How often should you wash your bra?

The bra is an integral part of a woman’s dressing. It shapes the body and helps especially well-endowed women to manage their assets.

According to product analyst in the Textiles Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, Lexie Sachs, you shouldn’t wash a bra after each wear. This is because…

• Frequent washing can make your bra lose its elasticity and unable to support the breasts the way it should.
• Once a bra loses its shape, the fit is compromised, he counsels.
• In a tropical environment such as ours, which is very hot and makes you sweat, you are expected to wash your bra after wearing it for six times at worst, and four times at best.
• For instance, if you’re outside on a humid day and end up sweating a lot, you’ll want to wash your bra sooner.
  
• On the other hand, if you use a bra for a couple of hours, that might not count as a ‘wear’, Sachs says.
• When you sweat, you produce more oil in the body, which can make bacteria to grow, resulting in unpleasant smell. Therefore, if you sweat quite a lot, then you need to wash your bra more often.
• One of the tricks is to have more than two bras, so that you can change them, instead of relying on just a bra for a long time.
• Again, some bras come with handling instructions. Obey them. Always heed the care tag.
  In general, bras like a gentler bath to keep them in good shape, but check the labels for the best instructions.
  Many people use the washing machine these days. If you opt to wash your bra in the washing machine, use the “most delicate” cycle, instead of the “standard” cycle.
  You may also protect your bra by putting it in a pillow case and tightening it, so that the bra will not become tangled to other clothes, straining or completely yanking off the hooks.
  Use mild soaps to wash your bra, and lay it flat to dry in the sun. If you hang it, it might become overstretched and not fit snugly around your bust again.
  Before you lay your bra out, make sure the cups aren’t misshapen or folded, and use a towel to blot up excess water (don’t wring or twist the bra). Sachs say that this method is even a good idea for sports bras. Even though they seem sturdier, they require careful tending to keep them as supportive as possible.
  And when storing your bra, line them up in the drawer, instead of crumpling among other clothes/undies. Otherwise, they may lose shape if they become crumpled.