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How to Fade Blue Jeans in a Washing Machine

Marshal M. Rosenthal

Blue jean material will fade over time as a natural result of being worn and washed regularly.

You can speed up this process and give a pair of blue jeans a faded look that otherwise would take months of wearing to accomplish; you just need a top-loading washing machine and a few common household supplies available from a grocery store.

  1. Set the top-loading washing machine to the “Warm” setting (or equivalent, depending on the make). Start the washing machine so that water begins to flow into it. Stop the washing machine once it has filled halfway with water.

  2. Put on kitchen gloves. Add a capful of bleach to the water. Stir the water with your finger for a minute. Place the blue jeans in the water inside the washing machine. Push the jeans beneath the surface of the water. Let the blue jeans soak for 10 minutes.

  3. Start the washing machine working again. Remove the blue jeans once the washing machine is done. Hang the newly faded jeans on a clothesline to dry, or dry in a dryer.

The Drip Cap

  • Blue jean material will fade over time as a natural result of being worn and washed regularly.
  • Set the top-loading washing machine to the “Warm” setting (or equivalent, depending on the make).
  • Remove the blue jeans once the washing machine is done.