What’s The Longest Acceptable Amount Of Time You Can Go Without Washing A Bra?

Raugiel
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:15 am: [report]

Screw the experts, I’m with Prudie! Of course the owner of a lingere store wants you to buy more bras and wash them more often. I’ve never known a washing machine to improve the elasticity of my garments. If it still smells good and looks clean, put it on!

AgentBeryllium
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:19 am: [report]

It has taken me decades to find the right bra. I bought 3 and I hand wash them when I think they need it. I don’t trust the washer machines because they eat only my favorite bras. Never the ones I hate.

Why the hell are they asking lingerie store owners? Of course they are going to say you need 10 bras and wash them EVERYTIME you wear them.

ccal
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:22 am: [report]

I don’t agree with that at all, washing machines do a number on bras and I don’t think that washing them once a week makes them last longer, if anything it just wrinkles and makes them more prone to be less wearable quicker.

Little Lamb
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:26 am: [report]

I have about 8-10 bras, and I just throw them all in the gentle cycle about once every two months (or sooner if one gets stinky…but that doesn’t happen often).  I do air dry them as well.

Of course, my sports bras get washed every wear.

LunaLena
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:27 am: [report]

Haha, those were my thoughts exactly!  Why throw away an opportunity to drum up additional business?

Seriously, “bras will last about a year to a year and a half”?  I have much older bras than that that are still perfectly good.  I’ve always washed my bras (even the expensive VS ones) in the washing machine, I just put them carefully in a mesh bag and toss them in, and have never really had any problems with it.  The only exception was when I got some cheap convertible bras at KMart, and the straps fell apart after three years.  The bras themselves are still good, though, so I just need to get some replacement straps.

Jessica Wakeman
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:27 am: [report]

I know this is a little gross but I handwash mine once every six months or so, when it looks a little ratty, unless I wear one when I happen to be very sweaty (like on a 90-degree day). Athletic bras get washed more often. I was under the impression women weren’t supposed to wash our bras often because they’re delicate and will fall apart?

Goldfinch86
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:27 am: [report]

I own two good bras, I can’t afford to drop 30 bucks on ONE bra, sorry no.I can’t justify that on a bra, a new one if one breaks sure, but really can’t bring myself to it, it was nice when I was skinnier and had more than two, but after outgrowing them and moving to NYC I can’t afford that. I work in retail and get a discount in the store i work at but really with my 50% discount that brings a dress to below what it costs for one #&@$% bra, what do you think I will choose?
I wash them once a week, on the weekends though I usually don’t wear a bra, just a cami with a shelf bra, thats around the house. I only wear the bra for the amount of time I’m in the house to grab my stuff and go to work, at work, and the 2 minutes I’m still in my clothes at night.
Don’t ask a shop employee that stuff they want you to buy more, if your asking how to care for it it’s different, but ofcourse they are going to say you need a bra for each day of the week, please. Even I need to let the girls have a day off.

workerbee
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:34 am: [report]

I actually wash my bras around every 1-2 weeks.  Depends on how long it takes for me to get enough delicates together for me to get a wash load.  I wonder how true it is not to wear them every day though.  I’m guilty of that; especially when I have a particular one I want to wear under a top.  Oh well, I don’t need to wear bras anyways.

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:35 am: [report]

Crap, thanks for reminding me that I have to do laundry.

*sam*
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:38 am: [report]

I’m probably an outlier in this context—since I hardly ever wear actual bras. I wear a sports bra 90% of the time (even to bed) and only wear my nice ones if I need to look nice (if I’m going to see a client, going out on a date, etc) so my bras hardly ever get washed. My sports bras on the other hand get washed every week and even those I’ll wear 2 days in a row (since I’m usually inside all day, save the few times I venture out to walk the dog and I don’t sweat much at all). But when they do get washed, I just toss them in the washer with the rest of my clothes and hang them up to dry… works for even my cheap Wal*Mart ones.

silvergurl
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:38 am: [report]

@littlelamb…me too.  except i hand-wash.  now i’ll do gentle cycle.  i do sports bra washing EVERY single time.

abbylyn
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:38 am: [report]

I usually wash mine every couple of weeks.  And I do try not to wear them two days in a row - it does bag them out faster.  When your bras aren’t cheap every little bit that makes them last longer helps

alliecat
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:43 am: [report]

