Whether it be your everyday bra or your fancy favourite lingerie, it’s important to know how to wash and care for your bra properly - not just so it lasts, feels and looks good, but for your skin too! As strange as it sounds, bra and intimate wear care isn’t just a necessary laundry task, it’s actually an extension of your beauty and skin care regime.
Ever wondered how often should you wash your bra? Well as it turns out, according to specialists the answer to how often you should wash your bra lies within how much you sweat or how oily your skin is.
The reason is sweat is a breeding ground for microbes like bacteria and yeast which can build up on your bra and rub onto your skin creating unsightly and uncomfortable break outs (particularly in the under-breast area), or in more serious cases, even lead to dermatitis.
As a general rule, specialists suggest washing your bra after every 3 wears/days with normal, non-sweat activity. So, if you’re more sedentary and just hanging out at home then chances are you don’t need to wash your bra daily. But if you have overly oily skin or have been active and worked up a sweat (like getting your 10,000 steps in, running for the bus or chasing after those active toddlers on a hot day) and you can feel that your bra is damp from perspiration, then you should wash your bra daily. Yes, that was daily!
Pre-treatment and Stain Removal. It’s easy to wash your bras so they last longer and retain their comfort. First pre-treat any stains or dirt marks. We suggest checking over your bra strap area and around the side of the cup closest to your under arm for stains and dirt marks. Use a stain remover that has no nasty chemicals that is strong enough to remove the stains but won’t bleach your colours or affect your skin. We recommend using our Stain Savvy sticks, that are perfectly sized and effective in removing stains from hard to reach places like bra straps while being gentle on lace and fine fibres and are packed full of pure and powerful plant based cleaning power without the chemical residue that can harm sensitive skin and destroy your delicate items.
How To Hand Wash Bras We always recommend hand washing your bras or delicate items because handwashing protects the shape and fine fibres of the bra as well as the elasticity in the straps. After treating stains, simply fill a small basin or bucket with cool to warm water and add some gentle delicate natural laundry liquid (Aka Delicate Wash). Immerse your bra into the liquid and use your hands to massage the fabric against each other, ensuring you pay attention to any problem areas but not using too much friction on any of the more delicate fibres. Once you’re confident it’s been thoroughly washed, then rinse in cold water.
How to wash your bra in the machine. We understand hand washing isn’t always an option in our busy lives, so if you are machine washing, always set your machine to the ‘delicate’ setting and then do you and your bra a favour by using a delicate lingerie wash bag to protect them. Our Bra Wash Bag is especially designed to protect delicate items like bras, lingerie and other fine fibres. Made locally with high quality materials, our Wash Savvy delicates laundry bags are designed with extra small holes that allow just enough water and laundry liquid to flow through easily for maximum cleaning and rinsing while providing deep protection and being a stylish but practical addition to your laundry routine.
What to use when washing your bra. Perhaps the most important component to your bra care however, is what you use to wash them with. This is particularly important for those prone to rashes or have sensitive skin issues. Because we wear our bras against our skin for prolonged periods of time, any chemical residue that is within standard laundry detergents or softeners can irritate your skin and reduce the life expectancy of your bras and render them scratchy, with faded colour and reduced elasticity. Avoiding laundry detergents that contain bleach, synthetic softeners, synthetic fragrance or other chemicals is not just the most practical choice for your bra and your wellbeing, it’s the best choice for the environment.
We recommend our beautiful Delicate Wash for bra, lingerie and general delicate items. Infused with a sophisticated (naturally derived) fine fragrance which enhances the way your bra and lingerie feels and smells, it’s crafted using only pure natural ingredients designed to carefully and thoroughly clean and refresh your intimates, bras and lingerie while nourishing and protecting fine fibres without any skin irritating, harmful chemicals. Note: The Eczema Association of Australasia has tried and tested our entire Bon Savvy range with fabulous results.
How to dry your bra. When drying your bras, it’s always best to try to avoid the dryer. All that wear and tear in the tumble dryer can easily lead to bra damage. The general rule is to hang your bras over a clothes airer outside under cover where there is reasonable airflow or on the line in the sun. However, be careful with bright colours as leaving them for extended time in the direct sunlight could lead to colour fade. Be sure to hang your bra in the centre and not by one strap, as this can cause undue stretch on one of the straps.
How to store your bras. Storing your bras depends on the type of bra. Your crop tops, bralettes, or any bra without an underwire or cup can be stored by folding in half with back straps tucked underneath and laid flat. This helps with storage and stops clasps from snagging other delicate items. A bra with underwires or cups should be laid flat with back straps tucked in behind. If you fold these in half you are popping one wire or cup the wrong way causing wire and cup damage. Sorting your bras by style will help you find the perfect undergarment for your outfit and keep your underwear drawer tidy.
Extend your beauty and skin care routine to all facets of your life.
