- 1). Pre-shrink the jeans to fit your body. Most raw denim is not pre-shrunk. You can avoid any tragedies that might come from shrinking your jeans in the washing machine by pre-shrinking them. The recommended way to do this is to sit in the bathtub in warm water while wearing your jeans. The warm water will shrink the fibers to fit your body. Allow the wet jeans to dry on your body, if possible, for maximum contouring. Plan on shrinking your jeans on a warm day so that they will dry on your body after only a few hours.
- 2). Do not wash them for the first six months. Raw denim becomes distressed in specific areas, such as the knees, back pockets, and thighs when it is not cleaned. Putting your raw denim in the washing machine will change the shape and distressing on the jeans. Avoid washing your jeans, especially within the first six months. After six months have passed, wash your jeans inside out, with gentle detergent, and hang them to dry. Do not put raw denim in the dryer.
- 3). Remove bad smells in the freezer. If your jeans start to smell, you should put them in the freezer, rather than washing them. Freezing your jeans kills the bacteria that are causing bad smells.
- 4). Wear your jeans as often as possible. The more you wear raw denim, the softer it gets and the more contoured it will look and fit. Take every opportunity to wear your raw denim jeans, and they will get better with age.
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