How to Soften Denim?
07 Mar 2024
It is good when you manage to buy real and high-quality denim products. They are dense and stiff, thanks to which they are worn in the cold season. But their advantage at the same time becomes their disadvantage - hard fabric irritates sensitive skin and chafes. New or worn pants can be tight and stiff, which is uncomfortable in everyday wear. But this is no reason to throw your denim products away, as there are many different ways to soften denim. But how to soften stiff your denim products?
Sometimes it happens that the purchased denim pieces or matter was initially soft to the touch, and after washing becomes rough, prickly, stiff, and completely unsuitable for wear. In clothes, everyone wants to feel comfortable, especially if you have to be in it all day. Favorite blouses, jackets, dresses, and pants are put aside on a distant shelf, and after all, they are so harmonious with other things.
Why does this happen? Sometimes the washing conditions are not observed. By setting a higher temperature on the washing machine programmer, you can unwittingly spoil the quality of the fabric. Often the situation is correctable. The variety of methods of how to soften denim is great. You will have to try some techniques to make the clothes again pleasant to the body and not cause negative feelings.
Sometimes it happens that the purchased denim pieces or matter was initially soft to the touch, and after washing becomes rough, prickly, stiff, and completely unsuitable for wear. In clothes, everyone wants to feel comfortable, especially if you have to be in it all day. Favorite blouses, jackets, dresses, and pants are put aside on a distant shelf, and after all, they are so harmonious with other things.
Why does this happen? Sometimes the washing conditions are not observed. By setting a higher temperature on the washing machine programmer, you can unwittingly spoil the quality of the fabric. Often the situation is correctable. The variety of methods of how to soften denim is great. You will have to try some techniques to make the clothes again pleasant to the body and not cause negative feelings.
Why Do Jeans Become Stiff?
Denim is a dense and sometimes quite stiff material. New jeans can irritate delicate and sensitive skin, especially in babies. When you wash things, many of which are made up of cotton or other organic polymers, they are understandably wet with water. Nowadays, most fabric fibers are made from plant material, namely cellulose, which is very strong, durable, and easy to handle and use. Another characteristic of cellulose is that it loves water and will absorb as much of it as possible until it is completely saturated.
In the washing machine, when all the clothes, towels, bedding, and other fabrics get wet, the hydrogen bonds that hold the cellulose fiber together are broken. But when the water begins to evaporate, these bonds are restored, returning the cellulose in the fabrics to its formerly strong state. And it is the drying process that determines the stiffness of the fabric.
For example, if you do not dry things on a rope, but in a special dryer, or your washing machine has a drying mode, then in the drum clothes, linen, and towels are constantly spinning and turning - this prevents them from "hardening". That is, hydrogen bonds are still restored at this time, but cellulose fibers do not become prickly because they do not "stick" to each other too tightly.
If you hang wet new jeans on a rope outdoors or indoors, the only movement of the fabrics can be caused by a small gust of wind. This static placement of things promotes a more efficient recovery of hydrogen bonds. However, it is worth bearing in mind that the stronger these bonds are, the denser and stiffer the fabric becomes. In addition, clothes, towels, and linen can lose their softness due to excess detergent.
In the washing machine, when all the clothes, towels, bedding, and other fabrics get wet, the hydrogen bonds that hold the cellulose fiber together are broken. But when the water begins to evaporate, these bonds are restored, returning the cellulose in the fabrics to its formerly strong state. And it is the drying process that determines the stiffness of the fabric.
For example, if you do not dry things on a rope, but in a special dryer, or your washing machine has a drying mode, then in the drum clothes, linen, and towels are constantly spinning and turning - this prevents them from "hardening". That is, hydrogen bonds are still restored at this time, but cellulose fibers do not become prickly because they do not "stick" to each other too tightly.
If you hang wet new jeans on a rope outdoors or indoors, the only movement of the fabrics can be caused by a small gust of wind. This static placement of things promotes a more efficient recovery of hydrogen bonds. However, it is worth bearing in mind that the stronger these bonds are, the denser and stiffer the fabric becomes. In addition, clothes, towels, and linen can lose their softness due to excess detergent.
How to Soften Denim?
Jeans can be confidently called the most popular part of any closet. There are no more comfortable, stylish, and durable clothes than things made of quality denim. Real classic jeans are very stiff and rough, they do not allow the leg to bend freely, but this is only at first. If you wear them all the time, then very soon they completely take the shape of the figure of their mistress or owner. In principle, the problem with stiffness is quite solvable, and no special skills are necessary to possess.
