Lightening your jeans is an easy project that can give you a new look without buying new jeans.Light jeans are good for casual wear.You can lighten your jeans with either bleach or spot-lightening.You can turn your jeans into a pair of lighter jeans in a few hours.
Step 1: To bleach jeans, you have to pick the right pair.
It's best to pick a pair that doesn't have a lot of elastic or holes, because bleach will ruin the stretch and eat away at the edges of holes.The elasticity can be checked by looking at the tag.One of the other methods is better for stretchy jeans.If you're going to bleach your jeans for the first time, don't start with your favorite pair.If you want to mess up, you can bleach a pair you don't care about.
Step 2: Gloves and eye protection are required when covering your work area.
Your hands will sting at the end of the project if you don't wear gloves.You can use lab goggles or even swimming goggles.If you bleach your clothes, you might want to wear clothes you don't care about or an apron.
Step 3: The bucket should hold about one part bleach and five part warm water.
Don't bleach the jeans!New bleach will be more effective than an old bottle.The faster your jeans are made with bleach, the higher the concentration of bleach in the water.Enough solution to completely submerge your pants.If you want a more natural lightening agent, you can fill the bucket with lemon juice instead of bleach, but this will be much more expensive.It might be a good idea to get your jeans wet before putting them in the solution.
Step 4: The jeans should be damp in the water.
It's better to run your jeans under the faucet or put them in the sink before you start.Just a quick dip will do, you don't have to soak them for a long time.
Step 5: The jeans should be submerged in bleach.
The more time you leave the jeans, the worse they will get.You can check the jeans every half an hour to see if they are light enough.Take them out after 30 minutes.You might have to wait hours if you want them to lighten a lot.It looks darker when it is wet, so take it out before you want it.
Step 6: Take the jeans out of the bleach and wash them.
They should be washed in cold water and then put in your washing machine.There shouldn't be any other clothes in the load because of the residual bleach in jeans.You can either dry them or hang them.
Step 7: When you are at home, wear your jeans inside.
The jeans will fade quicker with the help of the friction against your legs.This method is good for subtler lightening.Ignore the weird looks of the people living in your house if you are patient with this method.Maybe you will start a jeans trend.
Step 8: On a hot cycle, put your jeans in the washing machine.
The hot water helps break the dye down.If the jeans are not pre-shrunk, washing them in hot water may shrink them.If the tag on your jeans says to wash cold, you should follow those instructions.It will take more washes to lighten your jeans.
Step 9: The jeans need to be dry in the sun.
The sun will help break down the dye.For a few days, you can leave your jeans out in the sun.You can wash and dry the jeans if they aren't faded enough.
Step 10: Decide which parts of your jeans you want to lighten.
The knee, seat, and pocket area are popular fading areas.It can help give new jeans a worn-in, vintage look without the effort of wearing jeans for years.
Step 11: Rub the area with a stone.
You don't want to wear through the fabric completely.To make sure you haven't gotten too carried away, keep lifting up the pumice or sandpaper.If you don't have stone or sandpaper, Rub your jeans with coffee beans.The acid will oxidize your jeans.
Step 12: You can draw with a bleach pen.
The bleach pen shouldn't bleed through if the jeans are stuffed with newspaper.You should wear gloves to draw your designs.
Step 13: You can wash your jeans in the washing machine.
They should be washed by themselves with a cold wash and detergent.The excess dye should be removed by this.You can repeat the process if it hasn't faded enough.