to wash bra only once a week?

[CHJR]

I don?t think I?m a dirty sow but maybe I am. My mother died before I started wearing bras and well before and after that we spent a lot of time moving around, often unable to wash clothes or even shop for them (refugees), so sometimes I discover strange gaps in my, er, general knowledge. No one?s ever suggested I smell or anything but hand washing bras is such a bother, and the machine damages them, so I tend to do it only once a week, assuming I've not been especially sweaty. But of course I change pants daily, and vests ? is once a week too little for bras? What should I teach my DD?

And what about things like tights? Was a bit surprised recently to learn my SIL washes them after EVERY wearing, but even more surprised to realise she also doesn?t wear pants under them. She?s American though, maybe they?re just different? Or she personally is?

[imnotmymum]

I have 125 bras and 268 knickers. As I said been spring cleaning into colour mode so had a little count...sad sooooo sad

[TheRealFellatio]

Once a month?


I'm sorry but that's minting. Seriously.

[TheRealFellatio]

minging even

[TheRealFellatio]

And only handwashing it - my God after a whole month it will need an industrial deep cleanse. There is really no need to hand wash bras. Put them in a zip up bra bag and bung them in with your normal 40 degree wash. Unless you are wearing Rigby and Peller no harm will come of them, I promise.

[MadBusLady]

125 bras, seriously? I thought I was extravagant, I have nine!

[imnotmymum]

Well in my defence my Mother was a lingerie designer so from a young (lingerie wearing) age was bought up with lots of knickers I cannot kick the habit ...

[Ifancyashandy]

I've got about 70 bras. And each one has 2 pairs of matching knickers (thong and shorts). Matching. Always matching!

[imnotmymum]

Hearing you Ifancy ...

[WestmorlandSausage]

mine probably get washed every three weeks but I don't necessarily wear the same one day after day. I'm an unusual size and only have 3 bras that fit and not enough washing to put a load on more regularly. They don't smell... as far as I am aware?

[TheRealFellatio]

I do not own a single matching set. I am very particular about who my bras and knickers fit/feel and the liklihood of finding a prefect bra that just happens to come with the right shape/fit of knickers is zero for me. My knickers are all deeply unsexy M&S white, black or nude large VPL things.

[MsVestibule]

Maybe I should just start bunging them in the washing machine then! I'd heard the underwire could come out and damage the machine? But honestly, my bra really, really does not smell. My weekly shower sees to that .

The trouble is with these type of 'surveys' is that they're self selecting. I thought twice about confessing I only washed mine once a month; I bet there are quite a few more who won't admit it because they know everybody else on the thread will think they're a skank.

[birdmomma]

I only have 2 bras, they're from Bravissimo and cost a fortune. I change them every 5 days or so. They never smell or look dirty. I only change my tops / other clothes if they look dirty too. I often wear things for more than a day. It seems a bit wasteful to wash things every day. Obviously I change knickers and tights daily. I have to wrestle clothes off my partner after a week or so. He hates his clothes being washed. My bras just get chucked into the machine with everything else and they last ages. They are quite utilitarian though.

[TheRealFellatio]

The wires can come out if you wash them on a really high spin speed, but if you invest in a washable bra case from Lakeland this will not happen. Honestly - once a month is grim. And I am not an OCD clean freak - just a normal well balanced person with reasonable standards.

[nohalfmeasures]

I sniff mine- if they smell they get washed. Usually every 5-7 days. I think we have an obsession with washing clothes.

[TheRealFellatio]

I agree bird it is not always necessary to wash thing every day - except knickers, tights and socks. But on the flip side, there is a limit to how many times you can wear something that clings to any er...moist parts, (so that's everything except skirts and jackets and outer cards) before they will start to smell. It's not just BO - it's that musty, cloying 'fleabag' smell we all remember from the unfortunate kid at school. And cooking smells linger on clothes as well.

[Mintyy]

I wash my tops more often than my bras because my armpits are whiffier than my underboobage. If I am not sure whether my bra needs a wash or not, I give it a quick sniff . Wash in the machine in a laundry bag on at least 40. I never do a 30 wash.

[TheRealFellatio]

cardis, not cards!

[BegoniaBampot]

I'm truly gobsmacked. Not a clean freak at all but I thought I was pushing it at wearing a bra for two days! Will wear tops twice if it hasn't been sweaty and only worn for a few hours. Jeans And cardies/over jumpers will wear a good few times. But it's summer, do you do anything energetic - you must sweat at times.

[ToomuchIsBackOnBootcamp]

I would wear a bra for 2 days, always buy 2 pairs pants so I have a clean pair for each day to match, then wash. Usually 30c machine wash, although have occasionally put them in a 40c and they have come out ok. After bra intervention I am a 32e/f so they are not cheap for my size but they have survived thus far!

Never wear tights, hate them, but when I did at school they were washed every wear. And always pants underneath of course, urrgh, how could anyone wear tights right next to their fanjo? Yuk.

Very of those with vast collections of matching underwear, I would love more than the 3/4 decent sets that I have!

[BegoniaBampot]

I wear tights without pants sometimes. Nothing worse than seeing multiple lines and bulges under a nice dress. Tis no different from wearing pants, as long as your not dripping.

[EhricLovesTeamQhuay]

I'm shocked at those who wear them for weeks without washing. Would you do that with any other item of clothing? I'm not the most fastidious but I change my bra at least twice a week. Tights get a wash after every use, sweaty crotch isn't a great perfume!

[ZillionChocolate]

I might wear a bra for 3 days. I usually machine wash them. Have had underwiring come out 2-3 times in 18+ years worth of bra wearing. I'm lazy enough to risk it.

Wash tights after every wear. Don't like to put a worn pair back on after the gym etc.

[Cat98]

I wash mine about once a week. I only have 3 that I like to wear. What's the bra intervention thread? Think I may need it!

[eurozammo]

Every two days, unless it's really hot, in which case after every wear.

I've always bunged them in the machine at 30 degrees and they last for years.

Tights get really sweaty from fanjo and feet so absolutely get washed every time. I do wear knockers under them.

[birdmomma]

Yeah I deffo wouldn't wear clothes if they smelled at all. I'm just not very sweaty and it's winter here at the moment. DP's clothes sometimes get a bit fusty. I have to steal them for the wash when he's not looking. I also tend to do a lot of muddy stuff/extreme gardening at the weekends so I sometimes re wear really dirty clothes.
In my view, a bra can be worn longer than most clothes because it's protected from outer dirt and I don't have sweaty tits and my skin is kept pretty clean by regular washing.