I don’t keep any kind of schedule, but I have five good bras I wear regularly and I only wear one of those to work (I’m on the truck unload team for a major retailer) so that one gets washed probably once a week. The others get washed around once a month. I’m horribly guilty of wearing the same bra on consecutive days - some of my tops just look better with one bra, while other tops were bought to look good with my other bras.

pinkjellyfish
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:43 am: [report]

I have to wash my bras after wearing them only once, along with the tops I wear. I have a very sensitive back, and if I were to wear them for more than a day, my back breaks out with a pimple or two, sometimes very painful ones. I put my bras in a mesh bag and wash them on the gentle cycle, wash lace bras by hand, and they have lasted for over a year. In my case I have to have enough to cycle through about 2 weeks before having to wash a load, or else I would be doing laundry way too often! Besides, it just feels so much better to put on a clean bra instead of a dirty one!

writergirl
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:44 am: [report]

I’ll wear them two or three days per week, unless I get really sweaty for some reason, and I don’t wear them consecutively.  I wash them once a week,on gentle cycle.  They seem to be holding up fine.  I’ve had all my bras for at least three years now.  I hang them to dry.  Sports bras I wash after every wear—I sweat a lot when I work out I guess. I generally wash those in the casual clothes pile.  I hang them to dry too, unless I miss it while I’m putting the load in the washer.  But even then, it hasn’t affected the bra at all.

joyy
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:47 am: [report]

I only have two real bras, and I wash them maybe every other week?  I don’t really keep track, but I do throw them in the laundry with everything else and then air dry them.  I also wear my sports bras or shelf-bra tanks a lot, unless I’m at work, and I’m also terribly guilty of wearing any bra a few days in a row.  I have been needing an excuse to fill out my bra collection, so this whole “don’t wear them two days in a row” thing is the kick in the ass I needed

snap
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:49 am: [report]

i probably wash mine every 1-3 weeks, depending.

Humble Bee
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:51 am: [report]

@Raugiel, that’s my motto too! if it smells and looks clean, i’m wearing it. lol.

sklut
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:57 am: [report]

I have tons of bras in every color possible but I wash my white ones a lot more than others (obviously) but I have a bra buddy for the washing machine otherwise Id have to hand wash them and I just don’t have that kind of time, I’m a woman with large breasts that absolutely needs her bras. I just wash them as I see fit; when they start looking weak and not so fresh then it’s probably time to throw them in the laundry.

Coral
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 11:58 am: [report]

Wow, I feel like a germophobe now. I hand wash my bras and let them air dry every week. And I only end up wearing each bra once because I have about like 20 bras or something.

ICYHOT338
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 12:01 pm: [report]

It is strange how I throw all my clothes in the hamper, take off my bra and put it right back in the drawer.

GreenAura
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 12:05 pm: [report]

I usually don’t ever wear a bra 2 days in a row, simply because my bra has to go w/ whatever shirt I’m wearing.  I have like 20 bras (I’m a little obsessed w/ undergarments) but the only ones that get frequent use are my nude, black, white and cream ones and they get washed probably once every 2 weeks. The fancy, lacy pretty colored bras are for nicer outfits, and most of them have only been worn once or twice.  I don’t even think I’ve ever washed any of them!  I’m lucky though, my washer has a “handwash cycle”, so I usually just save up all my bras and panties for 2 weeks and wash ‘em all together.

tabby
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 12:11 pm: [report]

I will wash them in the washer (on delicate, cold water) about once every two weeks or so and air dry them. I don’t have a problem going longer without washing, but they usually end up in the laundry for laundry day. I would also like to point out that I am currently wearing a bra that I have owned for four years and it is still in good shape. I think the lingerie industry just wants people to buy more merchandise.

spanishbutterfly
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 12:20 pm: [report]

@ itchy no love i do the same thing lol, also guilty of wearing my bra two 2’x's in a row. I take my bra off as soon as i get home anyways.. ( part of the itty bitty commitee i dont even need to wear one)

notquitelolita
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 12:46 pm: [report]

I wash my bras about once a week, and wear each one twice during that week. Pretty much the same as my jeans!

loveitlala
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 12:55 pm: [report]

The experts are liers… the more you wash the more it wears.  Who does NOT know that by now?  Yes, the material may shrink up for a few days, but it has been exposed to heat which breaks the elastic and fades the cloth.  If you do just wash it in cold water and mild soap, you’re not hurting it as much, but you’re really doing a whole lot of cleaning anyway.  I have no idea how much I wash mine… once every two months?  Do they smell?  NO!  Do they last >8 years?  YES!

