How Often Are You Really Washing Your Bras?

Ask any woman how often she washes her bras and you'll probably be told it is none of your business! If pushed, she'll undoubtedly say she does it after every wearing. As we all know, that isn't exactly the truth.

How often are you really washing your bras? It is the rare woman that does it after every wearing. Why? Well, it has to do with the cleaning process. A bra should be hand washed and then hung up on a line to dry. That requires a lot more effort than just throwing it in the washer and dryer.

Most women wash their bras intermittently. We all have a rotation of bras. You might have anywhere from three to six that you just wear one after the other. When time permits or your think the bras are duty, you'll take the time to wash them. Yes, it sounds a bit nasty, but that's the way we all seem to work if we are honest.

And what about those women who wash them every time they wear them? The vast majority of you [it certainly doesn't include me!] are throwing them in the washer and dryer. To each their own, but bras cleaned in this manner tend to fall apart. You can go through tens of thousands of excess dollars in bras over your lifetime if you keep taking this approach.

So, how often should you wash a bra? As a general rule, you should wash it after every second wearing. Now there are obvious exceptions to this rule. If you just finished running five miles, you really need to wash that sports bra before wearing it again. If you wear a particular bra only every so often, that should probably be washed after each wearing as well.

There are some definite steps you want to take to make your bra last as well. Hand washing is a must. Bras are called "delicates" for a reason. Washers and dryers will leave them out of shape and in tatters. Make sure to use an undergarment detergent, which tends to be less harsh that chemical clothing detergents. Finally, let your bras air dry. The heat in a dryer is devastating to the plastic areas of your bra.

Bras are one of the fundamental parts of any wardrobe. Take care of them and they will last for a surprisingly long time. While washing frequency is important, it is really how you wash them that will make all the difference.