Waxed Denim: Washing Machine and Dryer?

Blog

Forum

Finds

Waxed Denim: Washing Machine and Dryer?

Veteran

Does anyone put these in washing machine and dryer? Do I really have to hand wash and hang to dry? They are NYDJ.

9 years ago

General

18 replies

Latest reply was from cinnamon fern

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I don't put any denim in the dryer. And my washing machine has a "handwash" setting, that's generally good enough for me! Well, unless it's really fine stuff. So that's the route I"d go, but I confess I haven't had to wash waxed denim yet. I do have a vest, so am curious what people say for when the time comes.

9 years ago

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

No waxed denim experience, and I agree with Elizabeth in letting denim air dry and not putting it in the dryer.

9 years ago

anne

Veteran

I bought some waxed denim skinnies nearly 2 years ago and have worn them quite a bit (they are my only skinnies). I used a normal machine wash and wine dried them (Like Elizabeth P, I never put denim in the dryer; as per Angie's advice).

I found the wax coating did wear off after not that many washes (I am trying to recall how many - maybe about 6). Mine were cheap target ones.
They were still perfectly wearable - just not waxed.

9 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

From my understanding the wax coating eventually will wash off.
http://fashionista.com/2013/11.....ated-jeans

http://www.popsugar.com/fashio.....o-34334541

I remember GoldenPig tried the Otter Wax a while back, the jeans became giant lint and cat hair magnets.

9 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Always hang dry jeans and wash with cold water. NEVER put jeans in the dryer.

9 years ago

Veteran

Thanks all.

Elizabeth P: I have a gentle cycle. May try that and not use detergent per annagybe's post.

annagybe: Great links. Much appreciated.

Angie: Well this will be a change in our laundry habits.

Again thank you.

9 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Eh, I put regular denim in the dryer all the time and don't have problems. Life's too short, IMO, and I don't have that much room for drying. But coated denim is probably best line dried. (I believe that a lot of coated denim isn't actually waxed anymore, but finished with some other fabric finish that mimics waxing.)

9 years ago

Aida

Veteran

AM, you can put denim that doesn't have any stretchy material in the dryer. So, all of my jeans get hung up but all of hubby's jeans (which are 100% cotton) go in the dryer. Basically the fibers of the stretchy stuff looses its elasticity going through the dryer, so if you want your jeans to behave the way they do initially and to hold their shape, air drying is best

9 years ago

Sal

Veteran

I have a pair of waxed denim that I slightly damaged in the dryer...got too hot. I line dry items 90% of the time but have to say my straight blue jeans with elastane have been damaged from the dryer recently during a rainy patch. They just are not keeping their shape at all. So learn from my errors!!

9 years ago

abc

Veteran

be sure to wash inside out, too!

9 years ago

Greyscale

Veteran

I machine wash cold, line dry. The wax wore off one pair after a year or so, which was fine with me as it left me with a pair of solid black jeans. Another pair (my expensive R13 crossover jeans) I wash as rarely as possible and I haven't noticed any change in the wax.

(It's funny how my different jeans need to be washed with such different frequencies. I assume some combination of fiber content, skin-tightness, and fabric weave.)

9 years ago

fuzzylogic

Veteran

Hi AM! I have Had two pairs of waxed denim jeans. I machine washed and line dried. They wore at pressure points within the season. I am pretty hard on knees though. Do you own a pair? How is the hand washing going?

9 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

I never heard of hang drying jeans! Mine stretch out when I wear them twice (the number of times worn before I wash) and I didn't know they would shrink back down with just a wash. Will they?

9 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

Another one who who washes her jeans inside out in cold water and hangs dry. I have done this with a couple of pair of waxed jeans I own and they are all doing well, some after couple of years.

9 years ago

Gail

Veteran

I machine wash my jeans but most of the time hang them, they do get more of that "crispy" feel to them but if it is really bad I put them in the dryer for a few minutes with a damp towel. No experience with waxed jeans but I suppose it makes sense that the wax could melt and wear off.

9 years ago

Anonymous

I rarely use a dryer for any cloths. I hang dry or lay flat to dry.

9 years ago

Joy

Veteran

I have had a pair of coated NYDJ for at least a year. I wash them gently inside out in the machine and hang to dry ( hang all my jeans to dry). The coating has gradually come off so that I don't think any is left. They never looked blotchy or like they were peeling or anything and they have not been washed very often. I still like the color ( blush) and wear them.

9 years ago

cinnamon fern

Veteran

Staysfit, they will definitely shrink back down with just a wash!

9 years ago

Category