July 20265 MIN READ
The Complete Bra Care Guide: How to Wash, Dry and Store Bras
It’s the first or second thing you put on every morning. It plays a supportive, sometimes emboldening, often empowering role in your life. It’s a daily companion you know will be there for you, or an exciting encounter that elevates your day. It is, of course, your trusted bra collection. That’s why we have asked our Senior Garment Technologist - Siobhan Hayman to provide some basic bra care tips. Did you know the average lifespan of a bra is between just six and eight months? With the right care, your bra could last for years! In this simple bra care guide, we’ll take you through the best ways to look after your bra including: hand washing, machine washing tips, drying, storage, washing frequency for your bra, whilst briefly highlighting the different materials and bra types, to help prevent your favourites from becoming overworn and unkempt. If they stay perky, you will, too!
How Often Should You Wash Your Bra?
We recommend washing your bras after every two or three wears. Your everyday bra is very good at trapping sweat, oils and dead skin cells, which can quickly build up some nasty bacteria, yeast and funky smells. Regular washing is the best way to keep persistent odours at bay, not to mention skin irritations and infections. However for sports bras, or any bra worn during heavy sweating - through exercise or excessive heat - we would advise for these to be washed after every wear.
Now we know you more than likely have your one favourite bra that you go to again and again, but to help keep the longevity of the bra,you ideally need a rota of three favourite bras. The “3 bra rule” gives the elastic in the bra time to recover and extends the bra’s life by rotating between at least two others.
Before You Wash: Check the Care Label
One of the golden rules when it comes to washing your bra is to always check the care label first. This will let you know if the bra can be machine washed or needs to be hand washed, which can usually be the case for silk, heavily embroidered or beaded lingerie. You can also discover the material details and care information on the product pages on our website under the material & care tab.
How to Machine Wash Bras
We’ve all had a favourite bra become slack as straps lose elasticity, or the cups become misshapen. That’s because frequent washing can stress their delicate fabric, but here are some simple steps that are kinder to bras, keeping everything from your bralettes to strapless bras in good shape.
Fasten the hook at the back of your bra before washing, to make it less likely they get in a tangle with other clothes in your machine.
Place your bra in a lingerie wash bag to prolong its life. Our lingerie wash bag is ventilated to allow the water to circulate, without allowing the garment to stretch and tangle in your machine. This is perfect for washing all your lingerie, like delicate knickers and bodysuits too.
Use your machine’s gentlest cycle, along with either gentle or non-bio detergent to wash your bra. Try to avoid standard biological detergent and fabric softener entirely as this can break down the elastic fibres. All of Boux Avenue’s bras are tested on a 40 degree wash, but if you would like to add further longevity to your bra, a wash on 30 degrees should still thoroughly remove any bacteria.
Not all bras can be machine washed due to their delicate fabrics. Silk bras, foil prints and anything labelled hand wash only on the care label should not go on a machine wash.
Never tumble dry your bras. The heat and friction will wreak havoc on their shape and fabric. Instead, reshape the moulded cups while damp and hang your bra to dry.
How to Hand Wash Bras
Sometimes your bra’s care label will advise hand washing only. This is often true for padded bras, which are more likely to lose their shape in the machine. Here’s how to ensure an effective hand wash that preserves your bra’s shape:
- Soak your bra in clean warm water with a teaspoon of gentle detergent for 20 minutes.
- Use your hands to press the bra and gently drain out the excess water. Ensure you avoid wringing the bra whilst doing this, as it will cause damage to the mould and overall shape of the bra.
- Reshape the moulded cups while damp and hang your bra to dry.
How to Dry Bras
How you dry your bra matters as much as how you wash your bras to help keep their longevity.
When it comes to drying your bras the most vital rule to remember is to never tumble dry as this can affect the shaping of the bra by warping the wire, along with losing the elasticity in the straps. It is also advised to not place bras on radiators to dry, due to the high heat affecting the elasticity of the bra.
You can dry your bras on an outdoors clothing line, however try to avoid direct sunlight. On a rainy day, use a clothes horse / drying rack inside. For the best result, hang the bras from the centre gore (panel between the cups) and not from the straps as the weight of the damp bra could extend the strap (loosening the elasticity). Another alternative is to lay your bra flat on a towel.
For bras that you have hand washed, first towel-roll them before placing out to dry to help soak up the excess water. Remember to avoid wringing the bra to remove the excess water. Due to hand wash bras having more water in them it can take longer for them to dry - a full day to two days, which is where having three bras on rotation works ideally to ensure you never run out of clean bras to wear.
