Rinsing Your Jeans Clean
Tip: If you decide to machine wash your jeans, put them in by themselves or with other white garments. Even a small amount of bleach could ruin the appearance of colored clothing items.
Use Bleach For A Faster Fade
Bleach is not only a good option for fading your denim, but it also works faster than some other choices and gives a more lightened lookjust make sure to wear gloves when using it. According to Clorox, you should mix one cup of bleach to a gallon of cool water in a bucket or dishpan, then swirl to combine.
After rinsing the measuring cup used in the above step with clean water, add one cup of hydrogen peroxide to one gallon of water in a separate container. Stir until the jeans appear saturated. Check your progress at around two minutes while keeping your denim in or hovering over the pan or bucket being used. This will help to avoid splashing or spilling the bleach unintentionally elsewhere.
Keep carefully swirling and checking every one to two minutes until your desired wash color is achieved. Then, place your jeans in the hydrogen peroxide to stop the bleaching action. Make sure that they’re saturatedyou’ll notice a bubbling activity. Rinse your jeans with cool or cold water when that has subsided, then hang and air dry.
Hang Your Denim In The Sun
Sunshine can have a bleaching effect on colors, so for an added whitening boost, hang dry your white denim pieces in the sunshine.
Lets get ready to tumble. You are going to have loads of fun making sure your white denim stays fresh, our style experts are ready to lend you a hand. Looking for a new pair to keep squeaky clean? Take your style quiz, order a Fix and let an expert stylist do all the work. Keep what you love and return the rest. Shipping, returns and exchanges are always free.
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How To Bleach Jeans
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If you have a dark pair of jeans that you want to lighten, bleaching can do the trick. Bleaching jeans can also give your pants a worn, softer feel. While you can buy pre-bleached jeans at the store, you can recreate the process at home. By monitoring the bleaching process closely and taking precautions beforehand, you can bleach your jeans to the color you want and avoid burning holes into your jeans.
Where To Bleach Denim

There are different locations in your home that will work best if they are well ventilated and you have a lot of light and room to maneuver. If your home has a basement that would be the ideal spot as you have light & room.
Your bathroom would be the next ideal spot because you can use your bathtub to do the bleaching, sparing you the mess that comes with this process. Then if you have to, you can work on your patio, back yard, or some other outdoor spot. You get ventilation and lots of room and light in this location.
Ultimately, it is your choice where you bleach your denim items. Just pick the best spot for you and wear protective clothing.
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Create A Faded Look With These Easy Steps
Jeans are not only popular, but they’re also very versatile, making them a must-have item in your closet. While modern denim is available in many styles and colors, its original iteration was created more for functionality than for a fashion statement.
A popular look is the darker wash denim, which, while great for everyday wear, can fade in a way that may be unappealing over time. Or maybe you’ve held on to a perfect pair of jeans that fit just right, but the wash is no longer doing it for you. One way to extend the life of your denim, and also customize it, is to lighten your jeans at your own pace and to the shade you prefer.
Although you could wait for your jeans to fade naturally over time or wash them repeatedly to hasten the fade, we decided to get some advice. So we reached out to fashion expert Andréa Bernholtz, and she offered up some of her best tips for lightening your jeans and giving them a second life. Ahead, learn all about how to lighten denim for a worthwhile DIY project you can show off for years to come.
Meet the Expert
Andréa Bernholtz is the co-founder of Rock & Republic, as well as the founder and CEO of eco-supportive swimwear brand Swiminista.
What Happens When You Bleach Denim
A lot of what happens to your denim clothing will depend on the quality of the fabric and the type of fibers that were used in their construction. One of the results you dop not want to see take place will be the odd colors that happen when you beach denim. A yellow tinge is one of those colors you do not want to see.
Another danger that takes place is that the chlorine bleach may not whiten evenly. You may see spots that are whiter than others. Oxygen or color-safe bleach may work slower than chlorine bleach so you have more control over the process with those two options.
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Does Baking Soda Bleach Denim
Baking soda is designed more to make your clothes fresh and clean smelling. It is not designed to act as a bleach. It does have some whitening power but not a lot. What it does do is boost the cleaning power of both laundry soap and bleach.
It also removes that bleach smell when your clothes are cleaned and ready to wear.
How To Bleach Denim Shoes
This is a simple task to perform and only takes a little time to get it done. Just make sure you protect the area around where you are applying the bleach. Fill a spray bottle up with chlorine bleach and you do not need to dilute it.
Next, remove the laces so they do not get in your way or get ruined. After that, just spray away. You can spray evenly or let the bleach roll down the sides to enhance your creative nature.
Or you can spray lightly in one spot and heavy in another. It is all up to you how the bleach gets on your shoes. Finally, put the shoes in the dryer with a damp cloth for 30 minutes to stop the bleaching process.
