Bras can seem like alien clothing to wash, but it is really quite easy. If you're a husband, boyfriend, or a woman new to bras, or if you'd like to take better care of your investment, here are some tips for you.
Step 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.
Step 2
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.
Step 3
Wash bras in cold or warm water on the gentle cycle of the washing machine.
Step 4
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.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
Reshape the bra if it has foam or batting in the cups.
Step 7
Air dry the bra if at all possible. It is by far the gentlest way.
- Hanging the bra on a rack or clothesline makes for easy handling and relatively quick drying.
- If you are concerned about the possibility of the bra stretching out, lay the bra flat to dry it because hanging can reshape or damage the form of the cup.
- 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.
Tips
If the bra label has special care instructions, follow them. - No lingerie bag? You can also use a pillowcase with a knot tied in the top.
- Bras can easily be hand washed, too. Simply swish them in a tub or sink full of water with enough laundry soap to make suds. A gentle fabric cleaner or even a bit of shampoo will also work. Then, rinse thoroughly, squeeze (do not wring or twist) out excess water by sandwiching or rolling it in a clean, dry towel, and hang to dry.
- Do not bleach bras, or if you feel you must bleach them for some reason, use a non-chlorine bleach. Over time, chlorine bleach degrades spandex, a common material in bras.
- In general, you should not — and should not need to — iron bras.
Warnings
- Snagging can damage bras in two ways. The first is tearing the material or stitching. The second is by bending the underwire that accompanies most bras. Even after reshaping the bent underwire, it can leave kinks that will be uncomfortable for the wearer.
- Foam padded bras should be handled as above. Commercial driers often have warnings to never dry foam in a drier. This refers more to foam mattress pads and the like, not padded bras. If you dry your bra on low temperature, everything will be fine.
- Woolite, although it is the foremost brand of "gentle cleanser," was invented long before some of the newer synthetic fibers for bras were invented, and it contains compounds that may damage newer, more expensive fabrics and cause your bra to "spring" before its time. Consider investing in actual "lingerie laundry detergent" to avoid this.
Things You'll Need
- Lingerie bag- (Try to get a bra wash bag specifically, they're cylindrical and protect the bra from snags or pullls while keeping its shape)
- Dirty bra
- Detergent
- Washer/Dryer