Queen Frostine
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 01:11 pm: [report]

I own FOUR day-to-day bras and two “special occasion” bras.

I wash once every three months (or more if I do a lot of sweating).

Lynn
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 03:09 pm: [report]

You can wear your bras about 3 times between washings. Wash more often in the summer, less often in the winter (or whatever, as needed, depending on how much you sweat basically). Washing too often will be too harsh, but if you have a good lingerie wash (like Forever New), it will actually help keep them in good shape. When you do wash your bras, handwash them in cool water. Washing machines and warm water will be the death of them. Let them air dry.

As far as how long they last - I have to say, the girls who think their bras are lasting them 3 years probably aren’t right. It depends a lot on the quality of the bra and how large your chest is (how much the bra has to work) but if you have about 5 bras that you rotate equally, they’re really only going to last you 6-12 months. The band needs to be snug, needs to remain parallel to the floor the whole day long. After about a year, your band is too stretched out. Since that’s where most of your support is coming from, it gets pretty useless if it’s too loose. You start on the loosest hook, and as your bra wears out you keep going in. Once you’re on the tightest hook, start shopping for a new bra because you only have a couple months left with that one.

writergirl
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 03:15 pm: [report]

@Lynn—VS bras, still on the first hook, tight around the band.  The shoulder straps are starting to go, so I will be replacing a handful shortly.  I’m not overly endowed, so that might be a contributing factor.  I don’t know.

Was surprised they actually lasted this long.  Normally after one year, they get tossed.

Coral
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 03:21 pm: [report]

Yup. I always start out wearing my bras on the loosest hook, and it really does help, because even though I hand wash mine, they still get stretched out through wearing them.

develange
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 04:35 pm: [report]

Don’t wash until things start to smell or the deoderant marks build up. Especially in the summer!! Things get gross quick.
I am one of those ladies who work in a bra store, and though I have a large bra collection, I wash mine once every 2-4 weeks, depending.

develange
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 04:41 pm: [report]

PS. yes, don’t keep bras for more than a year or a year and a half, especially if you only have a few. Yeah, they may still look OK and cover your boobs, but they are definitely stretched out and not really doing what they’re supposed to. I finally threw mine out after a year and a half, and even that was pushing it (I’m a 32D and my boobs are pretty dense, so I can’t imagine being larger and keeping my bras for longer than that!)

theattack
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 04:45 pm: [report]

Wow. I’m in complete shock. I almost never even wear a bra twice without washing it. The only time I’ll wear it twice is if I REALLY want to wear it with a certain shirt, and I didn’t wear it for long. I even wash them in the washing machine and *gasp* dry them in the dryer. They aren’t misshapen or stretched out, and the bands are just fine and have been for a couple of years. I do have small breasts, but I really don’t think it’s that big of a deal to wash your bras. Wearing a dirty bra just feels really gross, and if by chance someone decides they want to bury their face in my chest, it’s going to smell great.

alleigh25
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 05:14 pm: [report]

I never knew people DIDN’T wash bras every time they wore them. But then, I only learned like last year that most people wear jeans more than once before washing them.
So…fairly obviously, I wash mine every time I wear them. I’d feel gross otherwise. And I agree with theattack…I wash and dry mine and they’re fine, although sometimes the dryer will bend the clasp (but only because our dryer sucks, since it never used to do that and the ones in my dorm don’t).

writergirl
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 05:18 pm: [report]

Ok, so I appear to find myself in the position of having to buy new immediately.  See, can teach an old dog new tricks

So, does anyone have any suggestions for inexpensive bras that won’t die within three months?  VS isn’t in the budget this month.

Thanks!

