How often do you really need to wash your jean shorts? Experts weigh in

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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.

selected selected How often should you change and wash your towels, and when is it time to buy new ones? Here’s what experts say 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.

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.