Delicate and light-colored, white lingerie can appear high-maintenance and intimidating to care for. The truth is that wearing and caring for white lingerie is easier than it seems. You just need to keep in mind some simple tips, keep a sensible cleaning schedule, and pay attention to long-term habits like drying and folding.
Good Laundry Habits
Caring for white lingerie doesn't have to be complicated. A few simple habits will help preserve its brightness and extend the life of delicate fabrics. Washing your white lingerie regularly helps prevent body oils, deodorant, and other residue from building up over time, making it easier to keep fabrics looking fresh. If you've worn a bra a couple of times, a quick hand wash or gentle rinse is often all it takes before stains have a chance to set.
Handwashing
Lingerie is one of the most delicate pieces in a woman’s wardrobe, so it’s preferable to give it extra special treatment by handwashing it. There isn’t much prep involved, and you probably already have everything you need in order to care for these fragile pieces.
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Be gentle
Lingerie needs much less effort than you think - it requires no agitation, and no friction. All you have to do is submerge it fully under water with a drop of delicate detergent. In a pinch, even soap, baby shampoo or body wash works. If it’s gentle enough for your skin, it’s gentle enough for lace or mesh lingerie. Allow it to soak for a couple of minutes. You can gently swish it around, then rinse it in cold water. Very importantly, do not wring your delicates!
Note! Materials like silk should be treated separately and not cleaned with regular detergent - the enzymes in regular laundry detergent are harmful to silk, so make sure to treat it extra carefully and only wash it with dedicated, gentle cleaning agents.
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Wash in cold water
The other thing to remember is to make sure the water is lukewarm to cold. Heat is one of the quickest ways to shorten the life of delicate fibres. Cold or lukewarm water is gentler on lace lingerie, elastics and mesh, helping lingerie maintain both its shape and color over time. In addition, lingerie typically doesn’t need an intense hot wash, like towels or sheets.
Machine Washing
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Use the delicate cycle
If you’re using a washing machine, there should be a dedicated delicate cycle that’s designed for items like lingerie and that’s going to keep your white lingerie nice and bright. This type of cycle usually has a lower temperature setting, with no unnecessary extra agitation.
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Use lingerie bags
This is more of a general maintenance tip, but make sure to separate your lights and your darks when you do laundry. In fact, in an ideal world, nice lingerie should be hand washed separately. That’s the best way to ensure its longevity and bright appearance.
But life is busy, so if you do need to throw your lingerie in the washing machine, a dedicated lingerie bag (or just a mesh laundry bag) can make a huge difference. That way, the delicate lingerie is protected and will not get snagged, rubbed, pilled, ripped, etc. And it also can’t damage other clothing that might get snagged in bra hooks or other closures.
Drying
Don’t: Put in the dryer
It’s very very important to never, ever put your lingerie in the dryer. The dryer is exceptionally harsh on all clothes and fibers, but it’s particularly hard on delicate materials like lace, silk, or mesh, and it also breaks down the elastic in the band and straps.
Do: Air dry
Air drying is preferable for delicate pieces - and all clothes, if you can. Ideally, your bras, panties, bodysuits, corsets, etc. should be laid flat to dry. If you use an indoor drying rack, do not hang your bras by one strap. That puts too much stress on the strap, as the bra is heavier when wet, and prolonged hanging will create damage over time. Instead, gently drape them over the lines to allow for airflow. That will allow your bras and panties to dry naturally, with no added heat or tumbling, significantly prolonging their life.
In Case Of Emergency
If you do get the dreaded yellow discoloration - or other types of stains, or just an overall change in color, then a special treatment may be in order. Individual stains can be isolated and pre-treated if necessary, but you can also just give your white lingerie a quick soak with a product appropriate for delicate materials.
What this does is remove that dull, muted appearance that white garments can get after a while and it brings back the natural brightness of white lingerie. Especially if your lingerie is made of cotton, which can withstand harsher treatment, this is the ideal solution.
Good Storage Habits
Your freshly washed, wonderful-smelling lingerie sets deserve to be stored with as much care and attention you devoted to cleaning them.
First things first - make sure that you give your drawers a good scrub at least every few months. You wouldn’t believe the dust and lint that can gather in the corners. Keep your drawers clean so that your clean lingerie is protected.
It’s tempting to just throw your white bras and white panties together in a pile - they all end up mixed together anyway, right? Wrong: the panties should be folded, either once or twice, into neat little squares. The bras should be stacked on top of each other if there isn’t enough space for them to be laid out separately. Do not fold them inside out.
