Dirty Bras

Dirty Bras - every woman's nightmare. Bras big and bras small need care and attention in the laundry department. After all, they spend a long time extremely close up and personal to our skin. Grime can really become ingrained in our bras, especially the softer more textured parts like the skin side of bra straps and the clasp section.

Big Bras are an investment. There is no point in buying something fabulous, which makes you feel gorgeous and then allowing it to grey, fade, snag or become misshapen, just by trying to keep it clean.

Keeping Big Bras Clean

Ideally any bra, big or small should be worn for one day only. I know not everyone does this. I hate to admit but I don't all the time. It really depends how energetic I've been during the day! But, I AIM to change my bra everyday. Because if you sweat at all (obviously not, we're all ladies after all, so I suppose we just glow & perspire in our bras), you know your underwear will be absorbing all that perspiration and becoming a breeding ground for odour causing bacteria. So, whenever possible change your bra daily.

The more often you change your bra the easier it will be to keep clean. After all, things only get really difficult when there is a build up of ingrained dirt. No matter how dirty that bra though, make sure you clean it carefully. Gentle laundering is what's called for when dealing with Larger Lingerie. These garments are extremely delicate. There is so much stitching that can be damaged. Not to mention all the lace and embroidery which can easily become snagged.

The nature of bras is that a large part of their composition is elastic, lycra or well, just plain old stretchy stuff. We need that elasticity to keep our underwear supporting us curvy girls. Washing your underwear without care will cut its lifespan considerably, so take care girls! It is easy to cause big bras to quickly lose their elasticity and support without due care and attention.

How to Wash Bras & Lingerie

Gently is how all bras should be washed! The ultimate rule when washing any underwear, especially bras is keep it gentle. That means detergent, heat and the washing action itself must ALL be gentle. After all, these are your delicates we're talking about. There's no point in spoiling yourself with some beautiful Larger Lingerie and then blasting it on a long hot wash-cycle now is there?

Only ever use a cool wash cycle in your machine and choose mild laundry detergent. I go for ones designed for babies, you can't get more delicate than baby skin, so if my detergent is kind to that I think it will be kind to even my best bras.

I find washing all my underwear in mesh bags or pillowcases works wonders too. It stops them catching on other items in the machine which can be disastrous. If you can be really good about cleaning your underwear, you would always fix the clasps too, to minimise those clasps catching on other items in the machine, or indeed some lacy bit of the same said bra. But, honestly as much as I aim for this kind of dedicated lingerie management, I have to admit this is not something I manage 100% of the time!

How to Dry Bras & Lingerie

Under no circumstances should you tumble-dry your lingerie. That dryer is too hot and too rough with your delicates. I don't even allow my nicest bras to see a spin cycle. Those that do go on a spin, are always sent on a gentle spin specifically designed for delicates. And, then only when spinning in the safety of a mesh wash bag or pillowcase.

The best place to dry your Big Bras is outside on a washing line, or if that is not possible, indoors to drip dry. Slow drying is best for delicate fabrics, plus if you're lucky you will have the added benefit of the sunshine acting as a natural brightener for white fabrics.

Dealing With Bra Problem Areas

I mentioned earlier that some areas tend to get more ingrained dirt. The straps in particular seem to pick up an awful lot of dirt, no matter what you've been up to.

Rather than give in and opt for a long wash cycle try pre-soaking. I bung all my bras in a bucket of warm (not hot) soapy water overnight. The soap should be mild, I just use plain old hand soap. Give everything a bit of a swirl then leave till the morning.

Before putting the underwear into the washer I use a soft nail brush (it must be soft) to rub the problem areas with a little soap. This generally gets rid of even the toughest grime and you can control how gentle or firm the washing action is. Just be sure to be careful of lacy parts as you really do not want to snag anything.

For whites a cup of baking soda added to the washer can help to brighten older underwear too. Plus it's a super dooper environmentally friendly way to tackle all kinds of stains!

Never get out the bleach! The fabrics which give our underwear so much support and flexibility are all synthetic (or at least with synthetic additions). They really don't respond well to bleach at all. Each part of a bra is made of something different, and all the materials will yellow or grey to a differing degree with bleach, ammonia and with hot washes. So be careful!

Big Bra Care

Care for your Big Bras well and they should keep supporting, flattering and generally making you feel fabulous for years. Treat then badly and it will leave you sagging and far from spectacular! Don't forget too, the importance of your underwear drawer. It may sound daft, but if everything in there is a tangled mess of Large Lingerie, pantyhose, bras and panties everything is likely to get snagged and a little tired. Regular tidying of your undies is essential to get the most from them!