Jeans In The Freezer: Is This Laundry Hack Really Worth Trying?

Everyone has their own style, but if there's one article of clothing we all have folded up somewhere in our closets, it's a pair of jeans. The holy grail of clothes, jeans are perfect for almost every occasion. They also don't need to be washed after every single wear and actually shouldn't be, as this can fade them. A lot of us may even wait a few wears before throwing our jeans into the laundry, but a problem arises when they start smelling too early. One common laundry hack that promises to fix this issue is to stick your jeans into the freezer. Unfortunately, this trick won't do anything to curb that bad odor.

According to several online outlets, your jeans should be folded into a sealable fresh bag and placed in your freezer overnight to get rid of that sour, musty smell that lingers on them. While this may seem like an easy method to extend the number of wears you get out of them, the disappointing reality is that this method doesn't permanently suppress bad smells. 

According to School of Fashion and Textiles at RMIT University technical officer George Chan (via The Guardian), that foul odor might hold off when the jeans come out of the freezer because of the cold but will come right back to the surface once they thaw out. Bad smells are typically caused by bacteria, which won't be killed in the freezer — they just become dormant.

We've established that the supposedly magical cure for getting rid of the bacteria in your jeans is not to freeze them. Instead, turning the heat up may do the job. Bacteria may withstand the cold but most of them get killed at high temperatures. University of Delaware microbial ecologist Stephen Craig Cary advised Smithsonian magazine that jeans owners should simply heat them to about 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, as this would be more effective in killing odor-causing bacteria. You can achieve this by using a professional, high-temperature steam cleaner.

Unfortunately, while this would be effective, it's not a long-term solution. The impact of excess heat on jeans can lead to shrinking, yellowing, and damage, especially to pairs that are made with stretchy material. Rather, heating your jeans shouldn't be an everyday solution. Washing frequently is also a common laundry mistake that will fade your jeans, especially if they aren't pre-washed. 

This is because the indigo used to dye them isn't permanent. However, the way you wear your jeans contributes immensely to how often you have to wash them too. If you're a very active, outdoorsy person, you'd do well to get yourself a pair of washed denim jeans that come pre-faded. That way, even though you're laundering them frequently, it won't make as much of a difference.

The thing with figuring out solutions for taking care of a smelly pair of jeans in between washes is that you'll have to find one that works for you and your specific pair. One approach that seems to work for all parties is sponging down the jeans superficially. You'll need a cloth or bath sponge dedicated solely to your jeans, laundry soap, and water. Mix the soap with the water so that it's not too soapy but soapy enough to smell good and make the water pliable. 

Then, dip the sponge into it, wring it out, and brush the jeans, front and back. When you're done, the jeans should be damp but not dripping wet. Hang them up to air dry and that should take care of the smell, at least for a little while. With this method, the jeans don't go through all the mechanical stress that comes with being in the washer but they still get freshened up. 

Another method is using a vinegar solution. Vinegar is known to neutralize pungent smells and kill bacteria so why not? Mix some white vinegar and water and spray it onto your jeans. Hang them outside to air dry once again. Overall, the best solution to a smelly pair of jeans remains to just wash them. You can even buy several pairs and rotate them so that you can give the other ones time to rest before wearing them again.