Lingerie Care Guide: How to Make Your Delicates Last Longer

Let’s be honest: there’s something magical about slipping into lingerie that fits just right. Whether it’s your everyday t-shirt bra or that lacy set you save for special nights, your delicates deserve better than being tossed in the wash with your sweatpants. Most women ruin their lingerie without even knowing it until it’s too late. Bent underwires, sagging cups, stretched-out bands, faded lace? Yep, all avoidable. If you’ve ever thought, “Why don’t my bras last?” This is your sign. Here’s your no-BS, totally doable guide to making your lingerie last longer, feel better, and stay beautiful. (You’ll wish you knew some of these Lingerie care tips sooner.)

Stop Washing Your Bras Like They’re Towels

Your lingerie is delicate (literally). Lace, mesh, satin, and elastic don’t stand a chance against the heat, spin cycles, and detergents meant for heavy-duty laundry.

What most women don’t realize:

• Regular detergent is way too harsh.
• Hot water breaks down stretch and elastic fast.
• Fabric softeners can actually ruin lingerie elasticity.

The right way to wash:

• Best: Hand wash in lukewarm water with a lingerie-safe detergent.
• Okay, if you must: Machine wash inside a mesh lingerie bag on a cold, delicate cycle.
• Always fasten bra hooks before washing or they will snag things otherwise.
• Wash similar colors together – yes, your nude bra will turn grey if you keep tossing it in with your black jeans.

Pro tip: Most bras don’t need to be washed after every wear. Every 2-3 wears is fine unless it’s a sweaty day or workout bra.

Drying: Where Most Bras Go to Die

No, the dryer is not your bra’s friend. It’s basically a slow cooker for elastic and underwire.

How to dry your lingerie properly:

• Lay it flat on a towel to air dry.
• Gently reshape cups while they’re damp, especially padded or molded bras.
• If you hang them, hang from the center gore (that piece between the cups), not the straps. Hanging by straps stretches them out.
• Keep them out of direct sunlight – UV rays can fade and weaken fabric.

Did you know? Even just one trip through the dryer can permanently damage the stretch in your bra band.

How Often Should You Really Wash Your Lingerie?

This one surprises people: You shouldn’t wear the same bra two days in a row.

Your bra needs time to “bounce back”—literally. The elastic needs 24 hours to return to its original shape. Otherwise, you’ll wear it out twice as fast.

Quick breakdown:

• Bras: Wash every 2–3 wears.
• Panties: Every wear (of course).
• Rotate at least 3–4 bras in your weekly cycle. Wearing the same one every day? That’s lingerie sabotage.

Lingerie Storage: No More Drawer Chaos

If you’re folding molded cups in half, tucking panties into bra cups, or just throwing everything into one drawer, you’re shortening their lifespan big time.

Better storage = longer lifespan:

• Stack molded bras upright, one behind the other. Don’t fold them.
• Keep lace away from hooks to avoid snags.
• Use drawer dividers or small boxes for sets
• Keep matching sets together so you’re not scrambling for the bottoms later.

Bonus tip: Traveling? Nest your bras inside each other in your suitcase or use a structured bra travel case. No more crushed cups when you arrive.

Lingerie Care Don’ts (That You’ve Probably Done Before)

Sometimes the smallest habits can cause the most damage. Let’s fix that and things that one shouldn’t do:

• Don’t bleach or use strong stain removers on lingerie.
• Don’t wear a bra that doesn’t fit—you’ll stretch it out faster and get zero support.
• Don’t wring or twist wet bras. Always blot gently.
• Don’t ignore the care label. Some pieces need hand-washing.

Treat Your Lingerie Like It Treats You

Your lingerie works hard – lifting, shaping, supporting, and helping you feel amazing. Show it a little love, and it’ll return the favor tenfold. With just a few extra minutes and mindful habits, your bras and panties will look better, feel better, and last so much longer.

So next time you reach for your favourite set, remember: lingerie isn’t high-maintenance – it just deserves VIP treatment.

Ria Bothra

Meet Ria! She comes with an abundant love for words, fashion and beauty. When she's not struck by random shopping cravings, you'll find her cooking up ideas and laughing at life's quirks.

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