If you’ve ever pulled your favorite pair of jeans out of the washer only to find strange ripples, puckers, or wrinkles all over them, you’re not alone. It’s one of those annoying things that makes you wonder what went wrong. One day they fit perfectly, and the next, they look like they were twisted and tortured in a fabric war zone. Those weird ripples are more than just a random laundry mishap—they’re the result of a few specific things happening to the fabric during the wash and dry process. Today’s jeans usually contain a bit of stretch, often made with Lycra or elastane. While that stretch makes jeans more comfortable and flattering, it also makes them more sensitive to heat, movement, and moisture. And unfortunately, those three things are exactly what they experience in every wash cycle. So let’s break down what’s really causing your jeans to end up looking all warped and how you can avoid it.

First, let’s talk about heat. Lycra, the stretchy material woven into many jeans, does not play well with high temperatures. When exposed to hot water or tossed into a dryer on high heat, Lycra fibers start to break down and shrink unevenly. That uneven shrinkage is what leads to those funky ripples you see, often in random patches. It’s not like 100% cotton, which shrinks more uniformly. Once Lycra gets damaged from heat, it loses elasticity, and unfortunately, there’s no way to bring it back to its original state. Plus, washing jeans too often can wear out the fibers even faster. Experts actually recommend washing jeans far less frequently than most of us do. Unless they’re visibly dirty or smelly, you might be better off just airing them out between wears.

Another major cause of puckering is how jeans move inside the washing machine. It’s not exactly a gentle process. Your jeans get twisted, stretched, and banged around, especially if your washer is packed full. That twisting motion can pull the fabric in different directions, stretching some areas while leaving others untouched. Once they dry, that tension becomes visible in the form of wrinkles and ripples, especially if the denim contains stretch. Super-stretchy jeans like jeggings are the most susceptible to this type of damage. And because denim is naturally thick and absorbs water unevenly, certain parts of your jeans swell more than others in the wash, which leads to uneven shrinking and distorted shapes.

Another bad habit that contributes to warped jeans is overloading your washer or dryer. We’ve all been there—you want to finish all the laundry in one load, so you stuff in everything you can. But that lack of space keeps your jeans from moving freely and causes them to dry in crumpled, scrunched positions. Once the wrinkles set in, it’s tough to reverse the damage. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to prevent all of this. First and foremost, always wash your jeans in cold water. Heat is the enemy of Lycra, and cold water helps preserve the integrity of those stretchy fibers. Next, skip the dryer whenever possible. Air-drying is the gentlest method, but if you need to use the dryer, keep it on the lowest heat setting and remove your jeans while they’re still slightly damp. Hang them up or lay them flat to finish drying, which helps avoid set-in wrinkles.

Turning jeans inside out before washing is another smart move. It protects the outer fabric from friction, reducing stretching and fading. If you really love your jeans, consider using the gentle cycle or even hand washing them. And never overload your washer. Your jeans need space to move properly during the cycle. Once your jeans come out of the wash, take a moment to smooth them out before drying. Reshape them by hand, straighten the seams, and lay them flat or hang them by the waistband. This small step can prevent a lot of awkward creasing. Also, be mindful of fabric softener. While it might make clothes feel nice, it can coat and stiffen Lycra fibers over time, which reduces their stretchiness.

Now, what if your jeans are already rippled or puckered? Don’t panic. There are still some things you can try. A clothing steamer works wonders for relaxing warped fabric. No steamer? Hanging them in a steamy bathroom might do the trick. You can also lay a damp cloth over the rippled areas and press with an iron on low heat to help smooth things out. Or gently stretch the fabric by hand while it’s damp. Sometimes a second wash—with cold water and proper drying—can reset the fabric if the damage isn’t too severe. In the end, those ripples aren’t just bad luck. They’re signs that the stretch fibers in your jeans have been damaged by heat or harsh washing methods. But with a few small changes to your laundry routine, you can keep your jeans looking great for much longer and avoid that dreaded wavy-jean effect.