How do YOU launder your bras? - YouLookFab Forum

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How do YOU launder your bras?

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I have both nicer bras-like the one on the right in Angie's post, and the ones I wore for years previously-someone called them slings? Although I prefer the more expensive underwire ones, I find I wear the later much more often because they go in the wash. Honestly, I do feel better when I wear the nicer ones.

So, do you only hand wash your nicer bras? A month ago I bought the Nordstrom lingerie wash - it was mentioned in the forum during NAS - but I haven't used it yet. Which means I haven't been wearing my good bras for a month. So much easier to throw the others in the machine.

And, I have to admit, and this would be easier to solve, I only think of it when I go to get dressed in the morning. So, then, I don't think about it until the next morning. And repeat.

Dressing

53 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

Anonymous

In a lingerie bag, in the washer, on delicate in cool water. Then reshape and air-dry. I am way too busy for hand-washing anything!

Eliza

Veteran

I wash them on delicate inside my latest laundry obsession: these bags for delicates. Here is a link from Amazon. Have had them for almost a year and wash almost everything in them. They lock, hold up well and protect garments while allowing them to be cleaned. Perfect in today's delicate fashion whether you want it or not environment.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod.....#038;psc=1

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Exactly ditto to Xtabay. My bras do not seem to suffer at all laundered this way.

Banoffi

Veteran

I do what Xtabay does: Put them in a lingerie bag, wash on the delicate cycle, then hang to dry.

Anonymous

I throw them in a mesh laundry bag and launder them in the machine on the gentle setting. In some cases, I hand wash them if I want to wear them again the next day. I NEVER dry my bras in the dryer. Everything is air dried.

Diana

Veteran

LIngerie bag, cold wash, regular cycle. Air dry. (I would prefer to use a delicate cycle but since it's a shared coin-op machine in my apt building I can't really do a million loads of laundry every week.)

I occasionally hand wash (I use eucalan, which is for wool but works for other delicates too, and doesn't require extensive rinsing) but really only when I want to wear a particular bra the next day and don't want to do a whole washer load.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

And another laundry bag on delicate cycle (front loader) hang to dryer. I sometimes hand wash good ones when they are new, then I get lazy, and they don't seem to suffer, so I'm back to machine washing until the next new good one comes through the door.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I don't even use a mesh bag anymore....although I should go pick one up. I machine wash on cold in the delicate cycle and hang dry.

El Cee

Veteran

I put my bras in a mesh bag and run them in my top-load washer (which has no agitator) on delicate/cold water cycle. Then I hang them to dry.

Dee

Veteran

Similar to Xtabay. Mesh bag, cool wash, air dry. If I have enough delicates to do a load, I'll do use a delicate cycle. Otherwise, it's just tossed in with the regular laundry.

I do have a special bra-shaped mesh just for them, similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com/Laundry.....ds=Bra+bag

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Thanks everyone! I will certainly wear them more this way.

Mochi

Veteran

I guess I'm an outlier in that I wash them in cold water in my bathroom sink with the lingerie wash. I soak them there for about two minutes (often forget and leave them in longer), then rinse out and air-dry.

I take larger sizes and it's not unusual for me to spend close to or even more than $100 per bra.

Keix

Veteran

Yep, what everyone else says: lingerie bag (I like the cylindrical structured bags from Amazon better than the Nordstrom bags, for protection), machine wash delicate, hang dry. The most important part is to keep them out of the dryer, although I've heard that regular detergent breaks down the elastic faster. Even so, better to wash and wear than not to wear! It can't be good for the elastic for bras to be sitting dirty for weeks in a to-hand-wash pile either, as they would for me.

Keix

Veteran

Oh--if you decide to hand wash, you can use a no-rinse detergent. I do this with Eucalan for my wool sweaters. Just fill up a tub, put in some detergent, immerse bras/sweaters/whatever, swish around gently and then go away for an indeterminate amount of time (I think it's at least 20 minutes but I usually forget). Come back and the suds are magically gone! You still have to carefully squeeze out the water and hang dry, of course.

kkards

Veteran

most of the time in a

lingerie bag
...but not always. delicate cycle with the rest of my laundry. then air dry.....life's to short to fuss over them...

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Bra-shaped protective lingerie bags - I use these from BB&B:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.co.....1017449354
and they go in the washer on delicate with the rest of my delicates, and air dried.

I don't have any bras with foam right now, though; when I did I'd occasionally get the foam moving out of place during a wash, but it could usually be readjusted when still wet.

I think Soak is another no-rinse option - if you're interested in that approach look at the products that hand-knitters use.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Thanks for the no rinse options. And I never thought to hand wash in the bags.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

In a mesh bag on the Delicates cycle in the machine, and air dry.

viva

Veteran

Same as Xtabay, sometimes in a regular cold wash if I am rushed. Always air dry.

And just to second Diana's recommendation for Eucalan. That stuff is amazing for when I must hand wash.

Anonymous

My washer has a hand wash cycle that I use a lot and especially my bras. I bought the washer for that specific purpose. (and that I can wash bulky items too!)

Thirkellgirl

Veteran

I use a bag, use the delicate cycle in my washing machine and warm water, not cold, and hang to dry. They're fine.

rachylou

Veteran

Delicate cycle and 'less dry' setting on the dryer... Cold water, but I wash everything in cold because I think I'm saving energy...

Bennett

Veteran

Into a mesh zippered delicates bag, then into the wash with a regular load. I wash everything in cold water with the longest cycle, more to be a little bit kinder to the fabrics than to save hot water. Always air dry whatever comes out of the mesh bag, again to be kinder to the fabrics.

If I don't remember to bag my bras, they end up with their extra hook-and-eyes attached to my loose clothing, or with a blouse arm being strangled, through a bra strap. That can't be good for either of them!

MsMary

Veteran

Same as most posters -- on delicate in the washing machine in a lingerie bag. The lady at the fancy bra store told me to use baby shampoo instead of detergent, so that's what I use and my bras are holding up well!

I do need to buy a new lingerie bag because I donated the one I was using to our winemaking project...

Aziraphale

Veteran

I buy fairly costly bras, and I machine-wash them (in a lingerie bag) on either the delicate or the handwash setting, with gentle liquid laundry soap. They last a really long time. I have never actually washed a bra by hand.

Greyscale

Veteran

When I bought my first expensive bras last year, at first I hand washed them. I got a cheap plastic salad spinner to use as a basin for hand-washing so I can spin some of the extra water out (more useful for silk shirts, since bras dry quickly regardless). But now I just do them in the washer on delicate along with my washable silk.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Wow, I'd felt guilty at the thought of machine washing them. I am so glad to hear that it's fine. My "girls" are appreciative.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Greyscale, I LOVE the salad spinner idea for hand washables.

Colette

Veteran

My Mom gave me a few bra bags that have structure and hold their shape in the wash. So, like others, I use these on delicate/cold in the machine and hang to dry. They come out perfect.

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