Jeans: why you don’t need to wash them this year.

When was the last time you washed your jeans? Wait! Hold the spin cycle! A Canadian study has revealed that your jeans can be worn for up to a year UNWASHED and they will still be germ free. ONE whole year. That brings a whole new meaning to dirty denim.

One participant in the study wore his jeans five days a week for 15 months without washing them, only airing them out three times a week to prevent bad smells. His jeans were then tested for bacteria growth and tested again after being washed and worn for only two weeks. The results were virtually the same.

news.com.au reported:

“I expected to find some bacteria associated with the lower intestine, such as E. coli, but was surprised to find there weren’t any, just lots of normal skin bacteria,” said Rachel McQueen, a textile science professor at the University of Alberta.

“This shows that, in this case at least, the bacteria growth is no higher if the jeans aren’t washed regularly. Most bacterial organisms transferred into jeans come from the person wearing them, and providing there are no cuts or abrasions to the skin, the bacteria should not harm the wearer,” McQueen said.

Righto, any news which involves less washing has got to be good news. For the environment too.

Some jean companies like Lee and Nobody even explicity advise you to wait six months before washing new denim.

So how often do YOU wash your jeans? And how many pairs do you own?

For some jeans genius, check out these celebrities rocking their denim.