Washing delicate and lingerie can be pretty tricky. You can hand wash these items and wash them in the washing machine. However, if you want to keep your underwear safe, it is better to hand wash them. We all know that handwashing clothes can be time-consuming and tricky. In short, there are both pros and cons for hand washing and machine washing.
I will show you the machine and hand wash methods to clean your lingerie and delicates. Both ways include the use of detergent. Later, you can choose the one that suits your needs the best.
How long your undergarments last depends on how you wash your clothes. Who wants misshapen undergarments with holes all over them? Nobody likes it.
Let us see some of the best ways to wash lingerie without damaging them.
Washing Lingerie with Hands
It is a much better way to wash lingerie with your hands than in the washing machine. Since they are made with delicate material, lingerie gets damaged easily and misshapen even with a little force. With hand washing, we can be sure it can remain safe and in shape. Here are a few simple steps to hand wash lingerie.
Get a Milder Detergent
If you want to protect your lingerie from unwanted damage due to detergent, it is safer to use a milder detergent than the regular ones. This will also benefit you while washing the undergarments as your hands will be kept secure from harsh chemicals.
You should avoid using harsh detergents on undergarments as they can deteriorate delicate clothes. If you have not tried using a specific detergent before, you can follow the instructions on the detergent bottle. Apply a bit of liquid detergent on the inconspicuous lingerie spot for the test.
Read More: How to Use Liquid Detergent and Dosing Balls?
Wear Gloves
This is the most crucial step that cannot be stressed enough. If you are sensitive to allergens, consider it an obligation, but wearing gloves is still necessary if you are not allergic to chemicals.
Read the Label
Do not forget to read the label as it contains important instructions regarding washing clothes. The water temperature you need will be written on the label. For most lingerie, the temperature should not exceed 30 degrees Celsius.
Separate the Lingerie of the Same Color and Fabric
Always begin by separating the light-colored lingerie from the darker ones. This will prevent color bleeding and color transfer. Still, if you want to be safer, you can wash your new bright clothing separately.
Treat Tough Stains
You can gently remove the tough stains from the lingerie using a bar soap. Wet the bar soap and gently rub it on the straps and portion containing color. Using cold water to treat stains, especially blood stains, can be helpful.
Fill the Tub/Basin
Begin the process by taking two tubs. You can also use the basin. Fill both the tubs with water and add liquid detergent to one of them. Mix the detergent well with your hands. After that, add all the lingerie you want to wash in the tub containing detergent.
Rinse with Cold Water
When you think that the stains from the undergarments got away, you can put them in the other tub containing cold water for rinsing. Wash them with cold water several times until no more detergent is left.
Tips to Washing Lingerie with Hands
It would be best not to leave your undergarments in the water for longer. Keeping it in the water for over an hour can cause damage to these items. To remove the stubborn stains, an hour would be enough. Leaving it for a longer time in the water may invite mold and bacteria to the surface of lingerie.
Do not rub the undergarments while it is in the tub. While your underwear and bra are soaking in detergent water, you can agitate or take them in and out of the water several times. This will be enough to remove all the dirt from the lingerie. Please pay special attention to the bra straps, as they are dirtier than the rest of the area. Move the underwear all around in the water to get the dirt removed.
Washing Lingerie in the Washing Machine
Washing undergarments in the washing machine can be the worst decision if you do it like any other clothing item. However, following some simple tips might help reduce the damage. When there is no time, and you need your panties washed, you only have the option of a washing machine left on your side. Go on with these tips to achieve the best results.
Mesh Laundry Bags
It is a myth that lingerie cannot be washed in the washer. You can do that by using proper products. You do not have to purchase a separate washing liquid for lingerie. Instead, the regular liquid detergent will do the job on the condition that you use mesh to protect the clothing.
Mesh laundry bags are great for washing lingerie in the washer. Mesh bags also retain the color and prevent color bleeding. They come in several sizes and shapes. Other than that, these bags can also be used while traveling to keep your lingerie secured and protected.
Start by placing a single piece of undergarment in one of the laundry mesh bags. Secure the bag by closing it and put it in the washing machine containing water and detergent. Make sure to select the shortest possible cycle.
The rest of the steps are the same for any clothing item, except that you should not put the lingerie in the tumble dryer for drying. Instead, lay them straight on a towel and try to remove the water by squeezing them gently.
A little effort can save your fancy lingerie from being damaged. If you usually do not have enough time to wash undergarments by hand, investing in good-quality laundry mesh bags is a good idea. They can save you from a lot of hassle.
