Overcome by the desire to “spring clean,” Becca Waterman visited the laundromat last weekend to wash the three pairs of jeans she’s been wearing all winter and will continue to rotate through June.

Over the years, Waterman has tested out a few different washing schedules to keep her blue, dark blue, and black skinny jeans at just the right tightness. “I started with a weekly wash back when stretch denim first came out, but I was stuffed in there like a hand puppet,” Waterman laughs, reminiscing, “Plus, it was just kind of a pain to remember to wash them.”

Although squeezing into her jeans after each quarterly washing is still difficult, Waterman looks forward to stretching them out to normal size over the next three months.



When asked if there were any hygiene issues, Waterman notes that the jeans are far enough away from her face that “I don’t notice a scent until about nine weeks into the rotation.”

The only exception is a secret weapon pair of mint-colored jeans purchased on impulse: “The color’s too bright to wear often, so these will last me a three to five years before I really need to wash them.”

This season’s washing took a dramatic turn when the dark blue jeans, Waterman’s favorite, emerged from the dryer with a hole ripped in the crotch. She will continue to wear them with long shirts until the weather gets warm.