The real treasure – that’s what we really mean thinking about our favorite set of underwear – don’t we?! Our precious jewel is mostly made of the most delicate fabrics such as satin, silk or lace. It usually includes subtle embellishments like ruffles, bows, exquisite diamonds and zircon. The average lifetime of a bra is about 6 months. Of course it depends on many factors and the most important one is how much we care about our lingerie.
Similarly as in the case of shoes, it is strongly advised not to wear the same lingerie set two days in a row. After a suitable long pause the fabric easily recovers its original shape. It is also important to wash underwear very often, as perspiration and all cosmetics we use everyday like deodorants, lotions or perfumes penetrate deep into the fabric structure. If they are not removed or washed quickly enough, they can remain there forever creating unaesthetic discoloration and stains.
By the way, we also suggest washing your underwear before first wearing both for hygienic reasons and as well as in order to get rid of any chemical residue that could have left after the production process.
The Label – a treasure trove of knowledge
Yes indeed, this is the label where you can always find the most important information about how to take care of your lingerie:
– what is it made of
– how to wash
– how to keep it in good condition
Make sure to learn it, especially if the label disrupts your comfort and you are going to cut it off.
Hand washing vs. Machine washing
Mostly, machine washing of your underwear is prohibited, because it might have a negative impact on the color or cut. Underwired bras must be hand washed – this is the rule that should be strictly followed – otherwise the wire used to support your bust may be damaged or broken. There were also recorded cases when the wire pulled out of the cups of bra and damaged the washing machine. It seems like we shouldn’t machine wash our lingerie at all. No, of course we can do it, we just need to be very careful.
How to properly machine wash your lingerie?
– use washing liquid intended for baby clothes
– put your bras into special bag or small cushion cover
– do not wash your underwear with other clothes
– make sure that all the hooks and buckles are fastened, otherwise they might damage the fabric
– wash at low temperature
– set a program for delicate fabrics or hand wash mode
– do not spin
– use softeners to provide softness and fresh smell of your underwear
You can also try special laundry balls made of high-strength plastic, to prevent destructions of the cups shape and delicate fabrics.
How to properly hand washing your lingerie?
– separate light-colored underwear from dark ones
– soak your garments in water for 30 minutes at the temperature of 30ºC = 86ºF
– use softeners or soap flakes
– wash gently, any kind of friction destroys fabrics
– rinse lingerie in warm water and again in cold water to prevent fabrics stretching
– wring your washed underwear gently
– dry flat on a towel
– do not use a dryer, it destroys, discolors and causes shrinkage of fabrics
By following all the rules presented above we can be sure that underwear keep perfect shape and colors.
How to store bras and lingerie
1. Store it separately.
Storing your lingerie with straps and fashion accessories in the same place is one of the most common mistake. The sharp edges can easily damage delicate fabrics that underwear is made of.
2. Store it in the right place.
The place where you are going to store your lingerie and bras should be clean, warm and dry. Ideal furniture is a chest of drawers, so find one at your home and select separate drawers for each kind of lingerie (bras, panties, socks, tights). It is also good idea to put paper into the drawers to make sure that the wood will not damage your garments.
However, if you have a large wardrobe, you can hang your underwear on special hangers, the same way as products are displayed in lingerie stores. Try to keep your intimate garments close to blouses, dresses and skirts, rather than shoes or coats, as the undesirable odors can penetrate delicate fabrics.
Additionally you can buy fragrance bags and put them into places where your underwear is stored.
3. Store it right way.
You can put each item into separate special bag or box. For this purpose you can use the boxes that your lingerie was originally packaged. In this case it is important to fold your bra putting one cup into the other one. Remember, do not twist your bra or invert your molded cups.
Another way to store your underwear, especially bras is the vertical position – one after the other, without folding. There are many special separators available, that let you maintain your intimate garments in the right order and sort them by colors or other criteria.
