The Lingerie Blog

Lingerie has been a very important part of a woman’s wardrobe for centuries. Though the style of lingerie changed and evolved over the years, they still constitute the aura of allure and attraction.

Lingerie requires a lot of care as they are very delicate. It is important to read the note written on lingerie, which best describes the cleaning process. Lingerie should always be washed by hands, as they are usually made of lace, ribbons or very thin and delicate material which is susceptible to tearing easily. If you have to put it in the washing machine, make sure that it is on an easy cycle wash. Some delicate lace lingerie need dry cleaning to be washed carefully. Machine wash reduces or fades the elasticity of a garment. It is important to note that if your lingerie is machined washed or washed harshly very often, it will not last for a very long time.

While hand washing your lingerie, make sure that you use very mild detergent. Mild detergents protect the color of the lingerie from bleeding or fading away. Lingerie should be washed very carefully in Luke warm water; and it should not be rubbed too hard. If you wash lace or ribbon very harshly, it will tear. Wired or padded lingerie should not be washed in the machine for too long, as the wire may get detangled and the pads may get destroyed, making the lingerie useless. For best results, lingerie should never be put in a drying machine. You should always dry your lingerie on a string out in the open, to maintain the quality of the material.

Cotton is a very difficult material to maintain. If the cotton has not been washed with mild detergent it shrinks. Sometimes, they even loose their shape and get distorted, making it useless. The color of the cotton also fades away easily. So, make sure that you wash your cotton lingerie in Luke warm water, and not very hot water as that can damage the color and material, making the fibroids very weak. Cottons should be always dried flat or hung. Cottons shrink tremendously in drying machines. It is always advised to iron cottons when they are a little damp, to straighten out the wrinkles and creases. Ironing also softens the garment.

When it comes to silk, satins and synthetic, you should always dry clean them, as they are very delicate material. Dry cleaning also protects the material from shredding or loosing its color. If you are courageous enough to risk washing your silks at home then you should be very careful and use only mild detergents. The silk lingerie should be soaked in cold detergent water for about 20 minutes, to remove the dirt particles. Only cold water should be used, as it protects the color of the garment. If there are any stains or marks on the lingerie, you should rub it very gently, to remove them. Silk should be dried flat and then ironed very gently on minimum heat.

Don’t even think about just throwing your lingerie in the wash with all the rest of your laundry. With the diverse types of styles and fabrics on the market today you simply cannot through everything together. What you must do to ensure the life of your lingerie is either hand wash or use the delicate cycle of your washing machine and wash your lingerie by itself. As far a cleaning agents are concerned you need to be sure to only use the mildest detergents and fabric softeners since the materials used in most lingerie damages easily. This is even more true with fabrics that are very sheer as well as mesh and lace lingerie.

Some of the more expensive styles on the market may even require dry cleaning so be sure to read the tags on how they are to be cared for and if you are going to remove the tags make sure you remember the instructions. If you tend to have a poor memory you may even want to write down the instructions and keep them in your laundry area. Just as with other clothing, the more often you launder your lingerie the shorter the lifespan, you will get the longest use by hand washing.

As far as synthetics such as polyester, rayon and others you really have to be careful with washing and drying because they are so delicate. The best practice to be on the safe side is to wash these types of lingerie in the sink using warm water and a mild detergent. You should also be aware that garments with padding or wire will not last long if they are washed too frequently. If you choose to wash in a machine make absolutely sure that the setting is on delicate and as I mentioned before don’t wash other clothing with them. Drying can be especially harmful so be sure to only use a very low heat setting for a short duration of only 15 or 20 minutes or better yet let them line dry.

Caring for cotton fabrics can be very difficult because of shrinkage and other factors. Depending upon whether the garment is 100% cotton or a blend will determine what type of care you need to apply with more cotton needing more care. Cotton shrinks in a distorted manner and can become short, wide, and uneven if not handled properly. It isn’t that big a deal for t-shirts that you wear around the house but it isn’t attractive for your lingerie that you want to be sexy and form fitting. As with other delicates the best treatment is to hand wash with mild detergents and allow to line dry to avoid excessive shrinkage, you may need to touch up with an iron to eliminate wrinkles.

By Andrew Sharp

Having spent your hard earned money on your beautiful lingerie, then the last thing you want to do is see it ruined after the first wash. Unlike other clothing lingerie is very different when it comes to washing.

Babydoll’s and Chemises cannot be treated the same way as Jeans and Shirts and just be thrown into the washing machine on a normal cycle and left. The result would be a trip to your nearest lingerie store to replace the item.

Women’s Lingerie will not last for ever but by following some simple guidelines your Camisoles and Teddies will last longer and keep their shape.

Lingerie today comes in fabrics and materials that make caring for the item easier than in days gone by. Most of the underwear sold today will come with manufacturers tags recommending how to care for your Satin Babydoll or your Lace Bustier. These recommendations should be followed if the lingerie is to last.

The tags will separate your lingerie into different washes, dry clean only, hand wash and machine wash. Make sure you always read the label as to the type of wash as mistakes can be very costly. So let’s look at the different types of cleaning.

Dry clean only

This is probably the easiest option as the garment can only be cleaned at a specialist shop. This could cause a problem as lingerie is a very private item and not everybody would be happy to take their Teddy or garter Set into a shop to be cleaned. There are products available that can be used at home and imitate the dry cleaning process for those not willing to use a dry cleaning shop.

Machine Wash

The modern washing machine is a time saving invention but it can cause major damage to your delicate underwear if the instructions are not followed.

Always wash your lingerie in cold water and use a detergent specially recommend for delicates never use bleach. Never wash dark and light colors together. Finally combine this with the delicate cycle on your washing machine and your lingerie should have no problems with repeated washes.

However as I have mentioned before Babydolls, Chemises, Camisoles and Bustiers can be delicate items with lace trims, ribbons, hooks and eyes that need to be cared for. Just putting these items into a washing machine even if you follow the instructions above could result in damage. To avoid this put your lingerie into a lingerie bag for extra protection (this is a mesh bag that allows soap and water in, but stops your lingerie being stretched, and can be purchased from most department stores). Only put one item per bag as this will stop the lingerie becoming entangled. Also always make sure all the hooks and eyes and buttons are fastened, and that zippers are closed and ribbons and drawstrings are tied.

Hand Wash

Hand washing is the alternative to the machine wash. Again the principle is the same, always wash in cold water and use a delicates detergent. Soak the lingerie in a bowl filled with cold water and detergent for about 30 minutes then drain and refill the bowl with clean water and no detergent, leave for another 30 minutes then drain the water. This should be sufficient for most washes; however for stains or odours this process can be repeated. Never wring out your lingerie as this could effect the shape.

Drying

Again due to the fabrics used in your lingerie it is always best to hang dry or flat dry your garments. Dryers can cause un-repairable damage to your silk Chemise or satin Babydoll. If you have to use a dryer then leave the lingerie in the lingerie bag and set the dryer at its lowest possible setting. You will find that sheer fabrics such as mesh or Chiffon require no heat to dry.

So by taking a little care and reading the tags on your lingerie, your Babydolls, Chemises, Teddies, Camisoles and Bustiers should look as good as new wash after wash.

About the Author: This article was written by Andrew Sharp of http://www.sensuoussecretslingerie.com which features Exotic Lingerie including Bridal Lingerie and Plus Size Lingerie as part of our Women’s Lingerie ranges