How to Bleach Denim Jeans

Select a well-ventilated area for your denim jeans bleaching project. Work outside or on a cement surface in your garage to avoid the possibility of floor damage from the bleach.

Spread open a small plastic painter’s tarp on a flat surface. Set your drying rack on the tarp.

Fill a 5-gallon bucket three-quarters full with warm water. Use a measuring cup to add 1 to 2 cups bleach to the water. The amount of bleach you use determines how bleached out your denim jeans become. Place the bucket on the tarp.

Don a pair of rubber gloves to prevent damage or injury to your hands from the bleach. Wear old clothes in case the bleach accidently splashes onto your apparel.

Place the denim jeans into the bucket. Use a long painter's stick to spread the jeans out in the water. Keep moving the jeans around with the stick. This allows the jeans to absorb bleach into the creases of the material and also keep one area from absorbing too much.

Allow the jeans to stay in the water for 5 to 10 minutes. The amount of time you leave the jeans in the mixture determines how light they become.

Pull the jeans from the bucket after the desired amount of time. Wring the excess water from the jeans back into the bucket. Lay the jeans out flat on the tarp.

Dip a sponge into the bleach and water solution in the bucket. Use the sponge to apply the solution directly to any areas, such as the hem line or around pockets if they have not bleached out in the way that you want.

Hang the jeans on the drying rack and allow to dry. Wash jeans before wearing to avoid skin irritation from the bleach.