How to wash lingerie so it actually lasts

A bra does not usually fail because the fabric gives out. It fails because the elastic in the band dies, and elastic is killed by three things: heat, agitation and being stretched while wet.

Every rule below is really about protecting that one component.

1. Wash less than you think

A bra does not need washing after every wear. Two to three wears is normal unless you have been sweating heavily.

What matters more is rotation. Elastic needs about a day to recover its shape. Wearing the same bra two days running ages it faster than an extra wash would.

Briefs are the exception — those are washed after every wear, always.

2. Hand wash where you can

Cool water, a small amount of gentle detergent, ten minutes. Press the suds through rather than wringing or twisting.

Rinse until the water runs clear. Detergent left in the fabric stiffens elastic over time.

3. If you use a machine, protect it

• Fasten the hooks first. An open hook catches lace and shreds it — usually another garment's.
• Use a mesh bag. It stops straps tangling and cups being crushed.
• Cold, delicate cycle, low spin. Heat is what destroys elastane.
• No fabric softener. It coats the fibres and stops them springing back.

4. Never put lingerie in the dryer

This is the one that matters most. A tumble dryer will do more damage in one cycle than a month of wearing.

Dry flat, or hang from the centre gore — never by the straps. A wet bra is heavy, and hanging it by the straps stretches them permanently.

Keep it out of direct sun, which fades dye and weakens fibres.

Storing them

Do not fold one moulded cup into the other. It creases the foam and the cup never fully recovers. Stack them nested, or lay them flat in a drawer.

For anything satin or mesh — sleepwear especially — keep it away from anything with a hook or a zip.

When to let one go

When it is on the tightest hook and still rides up, the band is finished. No amount of careful washing brings elastic back, and a bra that has stopped supporting is doing nothing for you.

Typical life with this routine is a year to eighteen months of regular wear. Without it, closer to six months.