Caring for Different Bra Types and Materials
Not every bra requires the same wash routine. Different fabrics and constructions can alter the care needs for the bra, so remember to always check the care label. We have also pulled together a quick rundown on the best ways to wash each type of bra.
Padded and Moulded Bras
For padded bras either hand wash, or wash on a gentle cycle (always double check the care label). If hand washing - once washed, use your hand to remove the excess water (do not wring the bra) and then roll dry the bra in a towel to help remove any extra water, reshape the cups whilst still damp and hang to dry.
Wired Bras
Non-padded wired bras can be machine washed. Remember to always fasten the hook to ensure it does not snag on any of your other clothes in the wash, and place in a lingerie wash bag to protect the wire in the bra. Always wash on a delicate / gentle cycle at ideally no higher than 40 degrees.
Lace Bras
Lace bras can be machine washed - again ensure you fasten the hook and place the bra in a lingerie wash bag to help protect the bra, as lace catches easily on hooks and zips. Choose a gentle / delicate cycle and use gentle detergent and no fabric conditioner.
To dry the bra it is best to pat dry and lay flat to help preserve the lace structure.
Silk and Satin Bra
Satin bras generally can be machine washed (always check the care label) on a delicate wash cycle and do not tumble dry. However silk bras are best to be hand washed in cool water with gentle detergent designed for silk. After you have washed the bra, press out the water by rolling in a clean towel, you don’t want to wring the bra. Then lay flat in shade, not direct sunlight, as this can affect the colouring of the satin / silk.
Stick On Bras
Stick on bras require a little bit of extra care. Handle with clean, dry hands to help preserve the adhesive and avoid transferring any natural oil. Gently hand wash using lukewarm water and mild soap to remove any residue. Leave to air dry naturally with the adhesive side facing up. This is one bra you want to avoid using a towel, as the fibres from the towel could affect the adhesive on the bra. Also ensure to avoid any direct heat - so no radiators or tumble dryers.
Non-Wired Bras and Bralettes
Non-wired bras and bralettes are more forgiving in the wash and can be generally machine washed on a gentle cycle in a lingerie wash bag. Some bralettes do come with removable padding so you may want to remove these before washing to help ensure they keep their shape.
Once washed, you will want to air dry the non-wired bra or bralette and not tumble dry them.
How to Store Bras
Store your bras the right way and they’ll remain loyal companions for much longer. Once completely dry from the wash, lay your bras flat. The more structured your bra, the more care they require in storage. Be extra mindful with your padded bras, as poor storage can permanently change their shape.
Use a spacious drawer to place your bras in a row and minimise crumpling. Always avoid inverting your bras, and never fold one cup inside the other, which is a common storage mistake. Your stored bras should mirror the shape you want them to hold when you wear them. If you have many bras in different styles, consider using dividers to make it easier to find what you need, or hanger storage as an alternative for non-moulded bras if drawer space is tight.
How Often Should You Change Your Bra?
We all have some forgotten favourites inside our drawers. Luckily your improved storage system will bring some of them out of hiding, because rotating the bras you wear is one of the best ways to ensure they all last longer. With so many bra styles to choose from, why rely on one anyway! Deem one bra ‘lucky’ and fail to wear your others, and you’ll quickly find that bra’s luck runs out!
A well-cared bra lasts approximately 6 to 12 months of regular wear before it needs replacing. When the straps lose their elasticity, the band starts to feel loose (rides up at the back), when you have bent or poking underwires, cups losing their shape, or persistent odour even after washing, these are all signs that time’s up on that old faithful. Explore our best bras to see you through every occasion. When you do come to purchasing your new bra be sure to measure your bra size as we advise to also re-measure your bra sizes every 6 to 12 months.
Quick Bra Care Dos and Don’ts
Discover our quick do’s and don’t to ensure you provide the best ultimate care for your bras.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Check care labels. | Tumble dry bras. |
| Fasten hooks before washing. | Wring out bras. |
| Use a lingerie wash bag. | Use fabric softener. |
| Hand wash delicate bras. | Hang bras by straps. |
| Air dry bras. | Fold cups into each other. |
| Rotate between bras. | Store near direct heat. |
Our bras support us all day long, so it is important that we support them too with the right care. Hopefully you have learned a few tricks on how to offer the best care to your bra and keep their longevity. But if you are in need to update your lingerie drawer Boux Avenue offers a beautiful bra collection that caters to all your needs and style.