No one has time to hand-wash their bras and other delicates, right? Think again! Hand-washing bras is actually really easy, and quick too. Learn how to hand-wash your bras correctly to keep them clean and make them last longer, because you deserve to have nice things!

When it comes to laundry, I’m just trying to get it done as quickly and efficiently as possible. I’m definitely guilty of tossing my bras into the washing machine (on a delicate cycle!) because I just didn’t have time to hand-wash them.

Turns out I was wrong! Hand-washing your bras and other delicates is actually super easy to do, and way quicker than I thought. Plus, hand-washing your bras keeps them from becoming misshapen and makes them last longer, so it’s definitely the best way to care for them.

Here’s how to hand-wash bras the right way. Cuz you deserve to have nice things! (And also, bra shopping is the WORST!)

Learn how to hand wash a bra correctly 1

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How To Hand-Wash Your Bras Correctly

Table Of Contents

How to hand-wash a bra and other delicates
The “real world” way to wash a bra (in the washing machine)
How to dry a bra
Bra care and storage tips

How to hand-wash a bra and other delicates

Hand-washing bras is the best method for keeping them clean and making them last longer. And luckily, it’s easy to do!

Fill a sink with cold water and add 1-2 teaspoons of gentle detergent. (My favorite detergent for hand-washing bras is Soak.)
Add your bras.
Swish the bras around in the water, gently rubbing at the areas that tend to collect the most sweat, like the back band and the center and bottom of the cups.
Let the bras soak in the water for 15 minutes.
Swish and gently rub one more time.
Rinse the bras in clean, cool water (unless you are using a no-rinse detergent like Soak).
Gently fold your bra against a towel to get rid of any excess water. Don’t wring it out; twisting causes too much strain on the delicate fabric.

The “real world” way to wash a bra (in the washing machine)

I get it, even though it only takes like 5 minutes to hand-wash a bra (plus 15 minutes of soaking), we all live in the real world and sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to do it. For those times when you do put your bras in the washing machine with the rest of the laundry, follow these tips to keep them as safe as possible:

Close the back and any other hooks, so the bra doesn’t snag and stretch out.
Put each bra in its own mesh lingerie bag, so they aren’t roughed up by the heavier fabrics in your machine.
Wash them on a delicate cycle using cold water; hot water causes the elastic and spandex to break down quicker.
Don’t wash them in the same load as heavy things like towels, jeans, sweatshirts, etc.

How to hand wash delicate bras — *© Tarzhanova – stock.adobe.com*

How to dry a bra

There’s a “real world” way to wash your bras when you’re really pressed for time, but when it comes to drying your bras I’m going to take a hard line: You MUST air dry your bras. We already know that heat is bad for your bras (it degrades the elastic and spandex), but even a low-heat cycle is too much heat for the delicate fabrics. Many dryers also have a no-heat/tumble dry/air dry cycle, but those aren’t any better because the tumbling is still rough on fancy embellishments and can cause the underwire to bend in weird shapes or poke out of the fabric.

There are two ways you can air dry your bras:

Lay them flat on a towel. Lay the bra flat with the cups facing up, then re-shape the cups before leaving it to dry so they don’t dry with weird creases.
Hang them on a drying rack or clothes hanger. If you hang your bra to dry, NEVER hang it by the straps or from one end of back clasp. The weight of the bra when it’s wet can cause the straps or back band to stretch out. The best way to hang it is from the center gore (the fabric between the two cups); just let the cups hang down on either side of the hanger. And make sure to re-shape the cups if they got a little flattened in the wash.

Learn how to hand wash bras the right way to make them last longer

Bra care and storage tips

Bras aren’t cheap, so here are a few more tips to make sure you get the most out of your investment.

Wash your bras every 3-6 wearings
Rotate bras between wearings to give them a rest (don’t wear the same bra two days in a row)
A bra’s lifespan is generally about 3 years before the elastic is worn out, even with the best care.
Store your bras standing up in a drawer. You can nest them together with the cups inside of each other to help them retain their shape, but don’t fold them in half.

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