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AIBU?

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Original poster

DH and his jeans..

61 replies

NavyOrca · 26/11/2024 03:53

I’ve been having an ongoing issue with DH for many years regarding how often he does - or more accurately, doesn’t - change his jeans.

The rest of his personal hygiene is absolutely fine.. showers thoroughly once a day, changes top / underwear / socks daily, shaves, brushes teeth twice a day, uses deodorant.

But his jeans. Oh god. He changes them usually once a week / 10 days. He’ll wear the same pair for work (desk job from home), walking dog (road walks, not muddy ones), and going to shops etc.

I think this is vile. I half-joked about this with my MIL one time, and her response to me was “well, he’s just like his dad”. This terrifies me as my FIL’s personal hygiene is atrocious and I couldn’t bear being with somebody like this. DH swears he will never get as bad as this.

He has plenty of pairs, and can offer no explanation as to why he doesn’t change them more frequently.

We argued about this issue last night, which makes me sad, as we rarely argue. He’s a wonderful husband and my best friend.. but he doesn’t see the issue with changing his jeans as infrequently as this!

Which one of us is BU here?!

OP posts:
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Moveoverdarlin · 26/11/2024 19:45

He has plenty of pairs, and can offer no explanation as to why he doesn’t change them more frequently.

The reason he can’t offer you an explanation is because it’s COMPLETELY BLOODY NORMAL.

Moveoverdarlin · 26/11/2024 19:40

I’m neither vile or unhygienic. I love clothes, fashion, shopping, styling outfits etc and I think this is fine. If my jeans get dirty I’ll wash them, but a week wearing them is absolutely fine. Maybe if he was going commando in them it would be gross, or mucking out pigs or doing hard manual work in them, but the poor bloke is doing a desk job from home. Give him a break, you sound neurotic and a nag. If my husband put 3 pairs of jeans in the wash every week I’d be going mad, they don’t need washing that frequently, they take ages to dry and it’s a complete waste. He works from home, why does he need a new pair everyday? Who sees him?

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 26/11/2024 18:54

Jeans can go for ages without a wash. If they look clean and don't smell unpleasant, they don't need washing.

Lindjam · 26/11/2024 18:35

YABU

Jeans really shouldn’t be washed very often at all.

WyrdyGrob · 26/11/2024 18:33

In Peak hayfever season i have indoor and outdoor outfits, so,yeah, I’d be miffed if he dog walked in the sneezy tree lined park then sat in the house in the same clothes.

in the off season though, nah

jeans look shit if you wash them too often.

Movinghouseatlast · 26/11/2024 18:23

I don't wash mine more than that, unless I've been gardening in them.

Do you actually argue about this? I think that's more of a problem.

Sassybooklover · 26/11/2024 18:19

My husband does the same thing. Unless, the jeans are dirty or smelly, then I don't see an issue.

K0OLA1D · 26/11/2024 18:09

ComfortandHappiness · 26/11/2024 17:56

This is why I don’t like travelling on public transport 😬😅

Jeans may not have been designed to be washed, but they were designed as work ware. It’s not the same nowadays.

Ignored the links in the thread so far then?

ComfortandHappiness · 26/11/2024 17:56

This is why I don’t like travelling on public transport 😬😅

Jeans may not have been designed to be washed, but they were designed as work ware. It’s not the same nowadays.

IMustDoMoreExercise · 26/11/2024 11:38

JohnTheRevelator · 26/11/2024 09:35

I thought you were going to say he changed his jeans only once a year! A friend of mine told me that he was actually advised by 'someone who knew about these things' that the less you washed jeans,the better. 🤢 I think changing them every 7 - 10 days is fine as long as they going on a clean body every day.

I thought this as well.

IMustDoMoreExercise · 26/11/2024 11:36

Nothing wrong with what he is doing at all.

TheGoddessFrigg · 26/11/2024 11:18

Its the items of clothing next to the skin that need to be changed every day- ie vests, shirts, socks, pants. As long as he is wearing underwear I cant see what the problem is

Ariela · 26/11/2024 11:14

Why don't you pop out a fresh pair and syphon off the dirty pair into a load of washing if it bothers you so much. Chances are he won't notice.

TheTruthICantSay · 26/11/2024 11:13

Yup, I'm with everyone else - jeans do not need to be washed that often. I do like to rotate them so that rather than wearing the same pair for a week, I alternate and they get aired between, but jeans aren't suppose to be washed that often. I don't wash any trousers on every wear - even lightweight summer trousers and shorts I'd wear at least twice before washing and that's more because I get more sweaty and/or they tend to look dirty.

MortgageBrain · 26/11/2024 11:10

Just to balance it out OP, I wash mine every three wears. That seems optimal to me. DP washes each time. That is crazy but it's up to him. I don't dictate.

ColinOfficeTrolley · 26/11/2024 11:08

You have actually had an argument over this???

Yabvvvvvu.

Unless he stinks or looks like a vagabond, it's not really up to you how often his jeans should be washed. Leave him alone.

WigglyVonWaggly · 26/11/2024 11:03

Nah, this is totally fine. I only wash my jeans whenever they look a bit marked or loosen up a bit. I work from home and they stay clean. Probably after about 5-6 wears, but could even go longer than a week. Once a week is really not repulsive. Obviously if there are mud splashes from dog walking or he’s spilled things on them or been somewhere grubby they need to go in the wash. Generally, I wash things quite often - bedding and towels weekly, bras after two wears, and tops after one or two wears.

Katemax82 · 26/11/2024 10:58

BeatsAntique · 26/11/2024 03:58

I think this is fine. Jeans aren’t supposed to be washed that often, it ruins the shape of them. They’re not like other clothes, think about how jeans even came about as garments.

https://nypost.com/2023/06/19/how-often-should-jeans-get-washed-levis-and-denim-experts-reveal/

Edited

My husband likes his clothes washed after one wear..yesterday the jeans he had on got a huge split in the arse probably where the denim was eroded from washing so much

Prisonpillow · 26/11/2024 10:46

DH is being perfectly normal.

ttcat37 · 26/11/2024 10:44

Team DH here. I wash my jeans when they get too big.

Calliopespa · 26/11/2024 10:38

I wash mine about every five wears as they don’t seem to need it more. I have other dry clean only trousers I might leave for even longer before drycleaning ( 8-10 wears depending on where and for how long they were worn. London transport is pretty icky …) . Shirts, blouses, underwear socks all one wear.

I do wash Dc jeans after one wear sometimes, but that’s because they crawl on floors, grass etc. If he’s not doing that they should last at least a few wears between washes.

PointsSouth · 26/11/2024 10:33

'Vile'?

...Blimey.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 26/11/2024 10:07

@NavyOrca as long as he isnt going commando underneath then it is fine!! you can always put them in the wash at night but make sure he has another couple of pairs of jeans to wear the next day! no need for world war 3 here!

TheShellBeach · 26/11/2024 09:41

He's right @NavyOrca

It's bad for denim to be washed frequently. Every 7 - 10 days is what is recommended.

CrushingOnRubies · 26/11/2024 09:39

Yabu- changing jeans every 10 days is fine especially if they're obviously clean. Even if dirty I would still probably wear them to walk the dog or something