How should you wash your delicate lingerie? It shouldn't be a pain to take care of your delicacies. The best way to wash them in order to preserve their shape and delicacy is by hand. Keep them out of the washing machine! Fill your laundry sink or kitchen sink with cold water and gentle detergent. Shampoo and hand soap are acceptable, but some experts say do not use Woolite. Soak the items, then gently rub the soap through them by hand, making sure you get all of the stains and odors out. If the item is made of silk, lace or satin, use extra caution when rubbing so you won't pull the threads out or leave stress tears. Rinse with cold water, then blot items with a towel.

Now some of us don’t even have time to read a good book let alone wash our undies by hand! So if you must use the washing machine, still consider that they require special care. Make sure you get a good mesh bag or pillow liner to put them in. This keeps them from getting wrapped around the agitator and destroyed. Set your washer at the delicate cycle. Turn your lingerie items inside out. I also suggest that you only wash your lingerie with other like items like baby dolls, chemises, and gowns. You don’t need that beautiful shirt you just bought to get twisted all up with your precious lingerie now do you? It’s also a good idea to make sure the hooks and eyes are snapped to prevent tangling in the wash.

When washing your hosiery, cami sets, or bras, make sure you use a soda based fabric wash such as Forever New, Eucalan, or Stergene. Regular detergents generally contain harsh chemicals that break down delicate materials. If at all possible, avoid putting your bras, lingerie or panties in the dryer. The heat of the dryer breaks down the elasticity of your items which shortens their life span. You will find yourself replacing your dainty items more frequently than you would have to if you let them lay flat, clip them to a clothesline or hang them on a drying rack to dry. Never wring out your lingerie as it will lose it’s shape.

Rotate your bras. Bras do not need to be washed after every wear. I generally wear mine three days before I wash them. However, avoid wearing a bra two days in a row. The bra will need a day of rest to return to its original fit and to allow it to breathe; wearing one bra constantly puts a lot of stress on the fabrics and causes it to quickly stretch out of shape and to lose its fit. Bras should be replaced every six months.