How to clean chinos

As chinos are comfortable, stylish and versatile enough to be worn on any occasion, they are worn frequently by many. But while they’re an item of clothing that you might wear almost every day as a component of a casual or formal outfit, wearing them excessively could lead to them becoming dirty or simply needing a wash as you would with any other item of clothing.

For anyone that hasn’t cleaned chinos before, it can be worrying that doing it incorrectly could cause severe damage. In this blog, we offer guidance on how you can wash and dry chinos yourself and provide tips on stain removal.

How to wash chinos

Washing chinos is a relatively easy process, and fortunately, it can be done using your washing machine. 

Below, we’ve outlined simple steps for carrying out this process:

1. Remove any items from the pockets and turn the chinos inside out

2. Place in the washing machine drum and if you’re washing them with other items of clothing, only include items that are a similar colour or material

3. Add a small amount of detergent, first checking that it’s safe for the material your chinos are made from and won’t cause them to lose their colour or damage the fabric

4. Set your washing machine to a normal wash. Unlike other more delicate items of clothing, chinos can withstand hot washes and cleaning them in warm water is more likely to remove stains and thoroughly clean them. 

Can you tumble dry chinos?

After you’ve washed your chinos, you may be concerned that tumble drying them could lead to damage. However, chinos can actually withstand high heat and are limited with shrinkage. If you want to avoid any potential shrinkage, you can remove them from the tumble dryer while still damp and finish off the drying process by hanging them up on a clothesline.

How often to wash chinos

Although you may think that you need to treat chinos more delicately than you would a pair of jeans, they’re actually in the same fabric family and can be treated in a similar way. As such, you can choose to wash your chinos as often as you would a pair of jeans

.Even if you’re wearing your chinos frequently, you should only need to wash your chinos once every few months. If they become dirty, you can wash them again, but chinos don’t absorb sweat like a t-shirt would so regular washing isn’t needed.

How to remove stains from chinos

If you notice any stains on your chinos, you may need to add additional steps to the cleaning process to remove them. For many general stains, applying a cleaning solution prior to washing will work. However, if the stain won’t budge, you could try leaving simple dish soap on the stain for a several minutes before putting the chinos back in the washing machine for another rinse. 

If, however, this doesn’t work, try applying bicarbonate of soda or white vinegar as these are commonly used for removing stains from clothing.

How to get rid of white lines on chinos

Both jeans and chinos sometimes begin to show the presence of white lines, and in some cases, even repeat washes won’t get rid of them. If you’ve found white lines on your chinos, scrubbing them and using other general stain removal solutions may not be effective.

However, as white lines are often caused by detergent getting stuck to your chinos or problems when it comes to drying, you can address this issue by paying more attention to the washing process. For example, you should check that there are no traces of detergent between washing them and putting them in the tumble dryer. Then, if you’re concerned that your chinos may become creased, carefully iron out any creases after they’ve finished their spin in the tumble dryer.