The good news: caring for lingerie is not complicated. It's five minutes of gentleness a week. The bad news: the washing machine is not the friend it pretends to be. Let's talk about it.
The one rule that matters most
Hand wash.
Cold water. Always.
Lace, mesh, silk, elastic — everything delicate ages in fast-forward inside a washing machine. Hot water relaxes elastic like a long vacation it never comes back from, and the spin cycle treats underwire like a personal enemy.
Yes, hand washing sounds like something your grandmother did. Your grandmother's slips also lasted forty years. She knew things.
How to hand wash lingerie — the 5-minute version
Fill a sink with cool water
Cool, not warm. If it feels nice on your wrist, it's too warm for elastic.
Add a small amount of gentle detergent
A teaspoon of delicates wash or a mild, unscented soap. Skip bleach, brighteners, and fabric softener — softener coats fibres and slowly suffocates elastic. Dramatic, but true.
Submerge and swish
Soak for 10–15 minutes, then gently swish. No scrubbing, no wringing, no twisting. You're bathing it, not interrogating it.
Rinse in clean cool water
Until the water runs clear. Patience, darling.
Press — don't wring — the water out
Lay the piece flat on a clean towel, roll it up like a little lingerie burrito, and press gently. The single kindest thing you can do for lace.
The tumble dryer is banned
Not "delicate cycle" banned — banned banned. Heat is the number one killer of elastic and the fastest way to warp a handmade piece. Lay flat on a towel, reshape with your fingers, keep out of direct sun. Air drying takes a few hours. Your lingerie has patience. Borrow some.
One more drying note: if you hang, hang from the centre or the band — never by the straps, which stretch under the weight of wet fabric.
Salt · Chlorine · Sunscreen
Swimwear gets its own rules
Chlorine and salt are beautiful-fabric assassins, so swimwear needs one extra habit: rinse in cool fresh water immediately after every wear — yes, even if you "barely swam." Sunscreen, salt, and body oils keep working on the fabric long after you've towelled off.
- Don't sit on rough surfaces — pool edges and wooden decks pill the fabric. Towel first.
- Don't leave it balled up wet in a beach bag. Damp + dark + hours = the mildew origin story nobody wants.
- Same as lingerie after that: gentle hand wash, no wringing, dry flat in the shade.
Storing your pieces
Bras: store flat or standing, cups nested into each other. Never fold a shaped cup in half — it creases and never fully forgives you.
Softer pieces: fold gently, store with breathing room. Crammed drawers cause snags. And keep hooks fastened — hooks are the drawer's troublemakers, and lace is their favourite victim.
A lavender sachet in the drawer is optional but honestly? Chic.
How often should you wash?
| Piece | How often |
|---|---|
| Underwear | After every wear. Obviously. We believe in you. |
| Bras & bodysuits | Every 2–3 wears — sooner if it was a hot day or a long one. |
| Swimwear | Rinse after every wear, proper wash every few wears. |
Rotating between pieces matters too — elastic needs a day off to bounce back to its original shape. Consider it a very legitimate excuse to own more than one set.
The short version
Cold water. Gentle soap. No machine, no dryer, no wringing. Rinse swimwear after every swim. Store cups unfolded. That's it — that's the whole religion.
Screenshot this. Stick it above the sink.Handmade pieces are made to be lived in, not babied. Wear them on ordinary Tuesdays. Just wash them like you mean it, and they'll stay with you for years.
Questions the girls always ask
Can I ever machine wash my lingerie?
Honestly: hand washing is always safer for handmade pieces. If you absolutely must, use a mesh laundry bag, cold water, the gentlest cycle, hooks fastened — and never machine wash lace, silk, or anything with an underwire. And still: no dryer. Ever.
What detergent should I use for delicates?
A small amount of gentle detergent made for delicates — or even a mild unscented soap. Avoid bleach, optical brighteners, and fabric softener, which all degrade elastic and delicate fibres over time.
How do I get sunscreen stains out of swimwear?
Rinse in cool water as soon as possible, then hand wash with gentle detergent, working the stained area softly with your fingers. Avoid hot water — it can set the stain permanently.
How long should good lingerie last?
With hand washing, air drying, and rotation between pieces, a well-made piece can easily last several years. The dryer and daily wear of the same piece are what cut that lifespan short.
Why does my bra band feel looser over time?
Elastic naturally relaxes with wear and heat. Slow it down by washing cold, never tumble drying, and resting each piece a day between wears. Start on the loosest hook when a bra is new so you have room to tighten as the band relaxes.
