So, you’ve just bought the most gorgeous set of lingerie that you’ve ever laid eyes on. You are super excited to wear it and show it off to your partner. And then after a fun and sexy night in your new set of lingerie, you realize that you have no idea how to care for the piece, let alone wash it. Fear not, here is everything you need to know about caring for delicate lingerie pieces.
1. Do Not Wash Bras After Each Wear
Some things are better served by as few washes as possible. Think about how your hair isn’t supposed to be shampooed each day. Lingerie is similar to that. Too much washing can actually deteriorate the quality of your pieces faster. Fabrics can take a beating during laundry time so try to keep the amount of washes you are doing on your bras and any delicate pieces to a minimum. As a rule of thumb, only wash your bra after you have gotten a few uses out of it. When it comes to lingerie pieces, this may not even be very often. And of course, if you have been sweating or you have gotten oil or lotion on your bra then go ahead and wash it as needed. If you are someone who can’t stand the thought of not washing your clothing after each wear, make sure you have enough bras in rotation.
2. Hand Wash Only
When it does finally come to wash your delicate pieces, you want to avoid the washing machine at all costs. While you may not see any adverse effects after the first wash, over time the harshness of the machine will wear down the integrity of the fabric. Not to mention that the bra can become misshapen or the underwire could start poking out and become quite painful.
To hand wash your lingerie, you will want to start by filling a sink or tub with cold water. Then add in two capfuls of a mild or gentle detergent. This will be easier on your delicate fabrics. If you have any staining, you will want to take care of that before you add it into your water and detergent mixture. You can dab a bit of your mild detergent on any stains before you add the piece to your wash. Also make sure you are not hand washing your light and dark pieces together. There can still be color transfer while hand washing so be aware of this. Once you add everything to the water, gently swish the garments around with your hand. This will simulate the motion of a washing machine. Do not scrub or rub the fabrics together at all. After a few minutes you can rinse each piece individually and wring out any excess moisture.
3. Air Dry Only
In the same way that the washing machine can cause damage, the dryer can also have adverse effects on your lingerie. The heat from the dryer is largely responsible for most of the damage, but even drying your delicates on low heat can cause them to rub together and become torn or misshapen. Dryers can also cause the colors and dyes to fade quicker, pilling and wearing down of the fabric, and tearing to lace or mesh items. Once you have hand washed and wrung out your pieces, then you can lay them out to dry. Lay each item flat rather than hanging it for best results.
4. How to Properly Store Lingerie
Another thing you can do to care for your lingerie is to make sure that you are storing it properly between washes and wears. If you have room in your wardrobe to hang your lingerie then that is going to be your best option. Particularly fragile items like silk and lace bras or chemises should always be hung to uphold their quality. Panties and bottom pieces are typically fine to be stored in drawers. If you do have to store your bras in drawers, then try to make sure you have a space where they can lay flat without being folded up. Then you can store each bra facing the same direction and almost spooning with your other bras. This will help them keep their shape better when being stored away.
5. Buy High-Quality
The last thing you can do to ensure that your lingerie is going to last as long as possible is by purchasing quality pieces. It stands to reason that a high-quality piece will hold up better during washes and wears then a cheaper or budget piece would. Having a quality set of lingerie will also take some of the pressure off of you when it comes to washing which can be stressful if the pieces are cheap to begin with.
Follow these tips and tricks and you can rest assured that your lingerie is being well cared for!
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