This spring, many '80s and '90s styles are back in style, including acid wash. And since DIY projects are always in style (probably because they're a fun and often inexpensive way to achieve a look you really like), now is definitely the time to learn how to acid wash jeans.
Since it's not exactly "shorts season" everywhere (hey, I still usually wear jeans in the summer anyway) I thought I'd try giving my jeans an acid wash effect without having to go out and buy another pair. Unfortunately, a pair of acid wash shoes I bought last year were so old that I had to throw them away. So I found myself some jeans that I didn’t mind getting ruined (if I did) and gave them a try.
It was super easy and, as it turns out, I didn't mess up at all! In fact, I might repeat it on the same pair of jeans for better results. I realize I'm a bit conservative with bleach in trying to be careful, but you don't have to be. Here's how to give a plain pair of jeans a new look this season:
Step 1: Gather materials
What you'll need: Bleach, a spray bottle, rubber bands, and of course, your jeans.
I used some hair ties because I didn't have any elastic bands at home. I only needed four or five pieces because I'm short and didn't have a ton of denim to work with. If you have super sensitive skin, rubber gloves may also come in handy. However, since you're using a spray bottle, you won't be exposed to bleach as often. Also, I'd recommend doing this project outside (better ventilation since you're working with toxic chemicals, etc.), preferably on a concrete slab. Spraying bleach near grass or plants will kill them.
Step 2: Wet your jeans
They shouldn't be soaked, but let them be wet enough so that they feel noticeably heavier. I used an outdoor faucet at the back of the house to run water onto my jeans.
Step 3: Pull jeans to desired area
Use a rubber band (or hair tie) to gather the denim into a bunch and secure it with the rubber band. This is very similar to T-shirt tie dye.
Step Four: Prepare the Spray Bottle
Add two parts water to one part bleach in a spray bottle. You don't want to do half and half because you can't be sure that the bleach won't attack the denim.
Step 5: Spray Bleach and Wait
I sprayed the top of my jeans and the areas where I had been busy. Since you're not dipping your jeans in a bucket, the spray allows you to still have some spots dark, giving you more of an acid-wash look. I decided to keep the bottom of the jeans legs to create a gradient effect, but you can do whatever you like. Depending on how bright you want your results to be, set an alarm for between 30 minutes and 1 hour. I let mine sit for over an hour, going back and spraying the jeans halfway through.
Step 6: Flip and Repeat Process
Do the same thing to the back of the jeans. Or, if you want to be different, you can keep the back and only show the front pickling. It's all up to you! I left the bleach on the back of the jeans for an hour, spraying more bleach in between.
Step 7: Remove straps and run rinse cycle
Once you're satisfied with the amount of bleach that has set, place the jeans in the washing machine to rinse. You may also want to put your new jeans through a normal wash cycle before actually wearing them (but don't put any other clothes in there with them or you'll bleach them too!). Dry your jeans as you normally would and that’s it! This is what mine looks like after drying:
Step 8: Enjoy your new jeans
Like I said, I'm still pretty conservative with spraying, so I might actually go back and do more hustle higher and lower on my shoes for a bolder acid wash look. The ideas are endless, as you can even create a stencil with a pattern and then use bleach to stamp the pattern onto the denim. Have fun and enjoy your new look!
Image: Author's own
