Bras should be washed after every wear, says expert
How often do you wash yours?
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Your support makes all the difference.It’s an age-old debate that has puzzled bra-wearing-folk for centuries, how often should you wash your bras?
It’s a question that drums up a myriad of responses, far more than the query of how often one should wash one’s underwear.
Whether you’re a weekly washer or more of a monthly advocate, according to one underwear expert, you’re probably not giving your bras the full scrub-down they need.
Speaking to Apartment Therapy, Jené Luciani, author of The Bra Book, revealed that, contrary to popular belief, bras should actually be washed after each use.
“You should wash your bras after every wearing, which is something a lot of women don’t realise!” she said.
The Australian lifestyle expert added that this isn’t just for hygiene reasons but for basic bra-maintenance.
“Your bra accumulates a pretty hefty serving of sweat, grime, and elements from the air,” she explained, “which can actually chip away at the longevity of your undergarment by affecting the elasticity and other materials.”
She went on to explain that the dirt and oil from our skin can gradually chip away at the elasticity of a bra’s material when we overwear it.
Ultimately, if you want your bras to truly stand the test of time, you and your washing machine need to take your relationship to the next level.
Obviously remember to check on the label of said bra if it’s okay to actually place it in the washing machine - particularly delicate ones may require a garment bag or a hand-wash.
Most should be fine on a gentle cycle in a cold wash, Luciani said.
However, Lexie Sachs, senior product analyst in the Textiles Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, explained that constant washes may not be entirely necessary and that how often you wash your bra depends on your activity levels and how much you sweat when you wear it.
"If you aren't sweating a lot and wearing for regular use you can do it every few wears,” she told USA Today.
Bad news for the sweatier citizens amongst us, good news for the impeccable sweat-less unicorns.
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