Is It Ok for My Daughter to Reuse Her Jeans?

Updated on September 07, 2012
M.R. asks from Mount Holly, NJ
37 answers

I went to lunch with my friends the other day and our conversation landed on the topic of our daughters (all around the same age 10-12). One of my friends said that she buys just three pairs of jeans for her daughter and she reuses them each week until the weekly clothes wash in order to save time, money, and closet space. We all had our different opinions about this. However, I am thinking about doing this as well, since my daughter now prefers the $30 aeropostale and abercrombie jeans over the $15 old navy ones, even though there's not much difference except for the backpocket. Haha. But I'm worried about hygeine and if kids in my DD's school will notice and whisper...

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S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

unless i'm sweaty or doing something physically dirty i always re-wear jeans. t-shirts and underwear get smelly, but jeans? i think washing them every time is a little obsessive.
what on earth would the kids at school notice? i mean, if they're stinky or visibly dirty you're going to wash them, right? how closely do you think kids examine each other's pants?
khairete
S.

10 moms found this helpful

~.~.

answers from Tulsa on

Oh yeah. I usually wear my jeans 2 to 3 days before I wash them, unless I'm doing yard work or something. Some kids at school may notice, but just buy a different wash and you will be fine.

10 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I've never heard of washing jeans after each wearing unless you get them dirty or something. In the event she is not wearing underwear I would wash them after each use.

I have a 17 year old and her jeans are closer to $150 a pair (she buys them) and she washes them after 2-3 wearings when they start to stretch out a bit in cold water. I wear the same brands she does and I also wash after 2-3 wearings.

Kids will notice if they are dirty and stinky.

9 moms found this helpful

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V.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

I own 2 pairs of jeans. I wear one for a week, then switch to the other pair (Unless I go to my parent's and go in their barn, or am working with their animals... Then I wash them the same day). Really... I'm usually home all day and when I am home I am wearing my PJ pants. When I go out (Which is rare during the week, but often on the weekends) I wear my jeans. So I'm not wearing them all day long for 7 days in a row... Just here and there for 7 days before washing them.

Anyways, yes. It's fine.

13 moms found this helpful
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K.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

Ummm... The answer is yes. I don't think I ever had more than two or three pairs of jeans at one time in my life. And the more you wash them, the more the fabric can wear and tear. So I would wear them for a week or more, until they needed to be washed. Then I would wash them.

Not a big deal.

11 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

We don't wear clothes just once and then wash. That's ridiculous. Wear clothes until they're actually dirty and THEN wash. ESPECIALLY jeans. They wear and fit better if you wash them as little as possible.

9 moms found this helpful
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K.O.

answers from Atlanta on

My kids are required to wear jeans multiple days - I'm not doing all that laundry. Unless they spilled something on them, were really getting sweaty, or rolling around in the dirt - I ask for 3 days of usage before washing.

9 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Boston on

I re-wear my jeans forever. Seriously we do laundry once a week and I can get by with 2 pairs of jeans and still wear jeans just about every day in cool months. All of my kids wear jeans multiple times before washing unless they actually got them dirty. They last longer that way and you need fewer pairs.

9 moms found this helpful
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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

growing up, my mom's rule was you wore jeans three times, unless you wore them and did something that got them dirty.

8 moms found this helpful
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P.G.

answers from Dallas on

Unless they get super dirty, reuse 2-3 times. I usually skip days between each pair.

8 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Dallas on

Everyone in our house wears jeans several days before washing.

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K.M.

answers from Washington DC on

We always wear our jeans more than once. Unless she is getting dirt on them, I thinks its crazy to wash jeans after one wear. She will be fine. Good Luck!

8 moms found this helpful

N.G.

answers from Dallas on

I wear my pants more than once, I see no reason why my kids can't. As long as there are no visible stains, dirty, or smells, etc., I see no problem with it. Most jeans look the same to me, so why would anybody notice?

8 moms found this helpful

L.B.

answers from New York on

Jeans are meant to be re-worn. The only time you wouldn't wear them again is if they smell or are obviously dirty.

I recently read that Levi recommends wearing jeans for 6 months before washing - well, that is a little gross. But 2-3 times before wash is the norm for most people.

7 moms found this helpful
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D.F.

answers from Boston on

I wear my Jeans more than once and have told my children many times, unless you have a spill or some huge stain , hang em up!! I do the same with sweatshirts and sweatpants.

7 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

She is wearing underwear isn't she? If so what is the hygiene issue?

Most people wear their jeans two or three times before they wash them. The only reason we don't do it with kids is they tend to get down and dirty and obviously you wash that which is dirty.

So far as kids noticing, unless you send her with some huge ketchup stain how will they know? Trust me, they can't tell the difference in pockets either.

7 moms found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Of course she can wear them in between washings! Same with shirts and sweatshirts. I just wash underwear and socks after each wearing. Otherwise it wastes water and it wears out the jeans every time you wash them!

6 moms found this helpful
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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

I don't think its too much of an issue if she isn't really active or exercising etc in them. Most people I know where their jeans 2 days in a row and then wash. If she isn't really messy or gets stinky easily, should be fine. GL

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D.B.

answers from Chicago on

She rewears her jeans, but only jeans and only if they are still clean looking and just wore them to school.She has a few pairs and never wears them back to back. She will wear three different pairs and then go back to the first pair & repeat. She also has favorite jeans and then I end up going to buy a second pair of that same style/fit so she doesn't rewear the heck out of her one favorite pair. It never fails that there is one favorite.

