Gentle Care Laundering of Lingerie and Other Delicates

Lingerie can be extremely expensive, so taking care of it is important. As these delicate items are worn with direct contact to the body, choosing options to ensure that they remain in good, clean condition is a necessity. Gentle care for these items can be done in many ways and with many different varieties of detergent, wash cycles, and tricks.

Washing bras and panties is not as simple as tossing them into the machine and walking away. These items are often made with delicate materials like silk, satin and lace, so they need to be handled more carefully than a regular pair of cotton underwear or socks. Many washing machines and dryers come equipped with "delicate" cycles that involve less agitation, safer washing water temperatures and non-harmful drying temperatures to ensure the materials are not damaged.

For many, selecting these cycles and laundering the delicate items separately but with normal detergents is enough, but there are additional alternatives to this process that work equally well. If you look to choose a different type of detergent for your bras, panties and all other lingerie, there are a multitude of options from baby laundry detergent like Dreft to all-natural organic alternatives.

Baby detergent is designed to be safe for babies, meaning that there are no harsh chemicals, a subdued smell, and they are safe for all fabric types. Soap nuts are an organic option for keeping lingerie fresh and in good condition. These are actual dried tree fruits that contain an all natural cleansing agent - they are free of chemicals, biodegradable and leave washed clothing with absolutely no scent, so they are ideal for people with sensitive skin and allergies. Another potential choice is called Soak Wash. This liquid detergent is available in a variety of scents, and requires no rinse cycle - so it is an ideal substance to use when hand washing even the most delicate items.

A gentle lace and silk wash cycle may be too intense for some types of lingerie, but that does not mean that the garmeants cannot be cleaned, so Soak Wash is a good way to ensure that even if the item is not sent through an extra cycle in a washing machine, it is as clean as possible. Lingerie is purchased to look good, and even as time passes this should not change. Taking some extra time to ensure the proper care of even the most delicate pieces of clothing is imperative to the long-term survival of the garmeant.

It is also important to remember something else when you choose the method of washing - not everyone's bodies are the same, so selecting a natural option, or one formulated with hypoallergenic ingredients is a good way to decrease any discomfort or irritation to you.