Sensuous, sexy, chic, and stylish, lingerie is all these things and more…no doubt it’s every lady’s much loved wardrobe staple and we just can’t have enough can we? However, caring for this must-have and essential clothing item of the clothes closet is important as well. Whether sheer or regular, lingerie needs a lot of attention and an extra dose of TLC that ensure it lasts longer and stays in shape. So, here are some valuable tips to tend to your intimates.
Hand wash over machine wash
The first thing to remember is, never machine wash your innerwear; instead always hand wash it. Check the care label for advice and follow it to the T. Always wash in cold water and not warm or hot. If you must wash it in the machine, make sure to use the delicate wash cycle and also use a mild detergent instead of your regular one. And yes, do separate your whites from your coloured ones.
Use a lingerie bag or pillowcase
If you must wash your lingerie in the machine, put it in a lingerie bag or a pillowcase. Use cold water to wash it and ensure to put the machine on the hand-wash cycle.
Say no to fabric softener
Say no to a fabric softener while washing lingerie as the elastane content in your intimates would have a negative impact because of this. This in turn would shorten the life of the fabric.
Be extra gentle with sheers
Lingerie needs to be handled with care but your sheers need some generous doses of care and love over your daily intimates. Hence, be extra careful while handling and washing your delicates and it’s wise to buy a pair of hosiery gloves to avoid sheer shredding, hangnails or rough calluses.
Check the hooks and do not turn the bra inside out
Close all the bra hooks while putting your intimates in the laundry and also do not wash turn the cups inside out while washing the bras. This will result in de-shaping the cups and damaging the structure of the bra.
Say no to the dryer
Even if you wash your lingerie in the machine, once done, wring out (don’t twist) the excess water lay your lingerie flat to dry after reshaping it. Do not use the dryer to dry lingerie; sheer fabrics, laces and colours, have a negative impact due to the heat of the tumble dryer resulting in deforming your innerwear. However, if you wish to hang dry your bras use a hanger and avoid hanging it on the clothes line with a clothespin at all. Also, air dry away from direct sunlight as it would fade the colours.
Store it well
If washing lingerie the right way is important, it’s equally important to stow your lingerie with care as well. Firstly, you need to protect your intimates from sunlight, dust and moisture. Hence, a dresser or wardrobe for your innerwear is the best thing. Then, close the hooks of the bras and ensure that the cups are properly stacked upon each other in a row. This ensures that the shape of the bras remains intact. As for your underwear, fold it carefully and arrange it well separately from the bras. If your wardrobe / dresser is wood then make sure to cover the bottom with a soft fabric or smooth paper so as to avoid splinters.
Keep alternates at hand
No doubt, we all have our go-to bras that are perfect for daily wear; however, if you wear the same bra frequently, it only speeds up the wear-and-tear process. So, keep various options at hand so that you can alternate between bras. This helps the bra’s overall shape and the elastics to stay intact for longer. Also, it’s not necessary to wash your bra every single day. You can go for after every 5-7 wears and during summers, wash them every 3-4 wears. Naturally, panties have a different rule and have to be washed daily for obvious reasons.
Know when to change your bra
No matter how good a bra you use, when to chuck it for a new one largely depends on your usage. However, typically, you should get new bras every 18-24 months, which means a good bra will generally last for a couple of years. Yet, smaller cup sizes have a longer life span.
Handling and caring for lingerie may seem like a time consuming task but do remember that it’s as important as caring for your outerwear. After all, your intimates too define your personal style while making you feel sexy and beautiful from within that naturally reflects on the outside too.