Coral
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 05:23 pm: [report]

@writergirl: I like Macy’s for some cheaper bras. Some Macy’s are really upscale and that’s all they carry, but not all of them. Macy’s has brands like Maidenform and Sophie B. for bras, and I can find cute, plain colored bras, or really nice and lacy ones. And they’re affordable, in my opinion—like the ones I don’t get at VS, I can get them for like $10-30. Macy’s is always having sales too.

AllThingsConsidered
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 05:28 pm: [report]

I wash my bras every two weeks or so. I air-dry them, but I throw them into the washer with all of my other clothes, although I do put them into a laundry bag first. I think having smaller breasts might contribute to my bras lasting for a while; there’s less cup to get stretched out or develop that weird waffle texture. I also try not to wear a bra two days in a row—I try and let them breathe a little first.

likeOMGkbye
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 06:09 pm: [report]

uh…this post is making me feel like a dirtbag. I definitely wear my bras more than 2x in a row, and I wash it when I think it needs it, i.e. I sweat alot, it just looks dirty, smells a little funk, etc. But I definitely go really long periods of time wearing the same bra and not washing it.

Sorry, but I don’t pay that much attention to my bra. Holds my boobs up? Check. Cant see it under the shirt I’m wearing? Check. Looks cute in case I see my man later? Check. Thats the extent to which I think about it. Doesn’t get thrown out until its falling apart.

BlueVibe
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 06:13 pm: [report]

Sorry, it’s hot and humid here and anything that gets worn next to the skin gets smelly in very short order.  Mine get washed after 4-5 wearings, either by hand or on the delicate cycle, in a bag, in cold water, and air-dried.

melissaann
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 06:29 pm: [report]

I have tiny boobs, therefore I can get away with wearing cheap bras and washing them with the rest of my stuff and I wouldn’t trade a boob job for the convenience.

writergirl
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 06:40 pm: [report]

@Coral—thanks!

jessicaroks
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 07:46 pm: [report]

Once a month I wash mine. I wear a bra on average for 7 - 10 days unless it fails the sniff test before I put it on! Oh and I only hand wash the lacy “do me” underwear and along with sports bras they get washed every wear. @melissa me too! Whatever fits and is on sale gets purchased and dumped in the wash with all the other laundry. No Fuss!

effing hickster
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 08:15 pm: [report]

My humblest apologies for butting in, but thought I’d let you know what one guy thinks…

As long as you’re not sweating in it, I think a worn bra smells great. I think the effect is similar to the way we love the smell of newborns and puppies. I love the smell of a healthy woman’s skin, and think it’s great when it transfers to the bra, so I’m actually grateful when a woman wears one two or three times between washings.

And no…I’m not a Pervy-Panty-Drawer-Raider. Girlfriends have always been aware of my love for the smell, and think it’s amusing.

*sam*
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 08:33 pm: [report]

@writergirl: Kohl’s has really good stuff as well, and they’re really inexpensive (especially if you have a Kohl’s card and go during scratch offs—jeez, I sound like I still work there lol)

@all(?): Lynn mentioned that you should start wearing a new bra on the loosest strap, however, I’m a 38C and I’ve noticed that if it’s not on the tightest strap, it doesn’t feel like it’s offering enough support. but if I move down to a 36C, it’s too tight and it hurts—am I just not buying the right kind of bras (focusing too much on how cute they are vs how practical they are) or should the 36’s feel right and I’m just doing something wrong??? gosh, I’m so confused now!!! >_<

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 08:41 pm: [report]

@effing hickster: You like what you smell and you smell what you like. Nobody is holding anything against you.

retro chic
wrote on August 28 2009 @ 09:42 pm: [report]

Wow. With all the sweat and what-not over a period of 2 weeks, 3 or 6 months w/o washing, that gives a whole new meaning to “invisible means of support,” doesn’t it?

Bras are like underwear to me – That is a major sweat zone for me. Wear once maybe twice then toss ‘em in the wash whether they need it or not, sometimes the dryer, depending. They get replaced once a year whether they need it or not – and usually don’t (yeah, I think the mfgrs want you to buy sooner too). I can never get the dinge out of fabric covering the underwire and I’m not about to scrub. I just like new ones.

