How to care for lingerie

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For such a small item, a piece of lingerie can cost a pretty penny. However, most women would agree that it is money well spent, especially when it not only makes you feel great, but also has the desired effect on all who see it (or just that one special person who sees it). But lingerie is delicate and needs to be cared for correctly to ensure that you get the maximum wear out of it and that it stays looking as good as the day you bought it.

Most items of lingerie have to be washed by hand; and if your lingerie is colored, then you should wash it in cold water to prevent the color fading. Use a mild detergent, one that’s specially formulated for lingerie. Always ensure that you thoroughly rinse your lingerie as any detergent residue will feel sticky against your skin and could cause irritation.

You can wash sturdier pieces of lingerie in a washing machine using a mesh bag, which can be bought from department stores. These bags are typically made of nylon with a zip or draw-string fastening, and allow the water and detergent to wash your lingerie without the risk of straps and other loose garment parts getting tangled and stretched in the washing machine’s agitation process. Mesh washing bags come in various sizes, although to enable all items to be cleaned properly, it’s important not to place too many garments in one bag.

Never place delicate lingerie items in a dryer, always leave them to dry naturally. Extreme heat can damage the elastic in lingerie resulting in the garment losing its shape. Heat also weakens some fabrics and you’ll find that if you regularly dry your lingerie in a tumble dryer it won’t last as long as it will if you leave it to dry naturally. Lingerie will dry quicker and keep its shape if it’s laid out flat to dry: use a sweater drying rack that enables the air to circulate around the garment. If you don’t have a sweater drying rack, or a clothes airer, then place your lingerie on a wire clothes hanger to dry. Don’t place your lingerie back in your drawers until it’s completely dried; damp clothes stored in drawers and cupboards develop an unpleasant smell — something that will definitely be counter-productive to the effect you may want to achieve when wearing your lingerie!

The most common fabrics found in lingerie are acetate, acrylic, cotton, linen, nylon, polyester, spandex, rayon, and silk. While some of these fabrics can be machine-washed and dried in a tumble dryer, it’s always best to err on the side of caution went laundering your lingerie and use the gentlest options available, which are hand-washing and drying naturally. With rayon and silk, it’s best to have these garments dry-cleaned.

Also bear in mind that wearing light-colored lingerie under dark clothing or denim can dull and dye the delicate fabric of lingerie instantly.

A little care and attention to your lingerie will ensure that you get the maximum wear out of it and that it stays looking just the way want it to.