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Summer has a way of putting your jean shorts through the ringer. Between the sweat, the sunscreen, the grass stains from picnics and the sand that somehow ends up in every pocket, your favorite cutoffs earn their keep. And because they’re basically a warm-weather uniform — worn on repeat from the first hot day in May until the leaves start turning — they need a little more love (and likely washes) than their full-length denim cousins.
The good news? Washing jean shorts isn’t all that different from washing regular jeans. Same fabric, same care principles, same instinct to protect that perfect fade and fit. The main difference is frequency: where a pair of jeans might go weeks between washes, your shorts are working overtime in the heat and need to hit the laundry basket more often. Here’s how to keep them clean without wearing them out, according to an expert on textiles and a laundry services CEO.
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How often should you wash your jean shorts?
Unlike regular jeans, which can often go weeks between washes, jean shorts call for a bit more attention once the temperature rises. “Sweat, sunscreen, saltwater, sand and body oils build up more quickly during the summer, so you’ll likely need to wash jean shorts more often than a pair of jeans you wear in colder weather,” says Courtney Barriger, a sustainable fashion designer and founder of ReFashion Workshop, an educational platform exploring fashion, retail, and sustainability.
So what’s the magic number? “Typically, you’ll want to wash jean shorts [after] every three to five wears,” says Ashley Kidder, founder and CEO of laundry service Mountains of Laundry. But that’s just a guideline, you may need to wash them more frequently depending on your activities. “Use your best judgement here, if it was a sweaty day of digging in the garden and you can smell them, give them a wash.” Kidder adds.
How to wash your jean shorts
When it’s time to actually wash your jean shorts, a few small habits go a long way. “Before washing your jean shorts, turn them inside out — this can help reduce fading,” says Kidder. “Then put them in the washing machine on a gentle cycle and go easy on the detergent. Using too much detergent (and using fabric softener in general) can cause product to build up on your jeans over time, which can wind up making your jeans smell funky.”
When it comes to drying, both experts point in the same direction, which is away from the dryer. “Whenever possible, skip the dryer,” says Barriger. “Hanging your jeans to dry helps preserve the color, shape, and fabric while reducing energy use.” If time is an issue you can tumble dry them, just make slight modifications from how you dry other types of clothes., “If you have to use the dryer for efficiency, use low heat,” says Kidder.
The best products to help you wash your jean shorts
To choose these products, I looked for highly-rated options that align with Barriger’s and Kidder’s advice — including mild detergents and dryer alternatives that help preserve color and fit.
Kidder suggests using a mild detergent to avoid buildup on jean shorts, and this pick fits the bill. This option from Seventh Generation is fragrance-free and plant-based, gentle enough for sensitive skin while still lifting sweat, dirt, and odor from denim without leaving behind harsh residue.
Great for dark denim shorts specifically, this detergent is formulated to prevent fading and color loss wash after wash. In addition to keeping darker washes looking fresh and new, it is gentle on fabric fibers and free from hash additives.
For anyone following Barriger’s advice to skip the dryer, this drying rack is a simple solution. It folds flat for easy storage, offers ample space to air-dry several pairs of jean shorts without heat damage, and helps preserve color, shape, and denim fibers over time.
This gullwing-style drying rack offers sturdy, space-saving support for air-drying. Its wing design maximizes surface area for faster drying, while the durable steel frame folds flat for easy storage between laundry days. There is also a mesh panel near the bottom that allows you to lay things like sweaters flat for drying.
I’ve used Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover on denim for everything from grease stains to red wine spills, and it’s consistently effective. Just a small amount worked into the fabric before washing lifts stubborn stains without harsh chemicals — it’s a handy pre-treatment step for keeping jean shorts looking clean all summer.
Does putting jeans in the freezer clean them?
A piece of denim care folklore is that you can toss jeans in the freezer to clean them — which, as it turns out, has some validity to it. “Freezing temperatures can slow bacterial activity and reduce some odor causing bacteria, but they won’t remove dirt, body oils, food spills, or stains,” says Barriger. “I think of freezing as a refresh button, not a replacement for washing. If your jeans just need a quick reset after a few wears, an overnight stay in the freezer can buy you a little more time before laundry day. If they look dirty or smell dirty, the washing machine still wins.”
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Frequently asked questions
Experts I spoke with agreed that you should ideally wash new jean shorts before wearing them. This removes excess surface dye that can rub off and stain your skin or furniture, washes away chemical residues and sizing agents left over from the manufacturing process and cleans away germs from being tried on in stores. It’s an easy step to skip when you’re excited to wear something new, but one quick wash — following the same gentle-cycle, cold-water approach as usual — helps your shorts feel (and smell) like they’re actually yours.
Trust your senses first. “Smell and visible dirt or stains are the first things I look for,” says Kidder. Fit matters too — if your shorts are starting to sag or lose their shape, that’s another cue to toss them in the wash. “Some jeans stretch out quicker, which is another sign to give them a wash so they fit how you like them.”
Meet our fashion and laundry experts
At NBC Selected, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Courtney Barriger is a sustainable fashion designer and founder of ReFashion Workshop, an educational platform exploring fashion, retail, and sustainability.
- Ashley Kidder is the founder and CEO of laundry service Mountains of Laundry.
Why trust NBC Selected?
I am a commerce editor at NBC Selected and a journalist who regularly covers wellness, beauty, home and lifestyle. I have written about the best roll-on deodorants, flats that have arch support, how to wash your bras and more. For this story, I spoke with experts about how often your jean shorts need to be washed.
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