The dos and don’ts of washing bras

Be it a lacy number that makes you feel sexy and ready to take on the world or a plain Jane T-shirt bra to get you through a hectic day in comfort – we all have that one, favourite, go-to brassiere. Get the most out of your delicates by giving them the special treatment they deserve by following these dos and don’ts of hand-washing bras.

Start with a deep soak

Fill a sink, basin or tub with warm (not hot) water and add a mild laundry detergent for delicates or hand washing. Separate your bras into lights, darks and colours and make sure the clasps are fastened before popping them into the water. Unfastened clasps could hook on any lacey bits and cause tears. Let them soak for up to an hour.

Massage, don’t scrub

Wash each bra separately by pushing the bra into the water repeatedly to create bubbles in the water – this will do a lot of the cleaning work for you. Put the detergent to work by gently massaging the whole bra. Scrubbing may damage the delicate fabric. Pay special attention to the bottom of the cups and the sections that sit by your armpits to make sure you remove any sweat stains. Be careful not to bend the underwire.

Rinse and squeeze

Empty the water out of the sink or bowl and refill with clean, cool water. Push the bras to the bottom of the bowl and let them rise to the top. Repeat several times. To avoid damaging the bra shape or underwire, gently squeeze (don’t twist or scrunch) each bra to get excess water out and reshape the cups if necessary.

Drape to dry

Tumble dryers are an absolute no-no for delicates. The vigorous motion of the machine could cause the bra to become misshapen, and the heat will set the bra into that new shape. Instead, Avoid saggy bra straps by draping the middle section of the bra over the washing line or clotheshorse, instead of hanging them by the straps.

* Photo: Supplied