How to Wash Delicates and Bras

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By D Porter Porter
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How is your lingerie holding up?

Maybe you have ruined a new nightie or deformed your favorite bra, but otherwise realize that some extra care is needed when washing and drying lingerie. Oftentimes garment care instructions are not much help. The following tips will help prolong the life of your favorite undergarments.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Gentle detergent
Garment bag
Towel
Socks (optional)

Step 1

Obtain a lingerie bag or mesh fabric bag to wash delicates in the washing machine. Though hand washing lingerie is the safest route, it is not always the most efficient. Many types of lingerie, including some silks, are quite sturdy. More caution is needed with lace and satin.
Step 2

Connect bra hooks and eyelets together before machine washing and avoid washing these garments with other clothes to minimize twisting and tangling. When washed on the delicate cycle, unpadded bras without underwire generally fare well. Padded bras are best washed by hand or machine wash on the gentle cycle. Be sure to remove before the spin cycle.
Step 3

Wash delicates and bras using cold or cool water whenever possible. Soak for 15 to 30 minutes and rub together durable areas, such as bra elastic, when needed. Optionally, agitate the lingerie in a washing machine for five minutes.
Step 4

Use small amounts of lingerie-friendly detergent when washing your delicates. Woolite or borax works well for hand washing, otherwise use laundry detergent designed for cold water.
Step 5

Rinse any padded lingerie until you can gently squeeze the padding without seeing signs of soap residue. If you have used too much soap, rinse the garment in the washing machine but remove it prior to the spin cycle.
Step 6

Avoid the dryer in most cases to keep the fabrics and elastic looking new. For delicates, other than bras, lay the washed and rinsed garment on a towel and roll it up to remove excess water. Repeat if necessary. Then, dry flat on a rack or hang. For bras, gently squeeze excess water and hang to dry. Alternatively, stuff the bra with socks (rolled into a ball shape) to absorb excess water and lay cup size up on a towel to dry.