Advice needed on washing bras

[Anonymous]

How often do you ladies wash your bras? And how do you do it to maintain these rather expensive items for as long as possible? This is a serious question! I have many expensive bras, I want to take good care of them. I am trying to establish standards on this one. It seems that the more you wash, the more quickly they fall apart.

[Anonymous]

I wash mine every 3rd or 4th wearing. (More often in the summer.) I alternate among 3 or 4 bras. So I end up washing a bunch of them every 2 weeks or so.

I hand wash in Woolite in the sink and hang them on the shower rod to dry.

They usually last about a year. I have no clue if that's good or bad.

Athletic bras go in the wash.

[Anonymous]

The key is alternating when you wear them - better for the elastic. Thus, I have at least four in circulation at a given time. I probably have eight bras. I wear them probably four times before washing. Maybe more if I'm not stinky. I have old yucky ones I wear for sweaty activity.

I wash mine in the machine on delicate, and dry them on the rack. Mine last a few years. I buy decent bras (Wacoal and similar). If I were chestier (I'm a 34C) I bet they wouldn't last as long.

[Anonymous]

Similar to PPs, I wear mine 3-4 times unless I sweat a lot, then sooner. I wash regularly in cold and hang to dry. I have about six bras in circulation, and they last at least a couple years each. I also buy decent quality bras because I'm big (38 DD) and need good support.

[Anonymous]

I know I don't wash them anywhere near enough - probably every couple of weeks, toss them in the laundry with a mesh bag and hang dry. They seem to last just fine though...

[Anonymous]

I hand-wash and drip dry, and the bras look almost new after several years of wear.

Here's my greenish method for hand-washing: while your washing machine is filling up to do a regular load, swish the bras vigorously in the soapy water, and hand-scrub gently if necessary. Then use the fresh water still flowing into the machine to rinse thoroughly. Squeeze the bras very gently and then hang to dry. This method wastes no water or soap, and the washing machine is now ready to be filled with your normal load of laundry. Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I don't wash them anywhere near enough - probably every couple of weeks, toss them in the laundry with a mesh bag and hang dry. They seem to last just fine though...

Same here.

[Anonymous]

Wow - I wash mine after each wearing, unless I get desperate and then wear one two times. But I am just naturally a sweaty person and developed a rash if I wear them more than once normally. But I wore them two days in a row, maybe I need to alternate and hang up to air out? I never thought about that approach.

I wash them in bags in the washing machine, but I have a handwash cycle. And hang to dry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hand-wash and drip dry, and the bras look almost new after several years of wear.

Here's my greenish method for hand-washing: while your washing machine is filling up to do a regular load, swish the bras vigorously in the soapy water, and hand-scrub gently if necessary. Then use the fresh water still flowing into the machine to rinse thoroughly. Squeeze the bras very gently and then hang to dry. This method wastes no water or soap, and the washing machine is now ready to be filled with your normal load of laundry. Hope this helps.

Strangely enough, high-efficiency washers wouldn't allow you to do this (they either lock or the water stops when the lid is open). But great idea!

[Anonymous]

I wash mine each night by hand, using a mild detergent and a scrubbie brush and them to dry. When you are heavier on top, good bras cost a lot, so I only have 6.

[Anonymous]

I also wash after 3 or 4 days of wearing. My bras are expensive (about $70-$90 each) and need to last as long as possible. I usually hand wash and hang to dry. If they are really sweaty or gross, I will put them in the washer and then hang to dry.

[Anonymous]

By hand and hang to dry.