Chinos are a versatile essential that blend style with durability, and if you take care of them, your favorite chinos can last a long time. This guide covers the best way to clean and care for chinos.
What Is Chino Fabric?
Chino fabric is usually made out of cotton or a cotton-synthetic blend with twill construction. Many modern chino pants are blended with elastane to add stretch. Chino twill fabric is used in a variety of clothing styles because it’s durable and easy to care for.
Volcom Global Denim and Pants Designer, Howie, says:
“Chino fabric can turn a simple dress-down chino to an edgy dress-up chino. It can make you look classic or add street style – it’s a versatile piece that is up for each wearer’s interpretation.”
Chino Material Washing & Drying Instructions
- Turn your chinos inside-out before adding them to the wash. If possible, group with other cotton clothes (not a deal-breaker, but chinos are a tougher material that can wear down other fabrics).
- Set the water temperature to cool or lukewarm and choose a gentle or normal wash cycle. Regular detergent works just fine, just make sure to check the label for how much to add because adding too much can leave a film on your clothes that wears them out quicker.
- Remove your chinos from the wash as soon as they're done – letting them sit for prolonged periods can cause creases. If you want to soften your chinos, you can place them on a tumble dry with low heat, though this could cause them to slightly shrink. Air-drying is the best way to prevent fading and shrinkage.
What Colors To Wash Chinos With
Modern washing machines and laundry detergents give you more flexibility when it comes to mixing colors. That is, most chinos can be washed with a variety of colors. Of course, you want to separate them from white fabrics. Also, if you wash light chinos with black fabrics (like a brand new sweatshirt), the black dye could bleed and darken the chino. It’s always better to wash colored fabrics with cold water to reduce discoloration and fading.
Volcom Global Denim and Pants Designer, Howie, says:
“Much like all other clothing – wash darks with darks, whites with whites, and never a red with a light fabric, to be safe.”
How Often To Wash Chinos
Volcom Global Denim and Pants Designer, Howie, says:
“I would suggest washing chinos every 4 to 5 wears, but it’s all up to personal preference.”
If you want your chinos to last longer and fit better, don’t wash them after every wear. The frequency really depends on how and where you wear them. If you’re skating and sweating in your chinos on a daily basis, you’ll probably need to wash them more frequently – at least once a week. But, if you lightly wear your chinos in casual settings every couple of days, you won’t need to wash them so often.
The benefits of not washing your chinos is that they maintain their color and fit. Everytime you wash and dry your pants, they can lose the natural fit you get from wearing them.
Cleaning Stubborn Stains
Even though washing machines will take care of most chino stains, there’s always a chance that they’ll pick up stubborn stains that require a little extra effort.
If stains remain after a wash, don’t put them in the dryer as the added heat will set the stains and make them harder to remove.
You can pretreat stains by adding a dab of liquid detergent on the stain and letting it sit for 10 minutes before the wash. If it’s grease, add a pinch of baking soda to the stain for 10-20 minutes to help draw it out of the fabric. Rinse the area with cold water before putting it to wash.
Most stains can come out with a standard wash, but if it’s a lighter fabric and a deep stain, any kind of commercial stain remover will work just fine. Make sure to test on a small, inconspicuous area first.
Do Chinos Shrink?
Volcom Global Denim and Pants Designer, Howie, says:
“Depending on the blend of the chino, some can shrink more than others. Stretch fabrications will shrink a little more due to the elasticity of the fabric when compared to a 100% cotton fabrication.
Woven fabrics have different shrinkage nuances, but we try to prewash all fabrics to account for shrinkage beforehand so that they don't shrink when a consumer washes them (high heat washing and drying always distresses the fabric more than a cold wash and low heat tumble dry).”
If your chinos are too baggy or too long, machine drying can get them to fit a little better. But remember, as you wear pants, they will stretch out in all the right places and become more comfortable with each wear, so avoid overwashing them.
How To Iron Chinos
The great thing about chinos is that they don’t wrinkle easily. The most common cause of wrinkles is leaving them in the washing machine for too long after the cycle is complete. To reduce wrinkles, take them out of the machine and hang dry them as soon as possible.
If your chinos are still creased once dry, you can iron them for a cleaner, more structured look. The key to ironing chinos is to turn them inside out, set the iron to medium heat and use the steam button to help with stubborn creases.
Medium heat will prevent the iron from burning the fabric, but (depending on your exact iron) it might not be enough to remove stubborn creases. When this happens, using the steam button or spraying water directly on the fabric (if your iron doesn’t have a steam feature), will usually do the job.
If medium heat and added moisture aren’t working, you can turn up the heat in small increments. Exercise caution and always test a small, less visible spot first.
Volcom Global Denim and Pants Designer, Howie, says:
“A handheld steamer works just as well if an iron is not available. I find that ironing will make the fabric more “crisp” and more rigid looking, whereas a steamer can make the drape of the fabric look more lived in but wrinkle free.”
If you’re in a pinch, you can always hang them in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. The steam will help relax the fabric.
How To Avoid Fading
Here are some tips for preventing chinos from fading:
- Don’t put them in the dryer.
- Don’t wash them too often.
- When you do wash them, flip them inside out.
- Don’t air-dry them in direct sunlight.
Volcom Global Denim and Pants Designer, Howie, says:
“Don’t leave your chinos, or any other clothing, in the sun for too long – the UV rays will sun bleach the fabric. Also, avoid sweating in chinos because the salt from your sweat can create a reaction on the fabric that makes it look bleached. And lastly… don’t ever wash them. Just kidding, but not really.”
How To Soften Stiff Chinos With Vinegar
If you have new chinos that are a little stiff, you can soften them by hand or machine washing.
Softening Chinos by Machine Washing
- Add a cup of white vinegar to your washer’s rinse cycle and set the water temp to cool. While fabric softener can help make chinos softer to the touch, it shortens the lifespan of clothes by adding a chemical layer to them.
- Run the wash cycle like normal and remove the chinos as soon as the wash cycle is done.
- You can tumble dry your pants to help soften them, but air drying is the best method for protecting the integrity of the fabric.
- If they’re still stiff, you can try machine drying them with dryer balls or other clothing items with rougher fabrics (like denim), but be aware that this could slightly shrink your chinos.
Softening Chinos by Handwashing
- Fill a bucket or basin with cool water and add one cup of white vinegar.
- Turn your chinos inside-out and submerge them in the combination.
- Gently swish them around the water to ensure that all of the fabric is soaked, then allow them to sit in the solution overnight.
- If your chinos are extra stiff, you can try adding a dime-sized amount of hair conditioner to the solution before soaking.
- Once ready to dry, remove the chinos and place them on a flat towel. Roll the towel to absorb excess moisture.
- Lay them flat on a towel to dry or hang them from pant hangers in a well-ventilated and shaded area until dry. The smell of vinegar should disappear once dry.
Chinos are durable and work with almost any style, which is why they’re a crowd favorite. And if you properly care for them, your favorite pair of chinos can last years.
