Washing settings guide
How to Wash Jeans in a Washing Machine
Use this guide to wash jeans without unnecessary fading, shrinking, or creasing.
For machine-washable denim, start with its care label. Levi’s recommends a cold, gentle wash with jeans inside out and the zip closed, rather than treating all denim as a hot Cottons load.
Last updated: 22 September 2026
Quick answer
Best washing machine setting
Program
Gentle/Delicates where permitted
Temperature
Cold, following the denim label
Spin
Use the suitable programme’s default; follow textile and model limits
Why: Use the garment maker’s instructions for finish, colour and fabric.
Safe tip: Check the care label and the load limit for this programme before starting.
Step-by-step setup
- 1.Check the denim care instructions and empty the pockets.
- 2.Turn the jeans inside out and close the zip.
- 3.Wash new denim separately for the first wash; keep later loads compatible in colour and care.
- 4.Use a cold gentle programme where the garment label allows, with the instructed detergent dose.
- 5.Air dry as the label permits, away from direct sunlight for colour care.
Related problems and error codes
When to use this setting
- Jeans, denim jackets, and robust denim garments.
- Dark denim that needs colour protection.
- Small denim loads that have room to move.
When not to use it
- Raw denim or specialist garments that say do not machine wash.
- Mixing heavy jeans with delicate tops or sportswear.
- Very hot washes that can shrink or fade denim.
Common mistakes
- Giving raw or specialist denim the same treatment as ordinary washable jeans.
- Washing new dark denim with pale clothes.
- Adding heat or a high spin without checking the label.
Related guides
Best Setting for Dark Clothes
For suitable washable dark clothes, sort compatible colours, turn items inside out and consider a cool gentle wash. The garment label and programme limits take priority over any generic colour setting.
Mixed Load vs Cottons on a Washing Machine
Mixed and Cottons describe fabric groups, not a universal gentle-versus-stronger ranking. For example, Bosch’s WAE24377GB manual assigns Mixed Load to compatible cotton/synthetic fabrics and Cottons to robust cotton/linen, with different load limits.
What Temperature to Wash Clothes in the UK
The number on a wash care label is an upper temperature limit. Routine lightly soiled clothes may suit 30°C or lower with an appropriate detergent; 40°C and 60°C are options only where the fabric and purpose allow them.
Frequently asked questions
Should jeans be inside out?+
Levi’s recommends it to help protect the outer colour.
Is 40°C the right setting?+
Do not assume so. Levi’s recommends cold washing; follow the particular garment’s label.
Can jeans go on Cottons?+
Only if the garment instructions and that programme are compatible. A gentle wash is the Levi’s guidance used here.
Sources and limits
Programme names, load limits and permitted settings vary. Follow the item’s care label and the instructions for your exact machine.
- Levi’s: denim careLevi’s recommends cold, gentle washing, inside out with the zip closed, and separate first washing for new denim. Follow the particular garment label. Checked 22 September 2026.