BRA CARE- AN OBSERVATION - any one else with me on this?

[Busted (and happy)]

Having been fully "bra'd up" for a number of years I just wondered how many of us wash our own "smalls" especially  bras.

Having made a not insignificant investment and read a little bit about washing etc., I decided on DIY not because of any altuism on my part, but just being thrifty!

A while back someone posted a link to a "TED" lecture by a lady with a Masters Degree in lingerie  - highly recommended for understanding sizing and why it is fraught with such difficulty. She suggested that bra life is no more than 12 months
I wonder if she (like my wife) just throws hers in the wash with everything else. I have some going strong after 3yrs and still fitting well on the end clasps and overall almost
as new.
My very dear wife is totally unable to grasp why hers do only last a year and often look ready for replacement long before that!

I soak more than wash in very mild detergent, make sure the inside of underwires are well attended to using hands only, gentle squeeze  to drain excess water after several rinses  making sure cups are not deformed and dry on a formed bra hanger.

I am very happy for "her indoors" to handle everthing I have !!! But my bras? - They off limits unless she is taking mine off!
We use bras interchangeably but I insist on caring for the ones I pay for and that they are not worn for more than two days before I wash them. Sweat does them no favours

[Johndoe1]

I agree. So many women just toss their bras into the wash and don't think twice about them. Dryers will break the wires and damage the fabric so bras NEVER go in the dryer. Hang or flat dry the bras. I guess if you don't pay a lot for your bras, you don't care. In my size, I can't wear a cheap bra and be well supported or comfortable. I have tried that and it doesn't work for me. I too have amassed a collection of bras over the years that were not cheap but work well for me. When I first started wearing a bra, the lady who fitted me took the time to explain and show me how to properly take care of my bras and the proper way to clean and store them. It has made a difference in the longevity of my investments. A rotation of bras is a must. You just can't wear the same bra day after day after day after day or they will stretch out fairly quickly. My favorite daily go to bra, I have 3 of them I rotate with the rest of my bras. I also strictly adhered to the 4 wear wash rule unless I have been heavily sweating in one and then I will wash it then. You are right. Body oil is no friend to bras, particularly the elastane in them. Plus, a properly fitted bra will be snug and body contouring for the proper support and containment and when sweating, your girls will be swimming in two bowls of sweat and that isn't good for your skin and causes rashes and you definitely DO NOT WANT THAT. I have had that and it is no fun and hard to get rid of. Particularly if it winds up in your IMF and you are wearing a bra and can't get to the itch because of the wire sitting directly on top of it. Google boob rash. Yuk!

I gently hand wash mine with Woolite and then let dry by the gore so not to stretch out the straps from the weight of the water absorbed in the material. Bras are not made to hang but to surround and that is big difference in fit. I have two bras that are almost four years old and still wear them on a fairly frequent basis. They are more expensive ($90) and so I take better care of them. I hear a good rule of thumb is the 100 wear rule. If you have taken care of your bras, you should get 100 wears out of them before throwing them away and I am finding that to be about right. Of course if the wire breaks, the bra is done. And I have a wire or two break and I hate it when it happens. Proper care can help void that. But sometimes it happens no matter what you do.

[aboywithgirls]

I also hand wash my bras. I use a special lingerie wash called "Soak". I just spray it on, let it sit and rinse with warm water, lay flat on a towel to dry.

For those ofnus who depend on our bra to contain, support, and shape our girls for the day know the misery of a bra failure half way through the day. Whether it's a broken wire, a broken hook, a broken strap adjuster? These can ruin your day.

Take care of your bras and they will take care of you.

[aboywithgirls]

I love this stuff! This is all I use on my bras!

https://soakwash.com/

[Busted (and happy)]

BWG
Looks like an interesting product, and available in UK. Non rinse seems too good to be true, though I don't doubt your judgement. I presume that you have had no sensitivity issues (though in the end anyone could be affected by almost anything) I think is definitely worth a go - anything to make care more gentle. 

[aboywithgirls]

BWG
Looks like an interesting product, and available in UK. Non rinse seems too good to be true, though I don't doubt your judgement. I presume that you have had no sensitivity issues (though in the end anyone could be affected by almost anything) I think is definitely worth a go - anything to make care more gentle.

Absolutely! Out of necessity, I usually pay about $100.00 US a piece for my bras. I wear mostly Elomi, Fantastie or Freya bras because many bra makers don't go to a 36H UK sizing. The ones who do charge about $100 for a decent bra. My bras look and feel as good as they did the day I was fitted. I swear by it. It also has different scents that are very pleasing.

[Busted (and happy)]

BWG.
Meant to ask. You refer to spraying it on rather than diluting. Is this your own developed technique to economise on product as bra can be soaked in very little water especially when rinsing is not subsequently required?

[bikerbob]

My wife throws hers in the laundry and hangs them from a doorknob to dry.  She is looking for new ones after a year or so.

I always hand wash mine with dish detergent, rinse well and hang them to dry.  They last a lot longer and the colors don't wash out.  When I get deodorant stains under the arms, I use Spray & Wash or a similar product and scrub them with a sponge.  I have 6 of the same style in different colors and make it a point to rotate them.  Some of them are several years old and still going strong.

[SideSet]

Such a helpful discussion on how best to wash our bras.  Thank you. 

I try to hand wash when I can. I use Woolite.  I always air dry.  

When my bras are draped over the bathroom shower rail to dry, it makes me chuckle to think anyone using my bathroom would think a full busted woman lived here.  I live alone. 

[paulpark21]

My wife washes all our clothes, including my bras.  They go in the regular wash, but I have asked her to hang dry because I have heard machine drying can harm them.  She uses the dryer for her bras.  My bras seen to stay in very good condition.  I have no idea how long hers lasts.

[blad]

My wife hangs both of our bras out to dry. She then puts them away in my bra drawer.