Everyday Lingerie Dos + Don'ts
At Gooseberry Intimates, we believe that your lingerie is a part of you. The way you wear your lingerie is part of the way you care for these precious pieces. Being careful about choosing the right fabric for the day, ensuring proper fit, and the way you wash will prolong the life of your favorites.
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Do: Wear the correct size
Taking proper care of your most precious clothes is a form of self-care, and it starts with wearing the correct size. A size that is too small will put undue strain on these delicate garments, leading to their rapid breakdown. It won’t be very comfortable, either. When purchasing lingerie, make sure you compare your measurements to the size chart on the website. If you’re in between sizes, buy for your largest measurement. Your bras and panties should fit snugly, but still comfortably, with enough space for a finger underneath your bra band or the waist of your panties.
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Don’t: Overwash your lingerie
Lingerie isn’t just damaged by hot water, but also by overwashing. As a rule, clothes don’t need to be washed nearly as much as we tend to launder them, and especially for delicate items like white bras and panties, you should be careful and selective. Not washing enough can set stains long-term and create hygiene issues, but overwashing can deteriorate your lingerie quicker. Especially delicate lace and mesh lingerie, or elastic. Aim to wash every 3 to 4 wears, or as needed, in cases where the garments get stained.
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Do: Switch out your bras from day to day
Lingerie should be changed daily, not just for hygiene purposes, but because wearing the same piece every single day isn’t good for your lingerie. Bras need the time to air out, regain their shape, and settle. Prolonged, repetitive wear without breaks or cleaning can accelerate wear and tear caused by sweat or strain. Especially the elastic.
If we’re talking about everyday lingerie, you should have at least a couple of black ones and a couple of nude or white ones. That way, you’ll be able to seamlessly rotate them without it impacting your outfit choices because you don’t have the right bra.
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Don’t: Wear improper lingerie for the activity
The way you wear these pieces is very important, and taking a couple of minutes in the morning to think about what your day requires can help a lot when it comes to your comfort and the well-being of your clothes. For example, are you going to do a lot of physical activity? Opt for your micro lingerie set today, and not your lacy sets. Not only will lace chafe and be uncomfortable, but it’s not moisture wicking, and may even get pilled, worn out, or damaged.
That isn’t to say that your collection needs to be hidden away only for special occasions. But exercise care in the way you dress for your day. Silk lingerie and lace lingerie, in particular, are the easiest to damage with sweat, dirt, or strain, so think about that when putting outfits together.
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Do: Wear with light colored clothes
It’s heartbreaking when your white lingerie develops a dull, darkened appearance. But you can prevent that! The secret is to not just wash it separately, with whites only, but to also wear it with light colored clothes and avoid dark clothes. You may not notice it immediately, but dark clothes do rub off on lighter laundry. Denim, especially, will bleed, but so will a lot of other clothes and fabrics.
If you have a white bra on and you’re changing into a black shirt, why not also change your bra to a darker colored one in order to retain the brightness of your white one? It’s good practice, long-term, and you’ll notice the difference in color and lack of dark-colored pilling on the lingerie that you’ve only worn with matching colors.
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Don’t: Wear aluminum deodorant
Aluminum deodorant is great at keeping you fresh, but unfortunately, that often comes at the cost of your white clothes. Are you familiar with the yellow discoloration some white garments get in the armpit area? The way some individuals’ sweat interacts with the aluminum in the deodorant creates this reaction that results in yellow stains.
Because lingerie is so delicate, harsh laundry treatments or rubbing is ill-advised, so the best way to treat these stains is to prevent them. If you’re wearing white lingerie, consider an alternative deodorant option that will not leave yellow staining.
There are gel deodorants and serum deodorant options that do not contain aluminum; the formulas are lighter and less likely to transfer onto your clothes. Think about the way you apply deodorant, as well - do not overapply, and make sure to wait for it to dry completely before you get dressed. That’s going to minimize transfer and staining.
Not That High-Maintenance
White lingerie doesn’t have to be high-maintenance; in fact, it’s just as easy to take care of it as any other lingerie or delicate garment. Handwashing is always an option, if you want to be really gentle on your special items, but machine washing is a-ok! Just make sure to use appropriate detergent and a delicate program to protect your lingerie as much as possible. Beyond laundry habits, give your most precious items the gentle treatment they deserve, and put extra care and attention into the way they’re dried, handled, and stored. The way you care for your delicates will reflect in their longevity. Give yourself the gift of premium lingerie that lasts and lasts, from Gooseberry Intimates.