Tips to Washing Lingerie in the Washing Machine
- Use cold water
Boiling water can shrink the delicates and lingerie; therefore, always use warm or cold water to wash the clothes, preferably below 30 degrees Celsius. - Sort by weight and color
Do not add light and dark colors together in the washing machine. Also, avoid adding lingerie to other clothing, especially lint-producing clothes. The weight of heavy garments can damage such delicate items. This is why I always try to wash lingerie with underwear only. - Read the labels
If the label instructs to hand wash only, do not go for machine washing. You can wait until you get time to clean that specific undergarment. - Go for a short cycle.
Do not let the clothes spin in the washing machine longer. This is likely to fade away the color and damage the item. Therefore, it is recommended to set a short cycle while washing lingerie. You can set the machine to a ‘hand wash’ or ‘delicate’ cycle to achieve the best results. - Remove lingerie right when the cycle ends.
Do not leave the clothes for longer in the washing machine. When the cycle ends, take the clothes out immediately. Otherwise, it can be the reason for the growth of mold and mildew and can cause damage to the undergarments. - Reshape the undergarments
No matter what you do, undergarments get misshapen when washed in the washing machine. This is why you should immediately lay them down and reshape them. Also, remove the water by squeezing them instead of putting them in the dryer. - Never put in the tumble dryer.
Lingerie is usually made with a thin or very delicate fabric. When such items are put in the tumble dryer, the life span of such lingerie will likely decrease. Dot temperature also misshapen the undergarments and shrinks them. Tumble dryer is an enemy of undergarments; therefore, try to avoid them at all costs. The better option is to go for an air dryer or use the dryer on cool settings. - Do not hang the lingerie.
You can place lingerie over a towel instead of hanging underwear to dry them. Gently squeeze the lingerie to remove the water. Do not be harsh on it. - Do not overload the washer.
Do not add a lot of mesh bags to the washing machine at once. There should be enough space in the washing machine to remove the mesh bags freely. Otherwise, the lingerie inside mesh bags will not get effective cleaning.
Washing Delicates in Liquid Detergent
Delicate fabrics are all pleasing to the eyes and look amazing to wear. No doubt, delicates are expensive compared to other clothes, and that is why we need to take special care of them in order to ensure a long life span.
By putting in a little more effort, you can keep your delicates looking new forever.
What Comes Under the Category of Delicates?
Fabrics with embroidery and lace come under the category of delicates. This may include chiffon, silk, linen, wool, etc. These fabrics should be kept away from heat and any such thing that is likely to shrink them.
Washing Delicates
Hand washing is so far the best method for cleaning delicates without damaging them. However, try to pick a liquid detergent with less harsh chemicals to completely protect the clothes from any damage. The whole washing process is similar to how you wash lingerie, being more gentle on the embroidery and embellished part.
Add everything in a tub or basin and gently swirl the clothes inside. You can also take in and out several times to ensure that dirt is all gone away. Do not attempt to rub the clothes against each other or against the wall of the tub. Rubbing is what actually damages the clothes.
If you do not have enough energy to do everything with your hands, spend a few bucks to buy bigger laundry mesh bags. High-quality mesh bags last really long. By adding clothes in such bags, you can simply throw them in the washing machine containing water and liquid detergent. This will prevent the delicates from snagging and stretching.
Make sure to keep the delicates of the same colors in the same cycle. Dark-colored delicates should be washed separately from the lighter ones.
Special attention should be paid to the stains when pretreating them. You cannot use regular detergent directly on the delicates to remove the stains. You should rather get a suitable pretreat solution made especially for delicates to remove them. Harsh chemicals in regular detergent can destroy delicates in no time.
Drying Delicates
Drying delicates in a dryer can shrink them right away. However, a better solution is to keep them in a mesh bag and put them in the dryer with the air-fluff option. Before doing that, do not forget to read the label.
You can also lay the delicates flat on a line to dry them. Delicates should never be kept in direct sunlight as they can also be quite damaging.
In Conclusion
The amount of anxiety and stress uncleaned lingerie in the hamper gives is unmatchable. The thought of getting up and washing everything with hands is traumatizing. Now, you can save yourself from the hassle of washing everything with your hands just by using a laundry mesh bag. You do not need to spend on anything else. You can even wash lingerie in ordinary liquid detergent when you use the mesh bag.
However, you need to spend some time washing delicates with your hands. With special care and attention, while washing, you can increase the life span of your delicate clothing items.
Do follow the above-mentioned tips to save delicate items from color bleeding and any other damage.