You’ve probably heard that you should not wash your bras with the rest of your clothes in the washing machine. But who has the time to hand wash those delicates every time they need to be cleaned? So in order to keep them looking and feeling in great shape when machine-washing our bras, we need to keep a few things in mind.
Washing
When washing your bra you can’t just toss them into the washing machine like you do your underpants. First off, unlike your underpants, your bras don’t need to be washed that often. If you do wash it too often, it may mess up the elasticity and the fabric.
“[When to wash your bra] is really your choice and doesn’t need to be every time you’ve worn it. Just assess when it’s time-based upon how recently you washed it, how many times you’ve worn it, and the duration of time you’ve worn it. Also, take into account the weather (has it been terribly hot?) and what activity you’ve been doing,” says Frederika Zappe, bra experts and fitter with Freya, Elomi, and other lingerie brands.
Another thing is to make sure your detergent isn’t too harsh for your bras. Most regular laundry detergents are way too strong for your bras delicate fabric and will only shorten its lifespan with every washing cycle.
Also, whatever you do, always use a special lingerie bag to create a barrier between your bras and your other laundry. And (even when using a lingerie bag) it’s important to make sure the water isn’t too hot. If you’re lucky, your washing machine already has a special “delicates” cycle on it!
Drying
As tempting as it is to throw your bra into the dryer, so you can wear it again within an hour, it’s actually terrible for them.
“Always air dry when possible. Drying bras in a machine will weaken the fabric over time and can damage the elasticity in the band, Also, the action of the wires banging against the drum of the dryer will create bumps in the underwires, which can cause them not to lie flush against your body—very uncomfortable!” Zappe explains.
Instead, it’s suggested you let your bras air dry. And when doing so it’s better to hang them by the piece of fabric between the cups, because hanging them by their straps can cause them to stretch out.
Keep in mind that all of the above tips apply to both normal and sports bras.