How To Keep Wyoming’s Blue Jeans In Good Shape

Blue jeans are the unofficial pants of Wyoming. Think about it, how often have you seen a cowboy or cowgirl not wearing denim? They're durable, comfortable and most everyone has at least a pair or two in their wardrobe.

Blue jeans became popular during the gold rush days, when Jacob Davis noticed that the pants being worn by miners were wearing out very quickly. So, he teamed up with a feller named Levi Strauss, to create the britches that would change the clothing game.

In Wyoming, there aren't many people that don't own a pair of Wranglers, Levi's, Carhart, Dickie or Lee jeans. If you're going to a rodeo, you'll put on your best jeans, boots and maybe even cowboy hat, to take in the all of the entertainment.

If they're good enough for George Strait, they're good enough for us...right?

My grandpa always told me that he had two different types of blue jeans. His work jeans and his going to town jeans, and sure enough, he'd take the time to clean up and put on his newest pair of jeans before heading to town. When his "goin to town" jeans started to get worn out, they became his work jeans and he'd buy a new pair and the process started all over.

The thing is, he would only buy new jeans one time per year. He didn't like spending money if he didn't have to and if you took care of your jeans, you wouldn't have to.

What's the best way to take care of your jeans? Don't wash them too often.

Washing your clothes takes a toll on them, especially if you do it too much. Jeans that are distressed, have holes and look dirty are a popular look these days, so that may deter you from washing your jeans. Putting that aside, if you want to make them last longer, experts say there are a few things you should take into consideration.

• The brand of jeans - some jeans recommend you limit the number of washes to preserve the quality.
• Stains - if you spill coffee, kneel in mud or oil, or wear them to muck the stalls, you'll need to limit the number of times you wear them.
• Smell - A quick smell test will let you know if it's time to throw them in the wash.  If your jeans aren't quite ready for a full wash, but they have a smell, hang them in the fresh air. Giving them a little time to air out, will help avoid an untimely washing.

When you do decide it's time, make sure you wash them correctly.

• Wash jeans on the right temperature - Stinky jeans should be washed in hot water, it will help remove lingering odors. Less stinky jeans are ok to be washed in cold water, that will keep the fresh smell of your detergent longer.
• If your button pops off, replace it before washing. This will keep your button hole from stretching.
• Stains should be treated with a spot treatment, instead of just tossing them into the washer. Use cold water and mild detergent, blotting instead of rubbing out the stain.
• When it's time to dry them, air drying is your best bet. Hanging or laying your jeans out flat will help them last longer. Machine drying can cause more damage. Be sure to hang them out of the sun, sunlight can cause fading.
• If you do dry them in a dryer, don't mix them with any other material. That will cause an issue with lint.

Who knew there was so much involved with washing, drying and preserving your blue jeans?