Caring for bras!

ElleEm

I hate bras. It is rare when you find one that fits perfectly, but recently I have, so over the past two months,I bought six of them. I promised myself that I would start handwashing them so I handwashed my first one this morning! I am hoping that it adds to their lifespan, as I find that the underwire constantly pops out of my bras trying to puncture my heart!

Do you do anything special to care for your bras? Handwashing or delicate spin on the washing machine? Or are you like me, where they get flung into the machine in order of the colours they match?

rainbow kirby

I know how I *should* care for them, but how I actually do care for them is a whole other matter. I tend to just fling them into the machine, particularly sports bras because I go through so many of them.

Scarinae

I put mine into a mesh bag and they go into the washing machine with everything else. I used to handwash them, but I hated doing it so I constantly put it off and always ended up with a backlog.

B0jangles

You know what I hate? Bras that are supposedly designed for women in the D - F cup range that have reeeeally thin shoulder straps. Like razor wire they are in a couple of hours.

(I'm looking at you, Tesco - they brought out a range of really pretty and quite comfortable bras, except for the damn straps were super narrow)

:mad:

Stepping Stone

In the last place that I lived, the washing machine was brilliant. You could set not only the cycke but the temp and spin. They used to go in to the machine on a 20 degree, delicate wash in a mesh bag.

In my current home, 40 degrees is as low as it gets so I hand wash them and then rinse and spin in the machine.

I buy my bras in Debenhams and since I started buying there (la senza is very sadly missed), I haven't had underwire issues. They seem fairly solid.

chuckles30

Mine go in a mesh bag in the washing machine - normal 40 degree wash - with the rest of my washing. I've never had a problem with underwire popping out, but given that I'm G/GG, mine are all Debenhams or Bravissimo..not sure if that makes a difference. With the price of them, it's just as well they last.

kylith

B0jangles wrote: »

You know what I hate? Bras that are supposedly designed for women in the D - F cup range that have reeeeally thin shoulder straps. Like razor wire they are in a couple of hours.

(I'm looking at you, Tesco - they brought out a range of really pretty and quite comfortable bras, except for the damn straps were super narrow)

:mad:

I hate it when the strap is only half adjustable, if you know what I mean, so that you can't take up all the tension. I got a 'full support' one with lovely wide straps, but I may as well not be wearing it for all the good it does me.

pwurple

Underwire popping out is a sewing job for me. I sew some stuff over where it pops out so it stays put.

czechlin

Ladies, where did you get those mesh bags?
I usually pop my bras in the washing machine on the quick cycle, 30° and a slow spin.
I hate hand washing

rainbow kirby

I got them in Lidl before.

Morgase

I bought a rake of bras in the US from Maidenform and love them. I think I hand washed them once and after that it's a 30 degree delicate wash in the machine. Life is just too short for handwashing if you hate doing it. However I do use the mesh bags, and they seem to be great for all the delicates.

I got my mesh bags in Lidl and in Lakeland - I think Heatons stock them too, and I'd be willing to bet you could find them in pound shops too.

czechlin

Thank you, I'll keep my eyes open

LenaClaire

czechlin wrote: »

Ladies, where did you get those mesh bags?
I usually pop my bras in the washing machine on the quick cycle, 30° and a slow spin.
I hate hand washing

I sometimes just use a pillow case as it does the same thing of keeping the bras from getting twisted and pulled as much.

AmyPL

B0jangles wrote: »

You know what I hate? Bras that are supposedly designed for women in the D - F cup range that have reeeeally thin shoulder straps. Like razor wire they are in a couple of hours.

(I'm looking at you, Tesco - they brought out a range of really pretty and quite comfortable bras, except for the damn straps were super narrow)

:mad:

I was so excited when Penney's finally stocked D+ bras... and then I nearly got my shoulders sawed off by those bloody straps! :mad:

I usually put the everyday ones in a mesh bag (I get them in Penney's), or I have some of the more 'decorative' variety that I hand wash- thankfully they don't get worn too often because I hate handwashing so much.

I've heard of people wearing their bras into the shower to give them a wash but I've never tried that so I can't really vouch for it. I'd be tempted to give it a try if it meant I could give the handwashing a skip!

sunshine and showers

I'm awful, I throw mine in the machine with everything else and often tumble dry them too. Woops! I need to get a mesh bag - my mum swears by them for bras and other delicates.

Marks is good for bigger sizes. I also recently discovered the Tesco F&F range which is good and a lot more reasonable than Marks! I think I paid 11 for a bra and 6 for matching undies. Penney's is a no go for me, as is Dunnes. It's such a pain!

rainbow kirby

I find M&S very poor for large cup/smallish band sizes (I'm a 32G/GG in general). The construction just isn't enough for the amount of boob it needs to support. I'm happy enough to splash the cash for Panache, Cleo and Freya, with the odd bargain from Debenhams.

YumCha

Not saying it's always the case - but shoulder straps digging in can also be a symptom of the band being too loose. If you haven't been measured properly, it's well worth it!

piperh

sunshine and showers wrote: »

I'm awful, I throw mine in the machine with everything else and often tumble dry them too. Woops! I need to get a mesh bag - my mum swears by them for bras and other delicates.

Marks is good for bigger sizes. I also recently discovered the Tesco F&F range which is good and a lot more reasonable than Marks! I think I paid 11 for a bra and 6 for matching undies. Penney's is a no go for me, as is Dunnes. It's such a pain!

What are they like for sizes? I've spent a fortune buying 34es then ending up with 4 boobs :-(

piperh

sunshine and showers wrote: »

I'm awful, I throw mine in the machine with everything else and often tumble dry them too. Woops! I need to get a mesh bag - my mum swears by them for bras and other delicates.

