One thing we ladies worry about when it comes to bras is how to maintain it. Our bras could be stretched or the cups ruined and we cannot wear them anymore. In this article, we will be showing you how to preserve your bras, so that you can wear your bras longer!
Rotations!
Rotations, what do I mean by that? Rotation of the bras means to wear your bra once at a time. Bras are stretchy like rubber bands, but unlike rubber bands, they need time to go back to their original shapes. If you wear the same bra 2-3 days in a row, this will make it unable to go back to its original shape, and the band will be stretched out to the point it can’t be worn anymore. Invest in a few good bras and wear each one for one time then wear another bra the next day so your bra has time to go back to its original shape.
Airing!
Now, if you can afford to wear your bras for a few more days, you can certainly leave it to air so you can wear it again. If you came back from a particularly sweaty time, it’s best to get your bras washed. Don’t leave your bras in a dark hamper or a dark closet that will keep the moisture. Accumulation of moisture plus a place where the sun doesn’t shine can cause bacteria to grow on the bra which is not good. If you do want to put it in a hamper, try a mesh hamper that will help wick away the moisture.
Washing
It’s not good to overwash your bras as they will spoil fast, but underwashing bras will mean they will be gross, grimy, sweaty and uncomfortable to wear. You can wash your bras every 2-3 wears so that way they will stay clean and will not spoil as quickly. Due note that you will need to wash them more frequently if you’re currently in summer or you are performing sweat-inducing activities.
No alcohol, please!
If you are using detergent to wash your bras, an important thing to note is that your detergent cannot have bleach or alcohol. Alcohol could dry out your bra’s elasticity, and bleach is a harsh chemical which could harm your skin if you use it to wash your bras. Try using mild detergents, which will be friendlier on your skin and lessen the chance of ruining your bras.
Hand is best!
The best way to wash your bras is by hand! This way, your bras will not be stretched out in the washing machine. It’s also relatively easy to do, just soak your bras in a bucket of water mixed with detergent for a while, rinse it with clean water, and hang them out to dry! You can do it on a weekend if you’re too busy to do it on a weekday.
Laundry bags
If you really can’t wash them by hand, you can wash your bras in the washing machine. The rule of thumb for this is to wash the bras in a laundry bag.I’ve tried washing them without a laundry bag before, and after a while they were stretched out so bad they were terrible to wear. So make sure to wash them in a laundry bag so they don’t end up in a terrible shape. Another thing you will need to remember is keep the back clasps closed since the back clasps can hook onto other laundry and stretch the bra out.
No dryers, ever
The worst thing you could do to a bra is to put it in the dryer. The tumbling and moving motion of the dryer will cause your bras to stretch out and lose shape, even if you place the bras on top of each other to protect them. You can hang your bras in the bathroom or outside to dry, or leave them out flat on a towel so they can dry.
Watch the cups!
Bra cups can bend and turn, but if you can help it, you shouldn’t make them bend the other way around. Bending a bra cup in the opposite direction will ruin them over time. Be careful when putting them in the washing machine too, as sometimes the power of the washing machine will break the cups!
Careful about wearing!
The best way to wear your bras is to hook them from the back. You see, if you hook them from the front and then spin them behind, or you hook them first and wear them like pullover bras, this will ruin the band over time. So those unrealistic movie scenes where women wear their bras by clasping the back? Yeah, they’re doing it right.
Time to say goodbye
Of course, there is always the time when your bra’s days are done and you will need to throw it out. If the bra is not comfortable to wear anymore, the band or the straps are stretched out, the bra is chafing you, or the underwires are starting to come out and poke you, then you know it’s time to throw it out.
Want some more informational reads? Why not check out the 3 impact levels of sports bras and what do they mean?
In some of our articles, especially product-based ones such as this one right here, you may see that they contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Our goal with All Things Bras website is to help educate women and share everything we know on the knowledge of bras and breast health. If we recommend you to a product or brand, it is only because we believe in it. We are all about sharing our recommendations and helping you to the journey to find the right (and best) bra. If you do purchase through our affiliate link, we appreciate and thank you for your support!
