3 Simple but Effective Tips for Lingerie Care

The lingerie you wear dictates much about how you will feel the rest of the day. You wear lingerie 365 days a year and whether you think that nude bra and lace panties don’t count as lingerie, they should still be cared for with precaution. Since lingerie plays a large part of your daily life, keeping them in tip top shape should be a priority. Lingerie is what directly touches the skin, more than any clothing you have on your back. Taking care of your intimate apparel is also technically looking out for your skin and body. It is essential that lingerie be handled with extra love and care because even the best quality lingerie is prone to rip and tear when not enough attention is given.

When you want to have lingerie that lasts longer in its pristine condition, you must care for the garments properly. Here are a few easy ways to care for your lingerie correctly.

Lingerie Care Tip 1: Eliminate Stains from the Garments Right Away

If you spill something on a negligee, then make sure to remove the stain right away to protect the fabric. The longer it stays, the harder it is to remove (Yikes!). Lose no time in getting rid of unwanted stains and make your lingerie looking good as new in just three easy steps:

1. Use a soft cloth to dab at the stain softly to absorb the debris.

2. Next, fill a sink with cold water to wash the garment while focusing on the stain. You can apply a gentle mild detergent that is formulated for delicate fabrics directly onto the stain. Make sure to empty the sink to refill it with cool water several times to rinse away the spilled substance. You may need to reapply the gentle detergent multiple times to eliminate a difficult stain from the lingerie. It is important to rinse the garment in clean water to get rid of the extra detergent.

3. Last, you can hang the garment on a hanger or a drying rack to air dry.

Lingerie Care Tip 2: Use Special Care While Washing Bras

Bras support you like no other, in turn, your bras need your support too! Bras are expensive items that require specialized treatment to help the garments remain in excellent condition. Keeping the shape of your bra is important if you want it to always look seamless in proportion to your body. Bras that are mishandled in the wash will experience degradation of the fabric and the cups will ‘flip-out’ at the tops creating a scalloped look. Never shortchange your bras by just tossing them with your other laundry. You should never wash bras in a washing machine, and it is also not a good idea to place the items in a dryer as this is where the cups will become misshaped. Observe this step-by-step technique to maintain the beauty of your bras:

1. First, close the bra's hooks and then straighten the straps. Place a white absorbent towel on the bathroom countertop while you fill the sink with cold water.

2. Place the bra into the cold water and let it sit for about 30 seconds before moving it around in the water. Make sure to empty the sink to rinse the bra in clean water. Bras that have padded cups will absorb a lot of water, so it can take several minutes to remove the excess water from the garment.

3. Last, place the bra on the white towel so that it will absorb additional water.

4. After a few minutes, hang the bra on a lingerie hanger that is made from plastic. Make sure that the bra's straps aren’t twisted and that the bra's hooks are closed while it dries.

If you do choose to throw your bra in the wash, be sure to use a lingerie bag that will separate your bra from the rest of the clothes. This will keep your bra straps and hooks from getting tangled with the rest of the clothing. Set your washing machine to the setting for washing delicates that will use a gentle cycle. Always air dry your bras by either hang drying or lay flat on on an absorbent towel.

Lingerie Care Tip 3: Caring for Delicate Lace and Silk Panties

Heavenly lace and silk against your skin is happiness at your fingertips. In this case, caring for your lace and silk panties, as much as possible, must not be left to a machine. It must be handled differently in comparison to your cotton and polyester panties. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your pretties in mint condition:

1. First, read the care label on your silk and lace lingerie. Quality silks will recommend that the garment be dry cleaned only. However, other materials that are satin or lace will recommend cold or warm water only - not hot water! Hot water will damage the fabric over time where it will lose its sheen and durability.

2. Hand-washing methods are recommended, but if you must wash these garments in a washing machine, then use a mesh bag to hold the items before letting it spin. Make sure the setting is on the delicate cycle!

3. Make sure to separate panties by different color types so that the fabric dyes won't damage the other garments. White and off-white panties can go into the sink at the same time, but use different water for washing other colors such as hot pink or black. You will also want to keep different colors of panties away from each other during the air-drying process.

4. Use a detergent that is formulated for silk or lace so that the fabric of the panties will retain its smooth and creamy texture.

You should definitely raise the bar when it comes to caring for your delicates. They are not called ‘delicates’ for no reason. It takes more than just popping it into the washer (and then hoping for the best) when it comes to washing your lingerie. To get the maximum use and long term wear out of your lingerie as much possible, proper and delicate handling is an absolute must! Remember to always hand wash your bras and read the care label on your delicates before cleaning them. Follow this simple lingerie manifesto and further expand your to-die-for lingerie wardrobe!