
How to soften jeans without shrinking?
You simply want to avoid heat, so no hot water, no tumble dryer, do everything at a low temperature.
Using shampoo to soften jeans?
You can indeed. Using the same soaking method, mix in some shampoo with the water, soak the jeans for a few hours, rinse them thoroughly and air dry.
How does vinegar soften jeans?
Vinegar softens jeans by breaking down the sizing agents that are applied to the denim during the manufacturing process. Sizing agents are chemicals used to give denim its stiffness and rigidity when it’s new.
Conclusion:
I hope this guide helps you feel more comfortable about softening your denim. If you have any other methods I have not discussed, please let me know in the comments and I would love to add them to the blog (giving you the credit of course).