Inspired: Don't wash your jeans

JeremyS · Post by **JeremyS** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:50 pm

Here is the story of a student who didn't wash his jeans for 15 months.
Notes: there was no harmful buildup of bacteria. Also, when his jeans started to smell after 7 months, he threw them in the freezer overnight to eliminate all odour.
JeremyS

mikeBOS · Post by **mikeBOS** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:50 pm

Reminds me of Ken not doing his laundry for over 2 months.
The longest I've gone with an unwashed pair of jeans is about two weeks.
Aren't there more dirty things than just bacteria though? Tiny insects, dust mites? I suppose it's all really just an ick factor rather than a health issue though.

AlexOliver · Post by **AlexOliver** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:59 pm

My jeans only last three months. I wash them when there's visible dirt, maybe once a month?

B · Post by B » Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:06 pm

@Alex
They only last three months? What happens to them?

AlexOliver · Post by **AlexOliver** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:12 pm

I'm overweight, so they get holes in the thighs.

akratic · Post by **akratic** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:31 pm

Now that I only own one pair of jeans and wear them every day, I've been keeping track of how long they last, and the last two pairs have lasted about one year each, or about 24 washings (every 2 weeksish).
Now I'm inspired to only wash them every month or so!
PS: I don't think a single person has noticed that I only wear one pair of jeans.

JeremyS · Post by **JeremyS** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:04 pm

@akratic - is that hand-washing, or machine washing?
I have a pair of Carhart work pants that I've had for about 4 years... I always thought that they held up pretty good, but I'm certainly not wearing them every day!

S · Post by S » Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:12 pm

I only wear two pairs of pants in the winter (blue jeans and black jeans). Since moving into a place with a coin laundry, I've been doing laundry less than once a month. The main problem for me is that they start looking dirty, particularly the black ones get light colored marks of things like dirt or flour. I haven't figured out how to get around that other than washing them. Cotton summer skirts are even better. I pretty much don't wash those ever unless I spill something obvious.

Post by **jacob** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:18 pm

I'm not inspired! I am, however, somewhat amused

dragoncar · Post by **dragoncar** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:42 pm

I'm pretty sure I haven't washed my jeans in over a year. I wear them 2 times per week (on the weekends). They do not smell because I don't wear them during any activity in which I would sweat. It might also help that they air out for 5 days before I put them on again. Furthermore, I wear clean underwear which prevents the sweaty/gross portions of my body from even touching the jeans.
I have washed them in the past, when they've gotten dirty from an external source (food, dirt, whatever).

akratic · Post by **akratic** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:48 am

@JeremyS, machine wash.
They always rip down the crotch. Not sure what that means --

DividendGuy · Post by **DividendGuy** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:28 am

Hmm, I guess I never thought much about it in terms of saving money but I have not washed any of my jeans/pants that are in my personal collection (i.e. not uniforms) in many years. The last time I washed a pair of jeans was when I was still in high school. I noticed they faded quickly and lost that fit and feel that are only present when they are new. Jeans, to me, are much "tighter" when they are new. I haven't accumulated clothes in a few years now, but the clothes I do have are from fairly expensive stores (Express for Men, DKNY, Armani), and obviously purchased before I started becoming frugal. At any rate, I only wash my work clothes, underwear, socks, pajamas and work-out attire. I've never washed my jeans or my polos/t-shirts except for the occasional stain/spill. I guess that's kind of gross, but they don't smell or feel firm to the touch. All the articles of clothing in question feel and look brand new. I guess it helps that I only wear these clothing items occasionally during the weekends, because I mostly wear work clothes and come home and change into work-out gear which I wear until I shower....then it's into pajamas. I guess I'm not totally weird, since I see others doing similar things.

il-besa · Post by **il-besa** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:10 pm

Well,

very interesting but my jeans after 2 weeks smell in some parts - dirty me!

I can try to put them in the freezer and see what happens, but I'm surprise you guys can avoid smell fabric for so long!
D

HSpencer · Post by **HSpencer** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:18 pm

WOW I am behind the power curve here. I do wear a pair of jeans two days in a row if I haven't been doing shop work or something to get them dirty. I thought that was extreme! I have remembered wearing a newer pair three days in a row, but that seemed a bit much to me. I guess when the wife does laundry I have anywhere from 5 to 6 pairs of jeans in the bin. Out of my own curiosity, I went to the closet and counted the jeans I do own, and came up with 27 pairs, including the ones I paint in and crawl under the house doing plumbing in. On some days of my work, if I didn't wash the jeans I would have no alternative but to throw them away.

DividendGuy · Post by **DividendGuy** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:27 pm

@HSpencer
In your case it's certainly wise to wash them just to keep the integrity of the fabric in place. I am in a unique circumstance as I have a uniform for my working hours and I don't do any type of home improvement or other laborious housework once I'm home. The most use my nice jeans and shirts get is an occasional stroll downtown and maybe a visit to a cafe. Totally different circumstances.

dragoncar · Post by **dragoncar** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:20 am

Il-besa: at the risk of starting a huge flame war, I just wanted to point out that, in my experience, women generally tend to wear their jeans tighter than men. That might make a difference (air circulation and crotch contact). Furthermore, different people have different body chemistries. Finally, it's possible my jeans stink and I'm just oblivious (and people are too polite to comment)

Marius · Post by **Marius** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 3:01 am

I'm not sure that someone who eats a lot of beans can wear the same jeans for weeks without them getting smelly.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 6:40 pm

I tend to only wash my jeans when they become visibly dirty; granted, whenever I return to my room to study, I switch pants over to more comfortable sweatpants. This limits the amount of time I'm in either pair of pants, and reduces the actual need to wash them, and prevents them from smelling*. I believe I typically go one to two months between washing my jeans, and I have yet to wear out either pair of jeans that I've had for two years now; I only have a couple holes forming at the bottom of the leg due to some of my slip-on shoes lacking a proper rear to prevent the pant leg from sliding under the shoe.
* - While they do begin to take on some bit of smell, it is not noticeable unless you stick the pants directly to your nose; they otherwise do not smell from any distance.
It is of sad note, though, that I know a girl who washes her jeans after each wearing because they are "dirty;" I simply do not understand it.

AlexOliver · Post by **AlexOliver** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 8:23 pm

@dragoncar: I doubt smelliness is correlated to gender. Body chemistry/diet seems more likely.

il-besa · Post by **il-besa** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 10:16 pm

@dragoncar: no flames, I'm male btw

Probably clean underwear helps, maybe I'm failing here