Spill the tea: the fastest way to ruin a gorgeous set is the washing machine on a normal cycle. Treat your lingerie right and it keeps its shape, color, and stretch for years. Here's the whole routine — it takes minutes.
How do you wash and care for lingerie?
Wash lingerie in cold water with a gentle detergent — by hand or in a mesh laundry bag on a delicate cycle — then reshape and air dry flat. Never wring, bleach, tumble dry, or iron delicate pieces. Heat and agitation are the enemies of elastic, lace, and underwire, so keeping things cool and gentle is what makes them last.
Different fabrics are a little fussier than others — silk and lace need more gentleness than cotton or microfiber (more on that in our lingerie fabrics guide). Here's the step-by-step.
The gold standard: hand-washing
- Fill a sink with cool water and a small amount of gentle detergent (a lingerie wash or mild soap).
- Soak 15–30 minutes, swishing gently. Don't scrub or twist.
- Rinse in clean cool water until suds are gone.
- Press out water — squeeze gently, never wring. Roll in a towel to absorb more.
- Reshape and lay flat to dry, away from direct heat and sun.
Machine-washing (when you're busy)
Plenty of pieces survive the machine if you protect them:
- Always use a mesh laundry bag so straps don't tangle and hooks don't snag.
- Choose the delicate/hand-wash cycle with cold water.
- Fasten all hooks and clasps first so they don't catch.
- Gentle detergent only — skip fabric softener (it breaks down elastic).
Structured underwire bras and heavily embellished pieces are safest by hand.
Drying & storing
- Always air dry. The dryer's heat destroys elastic, lace, and shape. Lay flat or hang delicate pieces.
- Store bras cup-in-cup, never folded inward — folding warps the cups.
- Lay or roll delicate sets rather than cramming them in a drawer.
- Give elastic a rest — rotating pieces between wears helps them keep their stretch.
Quick don'ts
No bleach, no fabric softener, no wringing, no tumble drying, no ironing lace or mesh. When in doubt, cold and gentle wins.
The bottom line
Lingerie lasts when you keep it cool and handle it gently: cold water, mild detergent, a mesh bag if you're machining it, and always air dry. Five minutes of care buys you years of good fit — and protects the pieces you spent money to love.
Care for these: Bra & Panty Sets • Teddies & Bodysuits • Hosiery & Garters
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you wash lingerie?
Wash lingerie in cold water with a gentle detergent, either by hand or in a mesh laundry bag on a delicate cycle. Soak and swish rather than scrub, rinse in cool water, press out moisture without wringing, then reshape and air dry flat away from heat.
Can you put lingerie in the washing machine?
Yes, many pieces can be machine washed if you place them in a mesh laundry bag, fasten all hooks, use the delicate cycle with cold water, and skip fabric softener. Structured underwire bras and heavily embellished pieces are safest washed by hand.
Should you put lingerie in the dryer?
No. The dryer's heat and tumbling break down elastic, lace, and underwire and ruin the shape. Always air dry lingerie by laying delicate pieces flat or hanging them, away from direct heat and sunlight.
How do you store bras so they keep their shape?
Store bras cup-in-cup rather than folding one cup into the other, which warps the shape. Lay or roll delicate sets instead of cramming them into a drawer, and rotate pieces between wears so the elastic can recover.