5 moms found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

We wear our jeans until they get dirty. Sometimes that means one day, sometimes that may be several days, but usually two or three days. If you wear two pairs on alternating days it doesn't look like you are wearing the same thing every day, but really, who is paying that much attention to what you are wearing anyway? I will usually try to get more than one wear out of tops as well. If it is still clean after I wear it I don't put it in the laundry basket, but hang it on a hook instead to be worn again before it goes in the wash. As long as unserwear and socks are changed daily, and you don't have a problem with perspiration it is perfectly hygenic.

5 moms found this helpful

A.M.

answers from Kansas City on

I wear my jeans more twice a week then wash on the weekends.

Unless I spill something on them.

All four of us in our family do this.

3 moms found this helpful

☼.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

With different tops, who's going to notice? Also, you're not supposed to wash jeans after each use, if that's what you're also asking. I'm a jeans freak so I probably currently have 25 pairs and unless they're stained or stink, they don't go in the washer very often.

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K.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

Are you kidding me? This is an age old thing to do, rewear jeans because they're JEANS. I've not heard of people in all my years who wear JEANS once and then wash them, lol. We wore Levi's when I was a teen. Boys and girls both wore boys Levi's. (I was born in '65) Jeans and jean shorts are reworn. Unless they're those thin girly jeans that are more like slacks, jeans are sturdy and meants to be worn repeatedly before washing. This isn't a new concept so I'm baffled that there's even a discussion about it. Rewear them. It's all good!

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

3 moms found this helpful

A.M.

answers from Kansas City on

jeans and jeans only, yes. ASSUMING she's not getting hot and sweaty at school, or having issues with her period, etc.

2 moms found this helpful

L.M.

answers from Dover on

I think the 3 pair are ok but I would was them every third day that way she was wearing a clean pair everyday but rotating them. That or get her a few of the Old Navy jeans and she can rotate those into the mix.

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V.T.

answers from Washington DC on

They only time I don't reuse jeans is when I'm on my period. There is just too much stuff going on down there, I don't feel comfortable reusing jeans. As long as she wears underwear, reuse.

2 moms found this helpful

M.R.

answers from Detroit on

Um, I would have to go with no. I cannot stand the way they feel when they have not been washed. Especially her wearing them to school and getting lord knows what on them.
Aero has amazing deals and coupons, and ebay has Hollister/Abercrombie jeans for WAY less, brand new.
I think you can save money in different ways.

2 moms found this helpful

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I do the same here, wear - hang wear again for 3 wears then wash. I also tend to fabreeze by clothes/closet etc in general so if it makes you feel better you can fabreeze them after wear then air dry.

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B.K.

answers from Albuquerque on

I've never had a problem with rewearing jeans. If you can afford to buy a weeks worth I would though.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.B.

answers from Chicago on

Unless there is an obvious stain or ordor to the jeans, she should be able to wear them more than once. I had a friend in grade school whose mother would make her wear the SAME outfit 2 days in a row because she had to wash their clothes by hand. So re-wearing jeans a few times seems ok to me. I do it myself. How many pair of jeans does one child need anyway? If she is opposed to wearing them more than once in between washes, I would have her be in charge of washing her own clothes. Washing can be a chore for anyone.

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M.T.

answers from New York on

At that age, it's really fine to wear a pair of jeans twice unless they're doing something dirty/outside-sy.

1 mom found this helpful

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

I'm in the camp of "Ewwww No".
None of my kids' or my pants are in any condition to wear again a second day after a full day of wear.
All female jeans seem to have stretch in them now and by the second day they are all saggy and annoying. Even my toddlers jeans have stretch in them.
We're always getting stuff on them from sitting and kneeling and sweating and whatever.
I just can't do it and neither can anyone else in the house.

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J.T.

answers from Victoria on

If she has her period that week then no wash them every wear. Other wise I dont see an issue with earing jeans twice. Smell them, see if they appear to have dirt on them if none then they are good to go. I would be aware that some ppl produce body oils more than others. 15 $ jeans high five girl! 30 is still a deal! - heck at 30 jeans i would buy five and let her wear them all week then again the next week. monday pair, tuesday ect. !

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P.M.

answers from Harrisburg on

Well...my middle schooler wears them once and tosses them in the wash. My high schooler used to do the same. However, now that he does his own laundry (for the most part), he may wear the same pair all week! Funny how much difference it makes when they do their own laundry! :)

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K.L.

answers from Washington DC on

My 8 year old has one pair of jean shorts (from Old Navy, almost to her knees). They're real cute and obviously go with everything, especially her 3 new tops for this Fall! She wore them yesterday for the first day of school. This morning she asked, "Do you think it's OK if I wear the jean shorts again?" I told her to go for it, they weren't dirty! She wore a different top with them. When she got off the bus this afternoon she said the only comment she got about her clothes today was from a girl who said, "Didn't you wear that shirt yesterday?" No one said a word about her jeans! I think both of my girls are finally getting on the right track. They used to throw their stuff in the laundry after one wear. Thank goodness that's changing. Less work for me!

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

sometimes you can rewear jeans.. sometimes not.. depends on how dirty they get. My daughter often stays clean all day so she can wear her clothes again. my son is a mess by noon.. he cannot rewear anything.

I think 3 or 4 pairs of jeans are fine.. but also have some other pants leggins... too.

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L.M.

answers from Chicago on

I don't see any reason not to wear them a second time before washing, as long as they are not dirty. Just check them quick to make sure lunch didn't spill, or the butt is not dirty from outside play. I agree with JT - if they got their period, then they have to be washed after one wear.

Can you get some other types of pants too - leggings - to alternate.

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