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Wash Them In Hot Water
While not the most effective way to lighten jeans, this method can certainly help you achieve a lighter tone, all without exposing your jeans to harsh chemicals. For this reason, its recommended that you try to wash your jeans in hot water before using any other methods. Take your jeans, make sure they arent inside out, and place them in the washing machine using the hottest water setting possible. The general idea is to allow the hot water to fade your jeans, turning them into a slightly lighter tone. Keep in mind, however, that wet jeans look darker than dry jeans. So once you pull them from the washing machine, you should allow them ample time to dry before re-washing them. If your jeans are still too dark for your liking after drying, wash them once more in hot water, and again if needed.
How To Fade Jeans With Hydrogen Peroxide
You can use hydrogen peroxide as a safer way to fade jeans, but the process requires some extra steps and much more time. You will need a large pot, a thermometer, a stovetop, soda ash, synthrapol, white vinegar, and the cheap 3% hydrogen peroxide you can buy at Walmart or the dollar store.
As you can see, this method is pretty complicated, though it does present a safer alternative. That said, you should still wear rubber gloves as a precaution during this process!
1. Weigh your jeans while dry. Write down the weight in pounds. You will need this information to help you measure the products listed above.
2. Measure out 1/2 teaspoon of soda ash and synthrapol for every pound of cloth. Set this aside.
3. Bring a big pot of water to a boil on your stove. Your pot must hold enough water to submerge the jeans. Test the temperature of the water and bring it to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Gently stir the soda ash and synthrapol into the water.
5. Carefully lower your jeans into the water. Swish them through the water carefully, then carry the pot to your kitchen sink and let the water run down the drain. Rinse the jeans thoroughly while youre there.
6. Refill the pot with cold water. Add 6 pints of hydrogen peroxide, seven teaspoons of soda ash, and a teaspoon of synthrapol before bringing the water to a boil again.
7. Turn off the stove. Then lower your jeans into this new mixture and let them rest for sixteen to twenty-four hours. Yes, this method does take a long time!
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How To Bleach Jeans: The Complete Guide
The bleached jeans trend comes and goes over the years and it is back again. Whether mom jeans, flare jeans, cropped jeans, dirty jeans, or baggy jeans, bleached jeans bring out boho or 90s vibes.
They are unisex and can be paired with various fashionable tops, t-shirts, and jackets. You can wear bleached jeans throughout the year and this summer is a perfect time to wear them. If you donât have any, you can bleach a pair or two of your old jeans.
This article will guide you through the various ways you can bleach your jeans and offer a step-by-step process.
How To Bleach Dark Wash Jeans To A Light Wash

What you need:
Keep in mind that wet clothes have a darker shade than the actual shade when dry. Also, black jeans bleach to a rust-orange color and not white. Blue jeans will become a lighter shade of blue if bleached for a short time or white if left in the bleach for too long.
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What you need
Instructions
Can You Bleach Denim To Make It Lighter
Yes, this is a bit easier to do than trying to get them white. It doesnt take as long and you have more control over the process. You also do not have to worry about those Indigo-treated denim materials when you are only going for a faded blue look.
Just add a 1/4 cup of laundry bleach to your washing machine full of water and run the cycle for a short time to mix the two ingredients. Then run your machine the rest of the way after placing your denim clothing inside. You should let the jeans soak for a few minutes first before going to this step.
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How To Lighten Jeans With Epsom Salt
Take a bucket with five gallon capacity and add two gallons of water and 2 cups of Epsom salt. Adjust the amount of salt depending on the level of fading you want. Place the denim in the container and let it completely drown. Keep it that way for 2 days. After two days, hang the denim to a rope and let it dry.
Working With Bleach Safely
Warning: Chlorine bleach can cause mild-to-moderate chemical burns when it comes into contact with unprotected skin.XResearch source
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One Washer And Dryer Cycle Later And
BAM! Suddenly, you’re blinded by the newfound whiteness of these pants. My shorts are just as good as they were pre-stain, and no one will ever know that I deliberately rubbed Cheeto dust onto them to prove the effectiveness of my homemade concoction.
If the stain still lingers after a treatment and a wash, stay calm. Whip up some more stain remover and repeat the process. It may help to apply the mixture and then let your clothing item sit and soak it up for a bit before washing. However, if you’re applying the stain remover to a colored item, I advise not to let them sit too long or else you run the risk of discoloration.
There you have it. You’ve been blessed with the knowledge of how to get stains out of white jeans. Yank those suckers out of the back of the closet. Unearth them from the clothing mountain on your bedroom floor. Steal them back from your sister. Put them on and wear them without fear, because you’re basically invincible now.
How To Use Bleach Safely
You should always follow these safety precautions to use bleach safely. It can harm your skin, irritate your lungs, and seriously damage your eyes if you arent careful.
Most importantly, never mix bleach with any other chemicals! You could accidentally create a chemical disaster far worse than any bunsen burner incidents you may have observed during your high school chemistry labs.
Wear protective gear like rubber gloves and safety goggles. If possible, wear old clothes that cover as much exposed skin as you can, too.
Cover your work area in case of splashes. Dollar store plastic tablecloths taped down with a bit of masking tape work great! In a pinch, you can also lay down old newspapers.
Give yourself adequate ventilation to disperse that terrible smell! Open windows work well, and bathroom fans work even better.
Finally, its a good idea to do a trial run on a hidden spot of the garment before you get started!
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