How to Wash Bras So They Last

Short answer: Bras are best washed at 30 degrees on a gentle programme in a wash bag, with the hooks closed and without fabric softener. Let the bra air dry flat and avoid the tumble dryer, and both the elastic and the shape last far longer than they otherwise would.

Step by step

Close the hooks so they do not catch on other clothing, and put the bra in a wash bag. Wash at 30 degrees on a gentle programme with a mild detergent and without softener. Hand washing is even gentler, but it is not necessary. See bamboo bras without underwire.

Why the hooks have to be closed

Open hooks grab everything else in the machine and pull threads out of both the bra and the rest of the laundry. Closing them takes two seconds, and it prevents the most common cause of an otherwise tidy bra ending up with a hole in the cup.

The wash bag does more than you think

A wash bag stops straps and bands from winding around other clothes and being pulled out of shape. It also protects against zips and buttons. Keeping one bag for bras and one for small items costs nothing and extends the lifespan noticeably.

Fabric softener is the biggest mistake

Softener lays a film on the fibres that breaks the elastic down over time and at the same time closes off the moisture transport. It is the elastane that decides how long a bra carries, so a product that attacks it costs more than it gives. Skip it entirely.

Temperature and spin

Thirty degrees is enough, because it is the detergent and not the heat that cleans. A hard spin also pulls on the fabric while it is wet, and bamboo viscose is weaker when wet. Choose a programme with a low spin speed if your machine has one.

The tumble dryer is the worst of all

The heat in a dryer breaks elastane down faster than anything else. One round costs more lifespan than ten washes at 30 degrees, and a bra that is tumbled loses its support long before the fabric is worn. Lay it flat, and the cup keeps its shape too.

Let it dry flat

If a wet bra is hung up by one strap, that strap is stretched longer as it dries, and then it no longer fits. Lay it flat on a towel or hang it over a rail with the middle taking the weight. It is a small habit with a large effect.

Do not wash it after every wearing

A bra does not need washing every day, and washing too often wears it out. Two or three wearings between washes is enough for most people if you rotate between several models. See the rest of the range under bamboo underwear for women. See also washing and caring for bamboo clothing.