You’ve just invested in beautiful lingerie that makes you feel amazing. But after a few washes, the lace starts fraying, the elastic loses its stretch, and those gorgeous pieces end up looking sad and worn out. Sound familiar? You’re not alone—improper care is the number one reason lingerie doesn’t last.
The good news? With the right care routine, your favorite pieces can stay beautiful and supportive for years. Let’s talk about how to properly wash, dry, and store your lingerie so you can get the most out of every piece in your collection.
Why Lingerie Care Actually Matters
Lingerie isn’t like your regular clothes. It’s made from delicate materials like lace, silk, satin, and mesh that require gentle handling. The elastic fibers that give bras their support and shape break down quickly when exposed to high heat, harsh chemicals, and rough handling. When you throw your bras in with your jeans and toss everything in the dryer, you’re essentially shortening their lifespan by months or even years.
Beyond saving money, proper lingerie care means your bras will fit better and provide proper support for longer. A well-maintained bra keeps its shape, maintains elastic tension, and looks prettier wash after wash.
Hand Washing: The Gold Standard
Hand washing is absolutely the best method for extending your lingerie’s life. Yes, it sounds time-consuming, but it’s actually quite simple and takes less than 10 minutes.
Fill your sink or a basin with cool or lukewarm water—never hot, as heat damages elastic fibers. Add a small amount of gentle, alcohol-free detergent specifically designed for delicates. Regular laundry detergent contains harsh chemicals and brighteners that can weaken delicate fabrics and cause colors to fade.
Submerge your lingerie and let it soak for 15-30 minutes. For silk pieces, don’t soak longer than 30 minutes. Gently swirl the items around with your hands—no scrubbing or twisting. Pay special attention to areas that need extra care like underwires, straps, and stained spots.
Rinse thoroughly with cool water until all the soap is gone. To remove excess water, gently press (never wring or twist) the water out, starting from the top and working down.
Machine Washing: When You Need a Shortcut
Life gets busy, and sometimes hand washing just isn’t realistic. If you must use a washing machine, follow these rules religiously:
Always fasten all hooks and clasps before washing—open hooks can snag on lace and mesh, causing tears. Place each item in a mesh lingerie bag for protection. These bags are game-changers and cost just a few dollars.
Wash similar colors together to prevent color bleeding. Use a gentle, delicate cycle with cold water (30°C or below) and low spin. Never use bleach or harsh detergents.
Separate your lingerie by structure and material. Delicate lace bras should not be washed with sturdier sports bras. Padded and molded bras especially need gentle handling to maintain their shape.
The Drying Mistake That Ruins Everything
Here’s where most people go wrong: the dryer. Tumble drying is the absolute worst thing you can do to lingerie. The combination of high heat and intense agitation destroys elastic fibers, warps underwires, misshapes molded cups, and can even melt delicate fabrics.
Instead, air dry your lingerie every single time. Lay bras flat on a clean, dry towel in their natural shape, or hang them by the center gore (the part between the cups) on a padded hanger. Avoid using clothespins, as they can leave marks and distort the fabric.
Place your drying lingerie away from direct sunlight, especially dark-colored items, as UV rays cause fading. It may take a few hours for pieces to fully dry, but your patience will pay off with lingerie that looks newer, longer.
For molded and padded bras, gently reshape the cups with your hands before drying to prevent lumps and dents.
Storage Solutions That Preserve Shape
How you store your lingerie is just as important as how you wash it. The biggest mistake? Folding bra cups into each other. This creates permanent creases, deforms the cups, and breaks down the structure.
Instead, store bras in their natural shape. Stack them one behind the other with cups facing forward, or lay them flat if you have drawer space. If space is tight, you can fold one cup into the other, but smooth out any lumps first and don’t make this your regular storage method.
Always hook the clasps before storing to prevent snagging. Consider using drawer dividers to keep everything organized and visible—you’ll actually wear the pieces you can see.
Panties can be folded and stacked by color or style. Delicate pieces with embellishments should be stored separately to prevent snagging.
Never store lingerie in plastic containers long-term. Plastic can trap moisture and create the perfect environment for mold growth. Instead, use breathable fabric-lined boxes or drawer organizers.
How Often Should You Actually Wash Your Lingerie?
You don’t need to wash your bras after every wear unless you’ve been sweating heavily or using body oils and lotions. Regular bras can go 2-3 wears between washes. Rotating between multiple bras and never wearing the same one two days in a row significantly extends their lifespan.
Panties and hosiery should be washed after each wear. Shapewear can typically go 1-2 wears depending on the type and your activity level.
Always wash lingerie before storing it long-term, even if it’s only been lightly worn. Invisible body oils and residue can attract pests and cause yellowing over time.
Quick Care Tips to Remember
Close all hooks before washing to prevent snags. Use mesh laundry bags when machine washing—they’re essential protection. Never put lingerie in the dryer, even on no heat. Reshape molded bras immediately after washing. Store bras in their natural shape, never folded cup-to-cup. Rotate your bras and don’t wear the same one daily. Invest in gentle, lingerie-specific detergent. Keep dark colors away from direct sunlight when drying.
Taking proper care of your lingerie isn’t complicated or time-consuming—it just requires a few simple habit changes. When you treat your intimate pieces with care, they’ll continue to make you feel confident and beautiful for years to come. Your lingerie deserves this level of attention, and so do you.