Before you soften jeans at home, you should take care of fixing their color, otherwise - you risk spoiling them. Before the first washing of pants, you need to hold them for a while in a slightly salted solution of water with the addition of vinegar.
Important! Remember that not all jeans, which can be purchased today in the market or a branded boutique, it is allowed to wash in the machine-automatic. And products decorated with applications or rhinestones, in general, it is recommended to wash only by hand.
Wear your new jeans regularly: that is 3 to 4 times a week - will help to make the fabric soft. It is desirable to wear them during active recreation, where a person is expected to run, jump, and make a lot of movements. If there is no such opportunity, they are worn at home for a few hours. These are only the first steps, which are not enough to soften the jeans. Therefore, people apply special methods of washing, mechanical action, or the use of food products available in every apartment. Making jeans soft at home is easy and not costly.
Starch
Use corn or potato starch and iron as a softening agent to soften stiff jeans. How to proceed: Put the jeans face down on the ironing board. Prepare a solution: 1 tbsp. starch to 2 liters of water. You can buy a ready-made remedy in the store. First, apply the solution with a sprayer to the fabric, then go over the treated areas with an iron. This method softens the fabric, even though it uses starch, which is usually necessary for dresses.
Sandpaper
Be careful with the use of sandpaper. You better not soften the denim product with sandpaper if the fabric is thin, since you can easily wipe to holes.
The process of softening the material:
Turn the pants inside out.
Lay on a flat surface, so it will be more convenient to work with the fabric. Take zero-grit sandpaper and sand the jeans with it.
After a few reciprocating movements, you will see that the cotton fibers are gathered in a pile. This is the way it should be.
After finishing the manipulation, shake the product well.
Sandpaper can be replaced with pumice, scissors, or even a simple shaving machine. When using all these items, you need to be extremely careful and not get distracted by extraneous matters.
Be careful not to make the cloth too thin or holes will form.
Before you soften jeans at home, you should take care of fixing their color, otherwise - you risk spoiling them. Before the first washing of pants, you need to hold them for a while in a slightly salted solution of water with the addition of vinegar.
Important! Remember that not all jeans, which can be purchased today in the market or a branded boutique, it is allowed to wash in the machine-automatic. And products decorated with applications or rhinestones, in general, it is recommended to wash only by hand.
Wear your new jeans regularly: that is 3 to 4 times a week - will help to make the fabric soft. It is desirable to wear them during active recreation, where a person is expected to run, jump, and make a lot of movements. If there is no such opportunity, they are worn at home for a few hours. These are only the first steps, which are not enough to soften the jeans. Therefore, people apply special methods of washing, mechanical action, or the use of food products available in every apartment. Making jeans soft at home is easy and not costly.
Starch
Use corn or potato starch and iron as a softening agent to soften stiff jeans. How to proceed: Put the jeans face down on the ironing board. Prepare a solution: 1 tbsp. starch to 2 liters of water. You can buy a ready-made remedy in the store. First, apply the solution with a sprayer to the fabric, then go over the treated areas with an iron. This method softens the fabric, even though it uses starch, which is usually necessary for dresses.
Sandpaper
Be careful with the use of sandpaper. You better not soften the denim product with sandpaper if the fabric is thin, since you can easily wipe to holes.
The process of softening the material:
Turn the pants inside out.
Lay on a flat surface, so it will be more convenient to work with the fabric. Take zero-grit sandpaper and sand the jeans with it.
After a few reciprocating movements, you will see that the cotton fibers are gathered in a pile. This is the way it should be.
After finishing the manipulation, shake the product well.
Sandpaper can be replaced with pumice, scissors, or even a simple shaving machine. When using all these items, you need to be extremely careful and not get distracted by extraneous matters.
Be careful not to make the cloth too thin or holes will form.
Vinegar and salt
Soften denim fabric can be softened with the help of salted water and vinegar. Such manipulation is recommended immediately after buying a new thing.
Steps of actions: Take a basin. Pour into it a few tablespoons of table salt and pour hot water. Dissolve the remedy well and add a little warm liquid. Place the product in the prepared solution. Add water so that the pants are completely covered with the liquid. Leave the jeans in the solution for 1-2 hours.
