TL;DR: A bra needs washing roughly every two to three wears, by hand or in the machine inside a delicates bag, on a gentle cold cycle, hooks closed and no fabric softener. Drying is always air drying, never the tumble dryer: heat is the killer of elastane. Store bras with the cups in shape, never folded one into the other. And replace a bra when the band feels comfortable on the tightest hook: at that point the elastic has given everything. Five small habits that double the life of the pieces you love.

---

Table of Contents

1. 1.How often should you wash a bra?
2. 2.By hand or in the machine?
3. 3.How do you dry a bra?
4. 4.How do you store bras in the drawer?
5. 5.When is it time to replace a bra?
6. 6.Frequently Asked Questions

---

A good bra is a small investment, and like every investment it pays back in proportion to how you treat it. The difference between a piece that supports after a year like it did on day one and one shapeless within three months is not the starting quality: it is the washing machine drum. The rules are few and quick; here they are one by one, valid for the whole Triumph bra collection and beyond.

How often should you wash a bra?

Every two to three wears is the working rule, with common sense as the referee: after a 30-degree day or a workout, the wash comes straight away. Washing after every single wear, on the other hand, is counterproductive zeal: every cycle stresses the elastic, and an over-washed bra ages early.

The real secret is rotation: never the same bra two days in a row. Elastane needs 24 hours to recover its shape after a day of work, exactly like muscles after training. Three or four bras in rotation last, together, far longer than any of them would alone.

By hand or in the machine?

Hand washing remains the gentlest: lukewarm water, a delicates detergent, a short soak, no wringing. But a machine wash done properly is a more than acceptable compromise, and above all it is what actually happens in real life. The conditions:

• A delicates bag, always: it protects from other garments' hooks and from rubbing against heavy items
• Hooks closed: an open hook in the machine catches lace and fabrics with surgical precision
• