Why Do Your Jeans Smell Bad Even After Washing?
Have you ever put your jeans in the laundry and when you took them out they still smelled bad? Tired of washing your jeans only to have that funky odor return? You might think your washer is broken, but chances are the problem lies elsewhere…. There are multiple reasons why your jeans smell bad even after washing, and we’ve found the most common culprits:
Turns out, there are a number of factors that lead to bad smells in jeans…. To get rid of it, you need to kill the bacteria that causes the odor in the first place.
Tightly woven clothing, like jeans, can trap in the bacteria that causes odor—in fact, the tighter the weave of the clothing, the more odor-causing bacteria can get trapped…. When you wash denim jeans with skanky odors, those bacteria multiply in the water and end up on your clothes…. That’s why jeans that smell after a wash don’t go away—you are washing them with bacteria.
Some reasons why your jeans still smell bad after they have been washed:
- You do not know how to launder your clothes properly – If you follow the steps in this article and still find that your clothes still smell bad after laundry, then you might want to consider going to a professional dry cleaner instead.
- You are not letting the clothes sit in warm water with detergent for at least 5 minutes before putting them in the washing machine – This allows the detergent to soak into the fabric and remove dirt and accumulated grime from the fabric fibers.
- There is a problem with your washer or washing machine (like a bad drain pump or seal) where it does not spin or drain out all of the water from your clothes during the spin cycle and so it leaves moisture inside the drum of your washer without draining off through the drain pump or seal causing mildew odors to build up inside of your washing machine.
- You’re Washing Them With Dirty Clothes – If you’re washing a load of clothes with one or more pairs of dirty jeans, don’t be surprised if your fresh-from-the-laundry jeans end up just as smelly as before…. Make sure you remove any items from the washer that have an odor so they won’t transfer their odor onto your clean clothes…. This simple step will help keep your denim from smelling bad after laundering.
- You’re Washing Them With Sweaty Clothes – While it’s best to separate smelly clothes from your laundry for better results, sometimes it’s unavoidable…. If you must wash a smelly shirt or pair of pants along with your denim, place a dryer sheet into each pocket to absorb sweat and odor…. The sheets are small & lightweight enough not to interfere with the washing process.
- When you wash your jeans and accidentally leave them in the machine for too long, it can cause them to smell bad…. This is a common problem that many people have with their jeans.
- You should air-dry the jeans instead of putting them in the dryer. The heat from the dryer causes the smell to become worse instead of making it better. You should also make sure no one wears these jeans while they are wet because they will be dripping wet, which can make your feet smell bad after wearing them all day long.
- The quality of the detergent you choose is also important. Detergents with brighteners and whiteners can result in yellowing of the fabric, which in turn can make your jeans smell bad due to the buildup of dirt on the fabric…. When you wash your clothes, check the labels on the detergent, and select one that doesn’t have any added perfumes or fragrances.
Why Do Black Jeans Smell?
Some jeans are more prone to this than others…. But why do black jeans in particular have a tendency to give off a distinctive odor?
It’s not because the pants are dirty or because they’re made out of cheap material…. It’s actually the opposite…
Tannin is the chemical responsible for giving jeans their distinct color…. When the denim is dyed, tannin is used to help fix the dye onto the fabric and give it its deep, dark color…. When you buy new black jeans, you can often smell these chemicals on them.
As the jeans age, however, these chemicals eventually fade away, leaving your pair of black jeans with no scent at all…. This is why you usually want to wash your new pair of jeans before wearing them for the first time…. The washing process helps remove these chemicals and makes your jeans much more comfortable to wear.
Why Do My Jeans Smell Like Burnt Rubber?
Jeans smell like burnt rubber because of the material they are made from…. Many varieties of jeans are produced using a synthetic material known as polyester…. Although polyester does not have an odor initially, it can give off an unpleasant smell in certain conditions.
The smell is usually caused by the combination of polyester and heat…. When polyester is exposed to high temperatures, such as those from a clothes dryer or the hot summer sun, it gives off an unpleasant burnt chemical smell…. This toxic odor can become worse when mixed with sweat and dirt and is most likely to occur after wearing jeans on a hot day and then drying them in the sun or in a clothes dryer.
Although polyester is primarily responsible for causing this smell, other materials used in denim jeans can also be factors…. Jeans made with cotton, spandex or other fibers may also give off an unpleasant odor if they are not cared for properly.
Caring for jeans made from polyester requires washing them separately from other fabrics so that they do not come into contact with any fabrics that might be damaged by exposure to high temperatures during the washing process…. Using cold water when washing these types of jeans will also help prevent damage.
Do All Black Jeans Smell?
All denim jeans have a natural scent, and in most cases, this scent “washes away” completely with proper washing…. In fact, most people who believe all black denim jeans smell bad simply aren’t washing their jeans properly.
- Wash them often…. Even though you’re wearing your black denim jeans every day, it’s best to wash them after every few wears, or after a particularly sweaty day…. Don’t put off washing your jeans just because they’re your favorite pair in the closet: If you get too many stains on them, they’ll never look new again!
- Use cold water when washing your jeans…. Hot water will actually set your stain in permanently, so stick to cold water and wash with a mild detergent like Woolite Dark.
- Wear a pair of white cotton gloves while rinsing your jeans under the faucet to avoid getting dye on your hands and fingers as you scrub them clean.
- Hang them up to dry as soon as you can after rinsing them clean under the tap; hot air from a dryer will make matters far worse.
How Do You Get the Smell Out of Black Jeans?
If you have ever washed a pair of jeans and they still smell bad, chances are it’s not the jeans themselves that smell but the washing machine…. There are many different things that can happen to a pair of jeans if you don’t wash them properly.
- Pour some vinegar into the hot water, and let it soak for 5 minutes before adding your clothes…. Vinegar is a natural fabric softener and will help eliminate any soap scum or residue in your machine.
- Dryer sheets can also leave behind residue on your clothes and in your machine…. Throw one directly into the dryer before starting the cycle to eliminate any residue buildup.
- Stains are another issue that can prevent a garment from washing well…. If the stains are dried-in or set-in, avoid pre-treating by using an enzyme-based cleaner or chlorine bleach as both can damage fabric over time…. To get rid of stains in your washer, use a solution of 50/50 water and white vinegar and then run an empty cycle to clean out any residue left behind by cleaning products or detergents.
Why Does the Crotch of My Jeans Smell?
You’re sitting at home, watching TV in your favorite pair of jeans, when you suddenly smell something…. Is it a fire? No, it’s the crotch of your jeans…. We’ve all been there before (or are we just imagining things?)…. Why does the crotch of my jeans smell?
There are two main reasons why your jeans smell bad:
- The bacteria living on your skin are causing the odor.
- There’s an odor coming from the material itself.
Bacteria and Your Skin
Many experts believe that one of the main reasons why your pants smell bad is because of bacteria on your skin…. These bacteria absorb sweat from your body and cause it to ferment, producing a strong odor.
When you wear the same pair of jeans for too long without washing them, or if you don’t wash them often enough, this can create an unpleasant odor emanating from the crotch area of your jeans…. The longer you go without washing them, the more concentrated and strong the odor will become…. How to get rid of this odor? The easiest way is to wash them more often!
How Do You Get the Crotch Smell Out of Jeans?
The reason why your jeans smell bad is actually simple…. Jeans are made from cotton, which emits a strong smell after a while…. This is because of the oils that are released when you wear them…. The more often you wear them, the more the smell increases.
Treating the jeans with tea tree oil or lavender oil helps make them smell good…. These essential oils help reduce the bad odor and also act as antiseptic, so it keeps your skin away from infections that can be caused due to bacteria…. There is no permanent solution to this problem…. However, these oils will at least make your jeans smell good for some time.
You can also place an open bag of baking soda inside your cupboard or wardrobe to absorb all the bad odor from the jeans…. Some people also suggest placing 15 drops of lavender oil in two liters of water and leaving the jeans in it for a couple of days to remove the bad odor from them…. Just make sure that you don’t use this method with water-resistant jeans as it might change their color.
In summary, the odor from new jeans comes from the breakdown of the chemicals that give blue jeans that signature indigo color…. The jeans smell like chemicals until they are washed a couple of times…. If you wash your jeans too often or use too much detergent, you can weaken the fabric and have to get them repaired because of rips in hems or seams.
You may also be interested in… Why do my pants keep ripping at the crotch, 8 Events You Should Never Wear Jeans Too: Or Can You? and What Pants To Wear with Plaid?
