How Many Times It’s Appropriate to Wear Your Bras Before Washing Them

Alright, ladies, let’s have an honest conversation here. How many of you wash your bras a couple times a week? Is that laughing and snickering I hear? I know, this may come as a revelation to almost all women out there, but experts have released information regarding how often you should wash your bras. And, no, I haven’t been doing this right either!

The Huffington Post recently sat down with representatives from Rigby & Peller, a U.K. based lingerie retailer. So, what makes these guys experts? Well, this bra-maker has been in business for the past 75 years—believe us, these folks practically sleep, eat, and breathe bras!

Candece Etafo, the manager of Rigby & Peller’s 5th Avenue store in New York City, gave quite a few interesting tidbits about this much maligned undergarment staple. Ready to get to know your intimates more… well…intimately?

Rigby & Peller recommends all bras to be washed every three wears and rotated at least three times in between. Sounds a bit excessive, right?

When questioned on this high number Etafo explains, “You’re stretching them out. Would you do that to your favorite pair of shoes? Your favorite jeans? No.”

Ok, I feel like this woman just opened up a Pandora’s box when she mentioned ‘jeans’. I’m not even going to tell you how seldom I wash those!

Look, I can almost feel you blushing from behind your computer screen. Truthfully speaking, I don’t think that I had ever been told any information regarding bra laundering (besides the ‘never-put-them-in-the-dryer!’ rule), in my life either. Every other woman I know has winged it, too.

So, while we’re on the subject of how often you should be washing your bras, let’s go over a quick refresher on the best ways to get these delicate little suckers clean.

There are many products out there that are marketed as ‘lingerie wash’. Though this mild detergent may put some women’s minds at ease when they wash their expensive undergarments, just know that you don’t need to be forking over extra money simply to wash your unmentionables.

According to Racked, there are several ways to get this job done, but the most ‘real-world’ method is by hand washing them in cold, diluted detergent water and hanging them to dry. Or, if you don’t feel like putting forth the effort, you can  throw  them in a mesh lingerie bag and into the washer on the gentle cycle.

We know that Etafo’s point of view on bra care may seem outlandish, but she does make a point when she says, “You have to give that same tender loving care that you do to you clothing as you do to your bras.”

I don’t know about you, but her sentiment rings true to me, especially considering the fact that simply finding the right size bra can be such a chore in and of itself!

What do you think about this clothier’s bra-washing theory? How many bras do you own? Let us know all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!