Do You Hand Wash Your Bras?

Bras generally have a pretty short lifespan anyway, esp if you are a larger chested woman, and if you wear the same one over and over without rotating it out with others. I make it a general rule to phase a bra out after 6 mos, but i am a large chested woman and those bras have a big job to do each day... haha
I wash in the machine, but air dry. I have done it both ways, handwash and machine wash, and they generally have about the same life expectancy. The important part is to not put them in the dryer.

Wish I had the time and energy to hand wash these days. I used to take time to do that with all my more delicate clothes/lingerie before children. Now, everything goes in the wash on the delicate cycle and in the mesh bag for smaller items. I shape and air dry most all my shirts and definitely bras.

I put them in a pillow case and tie a knot on the end, then wash and dry like everything else. I don't use hot water or a very hot dryer either for the rest of the laundry anyway. Seems to do the trick.

:)

Nope...Too lazy and they just go right into the wash.l. LOL!

nope!

If you're worried ... Bed bath and Beyond sells a plastic ball that you can pop your bras into and it keeps them from getting ruined. The lady in line in front of me had one and said her sister raves about it.

I put mine in a mesh lingerie bag - fasten the hooks, so they don't catch on the mesh. And, I wash them on normal cycle - I don't ever use delicate cycle - just make sure they are in with more delicate clothes. I reshape them nicely and dry flat, or hang on a hanger to dry. I've never had a problem with any bras that I've purchased, and I get mine at Target, Walmart, Shopko, etc -- I've never had luck with VS ones, although I know a lot of women swear by them.

I put mine in a mesh bag, gentle cycle, cold and then hang them on a hanger. They seem to be fine.

I went to a bra party (EBW) this summer. Since then I have been hand washing them. Regular detergent will break down the elastic. It is recommended to wash them in Dreft. Woolite is not recommended.

If you hang them to dry, hang them so the center between the cups is on the line and a cup hangs down on each side of the line. If you hang by the straps, it cause the straps to stretch (a good bra provides support in the band and not in the straps).

No. I throw them in the machine with whatever color they go with. I do remove them and lay them flat to dry, though. My bras usually last a good long time doing it this way. I found years ago, that much of what I bought at VS was of lesser quality than other things I purchased. If something doesn't hold up to what I do to wash them (machine wash, lay flat to dry) then I assume it is a quality issue, not a laundering one.

I put them in a lingerie bag and wash them on the gentle/delicate cycle.

Mesh bag in cold wash then hang to dry.. I only own underwire.

No. Usually I don't even delicate cycle them or even line dry, but when I remember, I do that much. But I don't hand wash bras as a rule. I don't have expensive undergarments and not a big cup, either, so maybe I can get away with it easier. When they cup gets funky, I just get new bras.

Anything I hand wash I wash in the sink on cold with Woolite or Dreft (hey, kids) and then hang dry on our line downstairs. I let them soak a minute, swish for a few minutes and then gently squeeze and hang. Bras really don't get as dirty as jeans or other items.

Well, this is interesting. I never heard this instruction before. I may try it myself. I know that you don't put bras, or anything else stretchy, in a hot dryer. (But my dryer is never that hot.) Thanks for the info! I'll stay tuned for further comments.

If a bra has an underwire (which I dislike), always handwash. Also if I've got nicer lingerie, I do handwash in the sink with woolite. If it's just an everyday bra, I put them in a lingerie bag and throw them in the machine.

I do not hand wash my bras. I put them in a lingerie bag and wash them and let them hang dry. I do use the delicate cycle on them.

I have never done anything special with bras or any other clothing items that were not dry clean only.

I wash them in the hottest water on full agitation and dry on high. My washer was an ASKO and had it's own hot water heater. It washed clothes on hot up to 90 degrees Celsius, 100 degrees Celsius is boiling and zero degrees Celsius is freezing. I wear my bra's usually for about 7 years before buying new ones.

I get mine at Lane Bryant so they are not cheap Walmart ones. I have never had one not turn out clean and just as nice as when I bought it.

Nope. They go in with my white load.
BUT I hang them to dry. I think that makes a big difference.
My bras are expensive. I machine wash & hang dry & I usually buy 3 at a time and they last a good year or longer.

If you bathe daily and change your clothes daily they don't get too dirty in a wearing and a quick handwash and drying them flat with a gentle detergent such as ivory flakes or other gentle formula will prevent wear and preserve the materials structure. If you wear them longer or don't shower a gentle cycle in cold in a lingerie bag will be the next step. Most decent bras cost a lot for so little fabric so preserve them as long as you can.

I toss them in delicate cycle and hang dry - I never put in dryer.
BUT this gal (former military) invented this contraption that you can put your padded/molded bra in and wash it while it keeps its shape.
I haven't tried it, but as I will be "upgrading" the lingere (yeah!!) this year - may invest in it.
Oh, I use regular detergent, too.

No, I don't do this. I do what you have done. I really don't have any issues with my VS bras loosing shape. They have held up quite well actually. Bras shouldn't last forever anyway. I think wearing them all the time wears them out, not washing them on a gentle cycle and laying them flat to dry, but that is my opinion/experience of course :-) I think if I were to hand wash them, I would be rougher on them then my washing machine! lol!

I put them in a bra bag (lingerie bag especially designed to hold bras) in a regular cold water wash & hang to dry. Don't ever put them in the dryer!!!

Working at a bra store, I see all sides-there's what we are told to do, then what is realistic. Manufacturers generally recommend hand wash. If you do that, my favorite soap is Eucalan, a no-rinse wash, so you just put in the sink, swish around, let sit, then hang to dry. No extra rinse. Works terrific for all sorts of delicates-including kids stuffed animals. Also, just uses a little, so very economical.

I would agree avoid the dryer-honestly often I do my bras in the wash, then hang dry. But the ones I want to last longest I do the hand wash-only takes a few minutes with the no rinse soap!

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Nope nope nope and nope. All my bras get tossed in with the appropriate color and washed in the washer on a normal cylce then dried in the dryer on normal cycle.

I wear underwires AND have an extra large cup size (I'm a 42 H). I have zero inclination to hand wash ANYTHING. Although I probably could put them in my washer on the hand wash setting .. but why?

In my experience how long/well a bra holds up has zero to do with bra size, underwire, how it's washed and all to do with initial quality of the bra. I've got some bra's from fredericks that I've had for YEARS and they still do their job great :)

underwire, yes, I handwash.

all others go in the gentle cycle & then hang dry.

I have neither the time nor the patience to hand wash my bras, but I do find that machine washing them in a little net lingerie bag helps them maintain their shape and last longer.

Also, it's worth hanging them to dry. Dryers beat them up really quickly.

Yup, I handwash mine in the sink with regular laundry detergent. Nothing magic happens in your washing machine that gets them cleaner than handwashing. The machine just swishes and spins your clothes, you can do as good a job swishing by hand and hanging them to dry. I usually let mine soak in warm soapy water for 15 minutes before washing.