Clean underwear is one of those essentials in life – it keeps our vagina dry and clean, and also offers comfort. It prevents any microbe or bacteria from accumulating and festering in and around the vagina. This also helps in preventing any bad odor and itchiness.
Are you one of those that wait until you have run out of clean panties before you do the laundry? So there’s a correct and an incorrect way to wash your underwear.
With our handy guide, machine-washing underwear should be a snap. You should no longer dread the steps you need to go through to get clean underwear!
How not to Wash Your Underwear
How you wash these behind-the-scenes superstars can create a big difference in their durability.
Do give a look at the label of your lingerie and read the wash instructions to know about the fabric used. Do not wash with other clothes:
If you want to handwash, do it separately because underwear clings to your sensitive skin area for long periods of time it is suggested to wash it separately to avoid the transfer of bacteria from other clothes to them.
When you hand wash underwear use cool water and stick with the recommended amount of detergent. “If you use too much, that can leave a slick residue on top of the garment,” says Allen from the Women Health magazine.
As for the actual washing process, make sure to treat each item gently. “If you want the elastic recovery to stay, don’t twist or scrunch too much,” says Allen.
“You can put them in the water, swirl them around a bit between both of your hands, and leave them there to soak.
It is advisable you handwash when it comes to bras, especially the ones with wires. Be very gentle. “Give areas that have a lot of sweat build-up, like the bust-line and the straps, a good rub,”
Do not wring the bra in a rough manner to remove excess water; do it gently and then fold it against a towel before laying it out to dry.
However, if you opt to use a washing machine, ensure to get a laundry bag that’s specifically for your special little things.
The laundry bag will protect your undergarments from getting roughed up by other clothes (and will especially keep your bras from snagging other items).
“Hook the bras in the back before you put them in the bag so they don’t all tangled together,” says Allen. To make it even quicker, you can put various undergarments in the same laundry bag as long as everything is a similar colour.
Storing
“Storing is equally as important as washing. Lay your underwear flat in a drawer, so that they have enough room to breathe. In the case of bras, it’s better to store them standing up in a row so that the cups are inside of each other and they do not lose their original shape.”