Marks is good for bigger sizes. I also recently discovered the Tesco F&F range which is good and a lot more reasonable than Marks! I think I paid 11 for a bra and 6 for matching undies. Penney's is a no go for me, as is Dunnes. It's such a pain!

What are they like for sizes? I've spent a fortune buying 34es then ending up with 4 boobs :-(

You should always try them on, even in the same shop different bras can vary

miamee

God I just fire all of mine in the washing machine with other washing, it never occurred to me to do anything else with them

That said, all of my bras are underwired and I think I have had the wire come out of one bra in the past 3 or 4 years if not longer. And that one had served me well at the time. The majority of my bras are from M&S.

I hear ya on the straps issue, D cups so not enormous but painful when the strap is too teeny.

Leogirl

miamee wrote: »

God I just fire all of mine in the washing machine with other washing, it never occurred to me to do anything else with them

That said, all of my bras are underwired and I think I have had the wire come out of one bra in the past 3 or 4 years if not longer. And that one had served me well at the time. The majority of my bras are from M&S.

I hear ya on the straps issue, D cups so not enormous but painful when the strap is too teeny.

I do the very same - once or twice over the years the wires have popped out. Bras can last me ages - but I have literally 100s of them so only a certain few are worn regularly. I'm not a big size though, maybe that stops them from stretching or losing shape? I dont buy expensive ones either.

LenaClaire

LenaClaire wrote: »

I sometimes just use a pillow case as it does the same thing of keeping the bras from getting twisted and pulled as much.

I do this too, and I close the pillow case with one of those plastic bag clips you close your frozen peas with so they don't spill all over the freezer.

Also, I don't have a problem with wearing a bra twice. I don't think they're subject to the same issues of hygiene as knickers or thongs are, so I usually buy sets of two bottoms and one bra, it cuts down the washing by 50% if you're a matching set compulsive like me.

LynnGrace

czechlin wrote: »

Ladies, where did you get those mesh bags?
I usually pop my bras in the washing machine on the quick cycle, 30° and a slow spin.
I hate hand washing

I got the mesh bags at one time, in Tesco. I have also seen them in the Poundworld/ Dealz shops and the Euro shops.

DoozerT6

I got my mesh bags in Heatons, the brand is Chefaid, and they were with all the kitchen knick-knacks for some reason!! They cost €1.50 each or something. I never hand wash, but I am religious about putting my bras in the bags, I have done this for years, and I tie the clasps on them too before putting them in with a 40deg wash just to help them keep their shape in case they're getting fired around a bit in the machine. I never tumble dry them though, they just get hung off the side of the clothes horse with everything else.

Being, ahem, 'bosomy', I tend to buy brand name bras in Debenhams or someplace, I would love to be able to fit into Penneys but I just can't - the girls are heavy and need decent support.

I have only ever lost one bra to an underwire escapee, and it was one that had cost me a FORTUNE!! I was fecking raging.

miss no stars

If your bra actually fits you properly the wire shouldn't come out- surely it only comes under lateral pressure if something is off with the fit? Only time it's ever happened to me was an ill fitting pennys bra. I've about 4 everyday bras, mostly m&s that I rotate, 2-3 wearings between washes (hate sports bras - never feel I can breathe - so the 3rd wearing would be a twice worn bra used for the gym or something). They go straight in the was on a 40 degree cycle. The trick is to avoid tumble drying cos the heat breaks down the elastic over time. If wires popping out is a regular thing, checking your bra actually fits properly (size AND shape) might be worthwhile.

Penny Tration

Stepping Stone wrote: »

In the last place that I lived, the washing machine was brilliant. You could set not only the cycke but the temp and spin. They used to go in to the machine on a 20 degree, delicate wash in a mesh bag.

In my current home, 40 degrees is as low as it gets so I hand wash them and then rinse and spin in the machine.

I buy my bras in Debenhams and since I started buying there (la senza is very sadly missed), I haven't had underwire issues. They seem fairly solid.

I found Debenhams bras the exact opposite. Every single one I've bought (well over 30), the wire popped out after no more than 5 washes, be it handwashing or machine. Crappy, inconsistent sizing, too.

I get all my bras from bravissimo, bramora and figleaves now. Still have the underwire popping out problem, but get about 20 washes from them

Penny Tration

Double post, oops.

Do that many of you really have a problem with thin bra straps??

I'm a 34H, and have never had an issue with thin straps digging in. I actually prefer thin straps! My back band fits perfectly though, so that might be why, no weight straining the straps.

Dolbert

Yeah the straps really shouldn't dig in. Since getting fitted properly my bras stay up on their own, the straps shouldn't weigh on your shoulders at all.

chuckles30

green_screen wrote: »

I found Debenhams bras the exact opposite. Every single one I've bought (well over 30), the wire popped out after no more than 5 washes, be it handwashing or machine. Crappy, inconsistent sizing, too.

I get all my bras from bravissimo, bramora and figleaves now. Still have the underwire popping out problem, but get about 20 washes from them

If I only got 20 washes out of mine I'd be gone broke :eek: I have some of mine for a couple of years!! How are you washing them? Have you been fitted for a bra? Even with Bravissimo, the sizes differ depending on the style....so it really is worth making sure that they fit correctly.

Penny Tration

chuckles30 wrote: »

If I only got 20 washes out of mine I'd be gone broke :eek: I have some of mine for a couple of years!! How are you washing them? Have you been fitted for a bra? Even with Bravissimo, the sizes differ depending on the style....so it really is worth making sure that they fit correctly.

I either handwash, or stick them in a pillowcase on 30 degrees.

I'm fitted in Bravissimo each time I'm up there, and try on different styles of bras to make sure I know the correct size I need in each style!