Just a side note about the *shape* of bras: I wish they had ones that actually resembled the shape of real breasts, not ones that force a cleaved coconut look. Not the eye-poker bullet bra, something sexy but natural looking.

melissaann
wrote on August 29 2009 @ 12:04 am: [report]

@sam, I think you may find the following information helpful. It sounds like you might be larger than a C cup. The number in your size refers to your rib cage, not boob! Measure right below the base of your ta tas with a measuring tape. Write it down, then measure the fullest part of your bigger boob. Round both measurement up to whole numbers. Subtract your rib size measurement from the second measurement. The difference is your cup size. Example: 38” - 34” (band size) = 4” = D cup size. The chart below shows you how to determine cup size.

Difference   Standard Cup Size
0”-1/2” (1.3 cm)    AA
1/2”- 1” (2.6 cm)    A
2” (5.1 cm)    B
3” (7.6 cm)    C
4” (10.2 cm)    D
5” (12.7 cm)    DD or E
6” (15.2 cm)    DDD or F
7” (17.8 cm)    G
8” (20.3 cm)    H
9” (22.9 cm)    I
10” (25.4 cm)    J

I found this to be very helpful!! I bet you have bigger boobs than you think you do, and I bet they will feel better after you remeasure! I know a lot of ladies titties change with weight loss and gain, so I like to remeasure every time I know I will be trying on bras. Usually at Target.

angel001717
wrote on August 29 2009 @ 12:07 am: [report]

goodness! overkill much? i have a fav bra that i wear almost every day. and i wash it every one to two weeks. serioulsy. im not wasting my life washing my damn bra constantly. and i dont sweat like a pig or anything. it smells and looks very fresh for at least a week and a half. so thats when i wash it. shjeesh.

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on August 29 2009 @ 12:13 am: [report]

I am a proud member of the IBTC, anyone who doubts be will be mercilessly motorboated whether it applies or not.

Lynn
wrote on August 29 2009 @ 09:58 pm: [report]

@sam - sounds like you need a proper bra fitting. Go to Nordstrom, or a little lingerie boutique with a large size range (not VS!!!). A lot of Dillards are beefing up their bra size ranges in the past couple years, too. Also, FYI, when you go down a band size you need to go up a cup letter to maintain the same approximate cup volume. For example, the cups in a 36D are similar in size to a 38C, 40B, and 34DD. So if your cups fit and your band doesn’t, go down a band but go up a cup letter.

*sam*
wrote on August 29 2009 @ 10:10 pm: [report]

@Lynn & melissaann: THANKS!!! I’m going to have to try that out, b/c finding a great bra has been such a pain for me!!! lol I went to VS once for a fitting, and I was still wearing a 36B when they told me I was really a 38C (and a large C at that)... bah,  I’m so clueless about this stuff!!! I really appreciate the tips though!!!

DancingGeek
wrote on September 2 2009 @ 08:15 pm: [report]

@Cheese - you motorboatin’ sob!

I alternate mine and wash every few wearings, and VS bras do not last, but I cannot seem to find anything that fits to my liking.

@Lynn or melissaann I’ve been measured properly at a 36D, any suggestions for a good brand, they never seem to have anything really pretty or sexy in my size and there still seems to be a lot of variance with fit.

diane227
wrote on September 3 2009 @ 04:19 am: [report]

It depends on the weather.  We don’t sweat much here in Seattle.  I usually wear mine about three times then wash and air dry.  I have so many bras that I have almost run out of room for them.  With color coded panties (but the panties change daily, in case anyone was wondering).  Got to have this 54 year old gal look’in good in case I have to go to the emergency room.  Remember what your mama told you about having on clean underwear.

Lynn
wrote on September 3 2009 @ 11:29 am: [report]

@Dancing Greek - well, I have a rare-ish size so I’m limited in my brands, but I do really like Freya and Fantasie. Panache is good, sort of hit-and-miss. With a 36D you’ll have a lot more options, especially because in the last couple years plenty of companies have started introducing D-G lines. D+ bras are never going to be as dainty as the ones our A-cup counterparts wear, but they don’t have to be all grandma bras either. I personally love Figleaves.com (try Figleaves.co.uk as well), BareNecessities.com, HerRoom.com, and Freshpair.com.

Figleaves and HerRoom have customer reviews which can often help on fit, and HerRoom often has comments on the fit to help as well.