Finding a good pair of jeans is much like finding the perfect romantic partner: it can take years of searching, cause floods of tears, and the last thing you want to do is let them slip away once you’ve found them. While love might remain as elusive as ever, there are a few tips you can try to make sure your jeans last a lifetime.
The key to helping your jeans last might seem counter-intuitive, but it starts with not washing them. Of course, some types of clothes need to be washed more often than others, and your jeans will still need an occasional clean if you’re not willing to sacrifice good hygiene for the sake of fashion.
These hacks, however, can yield clean jeans without the need to stick them in a washing machine. One easy option is to freeze your jeans, which some say will kill off stinky bacteria…other studies are less certain. You can also spritz your jeans with a mixture of vodka and water or vinegar and water, which will freshen them up. (In retrospect, this combination, via a series of accidental spills, must have kept my jeans in great shape during college.)
If all else fails, you can stick your jeans in the washing machine — it’s not the end of the world. Just make sure you turn them inside out and air dry, and your favorite pair will stay safe.