Then take out the pants, pour out the water, and rinse them in vinegar essence. Dilute 1 cup of vinegar in 10 liters of water and leave the pants alone for 2 hours. Take the jeans out of the vinegar solution, rinse them in clean water, and hang them to dry. After drying, immediately send the jeans in and wash them with baking soda and powder several times.
Shampoo and conditioner
Using baby shampoo for laundry can soften denim easily. Such products are usually chemical-free and make your baby's hair soft and manageable. The fabric should also feel softer after using baby shampoo.
Beating
To make the denim fabric softer, you can twist it and beat it against the corner of a table. You can also use a bat to soften denim. Fold the pants, and put them on a flat surface. Take the bat and vigorously pound the fabric.
To make jeans softer than cotton, it is necessary to wash them not 1 time, but 4 times. After the first time the pants will soften a little, but not so much that they are pleasant to walk in. This procedure will remove some of the tannins with which the fabric is impregnated. Do not forget to observe the temperature regime.
To make the fabric more elastic and pliable, try setting a different washing cycle, for example, for cotton. After the manipulation is completed, it is necessary to iron the product. Ironing should be carried out when the pants have become slightly damp. The temperature on the iron should not be set too high, since the heat will also make the denim stiff again.
All the methods to soften denim are effective and safe. If one of the methods does not help, you can safely use another.
Washing and drying
It is recommended to do this on the day of purchase to reduce discomfort during wear in the future. Before the wash, the thing is turned inside out. In the washing machine, an increased amount of powder is added or mixed with a laundry detergent that gives softness to the fabric. The temperature in the process should not exceed 70 degrees, which will damage the fibers of the fabric, as well as a high power of spinning.
The next washing is carried out without powder but with 2 tablespoons of baking soda and laundry conditioner. Color and fabric means will not spoil. The procedure need to be repeated 3-4 times in order to soften denim. It is desirable to dry jeans naturally. If there is a dryer in the house, you can not expose a high temperature, as it provokes the hardening of the fabric. The same rule applies to ironing the product.
Soften denim fabric can be softened with the help of salted water and vinegar. Such manipulation is recommended immediately after buying a new thing.
Steps of actions: Take a basin. Pour into it a few tablespoons of table salt and pour hot water. Dissolve the remedy well and add a little warm liquid. Place the product in the prepared solution. Add water so that the pants are completely covered with the liquid. Leave the jeans in the solution for 1-2 hours.
Then take out the pants, pour out the water, and rinse them in vinegar essence. Dilute 1 cup of vinegar in 10 liters of water and leave the pants alone for 2 hours. Take the jeans out of the vinegar solution, rinse them in clean water, and hang them to dry. After drying, immediately send the jeans in and wash them with baking soda and powder several times.
Shampoo and conditioner
Using baby shampoo for laundry can soften denim easily. Such products are usually chemical-free and make your baby's hair soft and manageable. The fabric should also feel softer after using baby shampoo.
Beating
To make the denim fabric softer, you can twist it and beat it against the corner of a table. You can also use a bat to soften denim. Fold the pants, and put them on a flat surface. Take the bat and vigorously pound the fabric.
To make jeans softer than cotton, it is necessary to wash them not 1 time, but 4 times. After the first time the pants will soften a little, but not so much that they are pleasant to walk in. This procedure will remove some of the tannins with which the fabric is impregnated. Do not forget to observe the temperature regime.
To make the fabric more elastic and pliable, try setting a different washing cycle, for example, for cotton. After the manipulation is completed, it is necessary to iron the product. Ironing should be carried out when the pants have become slightly damp. The temperature on the iron should not be set too high, since the heat will also make the denim stiff again.
All the methods to soften denim are effective and safe. If one of the methods does not help, you can safely use another.
Washing and drying
It is recommended to do this on the day of purchase to reduce discomfort during wear in the future. Before the wash, the thing is turned inside out. In the washing machine, an increased amount of powder is added or mixed with a laundry detergent that gives softness to the fabric. The temperature in the process should not exceed 70 degrees, which will damage the fibers of the fabric, as well as a high power of spinning.
The next washing is carried out without powder but with 2 tablespoons of baking soda and laundry conditioner. Color and fabric means will not spoil. The procedure need to be repeated 3-4 times in order to soften denim. It is desirable to dry jeans naturally. If there is a dryer in the house, you can not expose a high temperature, as it provokes the hardening of the fabric. The same rule applies to ironing the product.
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