Lingerie, and why it fails early
A bra is elastane, hooks and moulded foam, and every one of those hates the same three things: heat, agitation and being wrung. Handled properly a good bra lasts years; handled like a towel it is finished in months.
Hand wash is fifteen minutes a week
Cool water, a small amount of gentle or wool detergent, swirl, leave ten minutes, rinse until the water runs clear. No scrubbing and no twisting, because the damage is mechanical rather than chemical. Press the water out between a folded towel.
If it goes in the machine
Fasten every hook first, so it does not find lace, and use a structured mesh bag rather than a soft one, which lets cups fold. Delicates or hand-wash cycle, cold, low spin. A bra that is spun at full speed is a bra being wrung.
Never the dryer, never the radiator
Heat is what kills elastane, and elastane is the entire fit. Dry flat or hang from the centre gore, not from a strap, which stretches the strap under the weight of the wet garment.
Store cups nested, not folded
Folding a moulded cup inside out creases the foam permanently and the crease shows through everything. Stack them nested in a drawer, or stand them on edge in a divider.
How often, really
Every two or three wears for a bra, unless it has been worn for sport or in heat, in which case straight away: sweat and body oils degrade elastane. Knickers and anything worn against the skin, every wear, and 60 degrees if there is any infection in the house.
Silk and lace
Silk is a protein fibre, so no biological detergent and no oxygen bleach. Cool water, a wool wash, and out of direct sun to dry, since ultraviolet yellows silk and rots the fibre over time.
