Hand washing bras....

[Chimchar]

Massive boobs. Loads of bra trouble.
Found one single style in bravissimo that fits. Have bought a few new bras. They are hand wash only. The label said so.

I ignored the label first time and buggered up my brand new fucking expensive bra.

So anyway. I am hand washing the others. I can't seem to get them really fresh...there are still deodorant sort of marks where they sit high under my arms. And they still smell...not sweaty, but of deodorant.

What am I doing wrong? Or what is the answer to this?

Any help much appreciated.

[Pestilence13610]

After each wear let the bra recover for a day before wearing again.
Wash after 2 or 3 wears.
Hand wash liquid, lukewarm water.
Only 2 bras at a time in the sink, give them a good swish around. If cups are padded or foam lined, give them a gentle squeeze. Give a good squeeze/rub to the bit near your armpits. Rinse three times repeating the squeeze parts.
Don't use fabric conditioner.
Plonk in bucket and dry outside if you can, over the bath is ok.
Wrap carefully in clean towel and pat to get excess water out if you feel they are too heavy when wet.
Wash after every 2 or 3 wears.

[youngestisapsycho]

All my bras say hand wash only... They all go in the machine and come out perfectly fine. I can't be doing with all that hand washing malarky!

[ilovecherries]

Also massive boobs and expensive bravissimo bras. I never feel I get them properly clean either when hand washing, because the wires mean you can't really give them a good squeeze. I now do them in the machine, each in its own bag. Silk wash (30 and no spin). No more than 4 bras per load, and nothing else in the machine. Been doing it for a year now, with no ill effects. They don't survive going in with a normal load though, they get twisted and bent. Roll them in a towel, then drip dry.

[janethegirl2]

I have one of these padded mesh laundry bags and put the bras in that before washing in the machine. The bras seem to survive ok.

[DarkLikeVader]

Similar situation with big norks/one style or bra that works. I go for washing two at a time. Dump in bucket with hottish water, and I do use bio washing liquid, leaving for 10 minutes (or more if I forget which I usually do!) soak in freshclean water, rinse and hang on the line to drip dry. Keeps the colours fresh, wires in the right place, no smell!

[cathyandclare]

Life is too short to hand wash bras
I always machine wash mine at 30 degrees in a laundry bag and they seem to have lasted years with no problems.
< braces self to be told my boobs will be around my knees by November>

[Scuttlebutter]

I use a padded lingerie bag and machine wash them without any problems.

[Passthecake30]

I just chuck mine in the wash after every wear.::40c, full spin... 30gg and bras usually last a couple of years...

[CelticPromise]

I'm also well endowed and need expensive bras. I put them in the machine in a net bag and they do fine.

It's always worth checking Brastop, eBay and Amazon for the bra you want, sometimes discontinued colours come up at good prices.

[Chimchar]

Thanks everyone.

I too am of the thought that life is too short, and have never hand washed any bras. The last one though (the first of this new style...Panache 'envy' if you're interested!!) looked fine, but when I put it on after being through a machine wash, had bare wire underneath my boob...as if the fabric had melted off or something. I can't tell you how gutted I was.

Anyway.

Thanks for the hand wash tips. I've just washed my only three bras so one will be dry for tomorrow. I did follow all you've said above, so fingers crossed they're better this time.

Jeez. Because it's not difficult enough have mahoosive tits.

[Pestilence13610]

DD3 has mahoosive tits, this bra shop has been a godsend. 28gg asymmetric, no problems.
I wash a lot of bras

[ilovecherries]

Well, that's interesting, because I stopped wearing panache envy when I had two rubbed right through on the wires in less than a month. So I wouldn't be so sure it's you that caused the problem. Bravissimo gave me my money back on the second - the first I had chucked out in a temper. Worth calling them. I'm wearing the Alana atm, it's very comfortable.

[ArgyMargy]

One of the women in my NCT group hand washed all her baby's clothes with soap flakes. When she revealed this we all stared at her, speechless. Whenever anyone mentions hand washing it takes me right back to that moment.

[Chimchar]

Pestilence. Do they do mail order, or do you go in and try on?

Ilove I too threw the bra away...I could see though that it had almost been scorched because the bare wire had kind of plasticy melty bits on it...it doesn't feel that well made tbh. I'm sure the wires will pop through soon. It feels like an occasional bra, rather than a good sturdy every day one. Does that make sense?
I was wearing the Alana in a 30KK. It was the last style I had a few of, but it was physically cutting the skin on my rib cage. I went and tried this new panache one (30K) and the style is great. Very flattering. Fits well at a glance. But it causes the skin on my shoulders to be a bit sore.

It's kind of making the best of a bad job.

It's a bloody nightmare. My boobs don't seem to shrink no matter how much weight I lose. I worry about what will happen if they grow any more....

[Pestilence13610]

Don't think they do mail order, weekend away? Cathedral, stonehenge, bra shop...
With 3DD I think you should support you local bra shop, I spend a fucking fortune with them.
Google what is local to you.

[Notfastjustfurious]

Just went onto eBay as suggested above and someone is selling a used, damaged, bobbling and going slightly grey bra. Who the hell would buy that and why?? Sorry that has absolutely nothing to do with the op I'm just flabbergasted.

[Fairylea]

I buy all my bras at Bravissimo or online on eBay if I know the style and brand I want and I machine wash all of them. No problems yet in many years of doing so! I've heard some people put them in a pillow case secured with a hair band to stop the wires escaping and mangling the machine.

[Chimchar]

That'd turn into a very expensive bra!

We don't have any indie bra shops anymore I don't think...used to. It closed down years ago. I'm surprised really, because it was really bloody good, and I used to spend a fortune there!

[ilovecherries]

Yeah, I found it too flimsy for everyday wear - I needed a 36K in it, and it wrecked my shoulders as well as rubbing my skin off with the bare wires. It's a pity, because it looks a nice bra. I've got the Jasmine as well, it's comfy but a bit jiggly.

[Chimchar]

Notfast I too looked on eBay and saw the second hand scruffy bras.....I have the same thoughts as you!

Unless they're a thing...like buying other people's worn knickers.

[hollinhurst84]

If it's sort of deo that feels a bit.. Sticky? And doesn't come off
Here's what I do anyway. Soak entire bra in sink with any form of shower gel/shampoo that I hate
I get some fairy liquid or laundry liquid and an old toothbrush and gently scrub the armpit area
Can also use dettol powder stuff or napisan if it's a bit sweaty
After 6 months when the guarantee runs out, I machine wash in a special bra bag

[hollinhurst84]

Also can I recommend ewa michalak? Panache centre gores try to stab me and the wires are too high in the armpit. I do like curvy Kate but Ewa is the God of bra people. Wires that are cut low, padding, or sheer and colour! Even plunge bras
I think she goes to M cup now

[Cineraria]

I find soaking is the most important thing for me to get deodorant and sweat out (I seem to produce really strange strong hormone sweat when circulating or pregnant). I close all the fixings and leave them all evening soaking in warm water with mild hair shampoo, then I wash them in a net bag, tied so they can't move, using the woolens cycle rather than the delicates cycle.

Not sure if the ones I'm washing are more sturdy, though. Like you, I only have one style that works: Curvy Kate Tease and Ritzy in a 30J adapted to have unclippable drop cups for breastfeeding.

[CelticPromise]

Ugh at grey secondhand bras! Would like to clarify that I buy NEW ones on eBay now and again!

[imjessie]

Put them in the machine on the hand wash setting and drip dry. I cant see how they can be damaged by a machine unless it was really hot or the cycle had a fast spin .