how to take care of lingerie

we all have beautiful lingerie. and if you don’t be sure to check out the where to buy lingerie guide.

though there is no set time on how often one should wash their bras (i don’t wash mine everyday, not that i’m an authority on anything! ), it may be good of getting in the habit, if you are not already in one, to wash you bras at least once a week/after two wears. i aim for at least a washing after two wears and i normally don’t wear the same bra back to back.

of course if i’ve been outside sweating up a storm, then it’s an immediate wash, but my bras always smell like detergent after i’ve taken them off at night and i don’t sweat in my chest during the day.

there are some women that probably wash their bras by hand everyday and i’m sure that many more will tell a fib, lie, untruth, what have you, about washing them everyday, but you and i both know, most women do not do this, and if they are, they are putting them in the machine to be…destroyed.

to care for your bras, hand washing is best. it may seem tedious, but will save lots of money in the long run by extending the life of your bras and corsets. besides, it feels so glam to wash your bras and hang them in the bathroom, very ava gardner, dorothy dandridge or carrie bradshaw.

1. close the clasps before washing. most bras have clasps on them, whether they attach in the front or back. these have a tendency to catch on other items in the wash. if yours is an athletic bra or slip-on type without closures, don’t worry about this step.

2. if you insist on the washing machine, put bras in a zip-up, net bag (sometimes called a lingerie bag) that separates them from other items in the wash. this will prevent snagging. you can then wash bras at the same time as other items in your washing machine. and i’ve seen mesh laundry bags at the dollar store for $.99.

3. wash bras in cold or warm water on the gentle cycle of the washing machine. if washing by hand, wash in cold water with woolite or a similar cleanser. again, i’ve see “wool wash” at the dollar store for $.99. you can also use baby shampoo or even your own shampoo. a good gentle shampoo would work fine. dove soap or body wash would also work. follow the directions on the bottle for the wool wash and for any other soaps, fill the sink with soap and water, drop your bras in and let them soak. more often than not, they will NOT need scrubbing. a good soak and swish should do.

4. with either machine or hand washing, make sure as with any other items you launder that the items are of compatible colors. if you wash a red bra with a number of white bras you may end up with a selection of pink, polka-dotted, or tie-dyed clothing.

5. with machine washing, wash bras with fabrics of a similar weight. Jeans and towels are much heavier than bras. T-shirts, underwear, socks and pajamas are better choices for filling up that load.

6. if hand washing, lightly, really lightly, press out extra water and reshape the bra if it has foam or batting in the cups. do not ring! rub the bra (or the lingerie item) gently with hand and make sure that you use enough water to get the sweat out. If the bra is made of silk, lace or satin, exercise extra caution when rubbing so as not to pull the threads out.

7. for machine and hand washing, air dry the bra if at all possible. it is by far the gentlest way. if you do dry the bra in a dryer, dry it on a low to medium setting. Heat damages the elastic in the bra and the hooks catch or tangling with other items in the dryer.