How to Care for Lingerie

Have you spent your precious hard-earned Aussie dollars on some sexy lingerie?

At Lovehoney, we want you to get the best from your lingerie. And that includes knowing how to hand wash lingerie, how to wash lingerie and how to store lingerie.

Lingerie needs to be stored, washed and dried with extra care and attention to keep it in tip-top shape. Whatever gorgeous fabric it’s made from - lace, silk or high-quality cotton - we know from experience that your sexy lingerie will last much longer if you take good care of it.

So, we've put together this handy guide to keeping your knickers unknotted and your lingerie looking lovely.

Meanwhile, if you’re shopping for more lingerie, our Sexy Lingerie Guides have got all the lowdown you need.

Are you curious How to Buy Sexy Lingerie for Women?

If you love a corset, here’s our Beginner’s Guide to Corsets.

How to Wash Lingerie

Okay, so you’ve worn your sexy lingerie and hopefully had a great time in it. Yay for you.

What now?

The first step is check the care label. You’ll typically find it sewn into a seam. Always read this label carefully before washing your lingerie.

We’ve suggested our tips below, but the care instructions from the manufacturer always trump any general advice, so follow them thoroughly.

To Machine Wash or Not?

Should you machine wash lingerie?

In general, our advice is to hand wash lingerie to keep it looking great for ages. And bustiers, corsets and basques should always be washed by hand.

But, it does depend on the type and quality of the materials used, so again - check the care label.

If you reckon you want to wash your lingerie in the washing machine, do as little damage as possible by following these tips.

Separate Colours

It sounds obvious, but let’s shout it out loud to be crystal clear: separate colours into white, dark and separate colours for each wash.

If you don't want your white chemise coming out of the machine bright pink, always separate colours. And keep any ham-fisted hubbies or little ones far enough away that they can’t create mayhem by chucking in a red sock.

Delicate Settings

It's a good idea to set the machine to a delicate or wool setting. That’s usually a low water temperature and gentle spin cycle.

Only wash your delicates with other lightweight fabrics - do leave your jeans for another load, sis.

Avoid Hot Temperatures

The higher the temperature, the more damage you risk. Sexy lingerie can shrink or make the dye run. We’d advise a cool to warm wash under 30 degrees.

For machine washable bras, remember to fasten the hooks and eyes to prevent them from tangling or snagging other smalls.

Bag It

A good tip is to place your sexy lingerie in a net bag or a pillow case before popping them in the machine. This keeps your special lingerie safer.

Without the protection of a bag, your bra underwiring can hook into and tear fabric, and even wreck your washing machine. The delicate detailing on lingerie can get also caught and ripped.

How to Hand Wash Lingerie and Delicates

There’s absolutely no need to panic if your lingerie comes with a Hand Wash Only label. While it can take a little extra effort, hand washing lingerie is better for your unmentionables in the long run.

Here are some tips for easy hand washing.

Cool or Warm Water

Fill your sink with cold or warm (not hot) water. Add a small amount of gentle detergent or lingerie cleanser. If you’ve got a baby or toddler in the house, baby shampoo makes an excellent alternative to a specialised cleanser, plus it’s cheaper.

Soak

Soak your sexy lingerie for about 10 minutes. That helps soften stains before you gently rub any stained or dirty areas. Then, use cool water to rinse until the water runs clear.

Lace

Lace lingerie should be treated slightly differently. Take the time to pre-treat any stains before you hand wash lace. Use a stain remover, but remember to check if it's suitable for use with lace.

Then add some warm water to a sink, add some gentle soap and gently agitate the lace. Sway the fabric around in the soapy water with your hands.

Drain the sink after washing and refill with cool water to rinse the lace.

How to Dry Lingerie

Under no circumstances, ever, no exceptions, should you put your lingerie in a tumble dryer.

The heat from a dryer breaks down the Lycra, spandex and elastic, drastically shortening the life of your precious sexy lingerie.

Don’t Wring

Do not wring lingerie. Any wringing, even hand wringing, can create wrinkles and creases that can be tough to remove. A better method is to gently squeeze out the excess water or press the garment between two clean, dry towels to remove the excess water - then allow it to dry naturally.

Line Drying

Line drying or drip dry is the best choice when it comes to lingerie. But avoid drying your lingerie in direct sunlight as the sun’s rays can discolour fabric over time. In the shade or even overnight are good options for outside drying.

For inside drying, place your garment flat on a clothes horse in a well-ventilated area to dry naturally.

Remember that clothes pegs can leave marks, so peg with care or avoid pegs if you can.

Top tip: Say you want to dry a bra but you’re short on time - use a salad spinner. It's quick, efficient and won't ruin your sexy lingerie, unlike a tumble dryer.

How to Store Lingerie

Do watch the video to learn how to store lingerie.

Here’s a quick summary.

Padded and underwire bras

• Twist the cups so they nestle together
• Or stack them up into a deck of bras
• Do up any fastenings before storage

Lace and delicates

• Put them into a lingerie storage bag
• Pop them into a pillow case
• Or use a drawer divider to keep them separate

Corsets

• Hang them on hangers
• Or lace it up to its closed position, then roll it or fold it

Hosiery

• Pair them up like socks and roll them inside out

Tights

• Fold them in half and tie into a loose knot

Detachable straps

• Put them in a storage bag

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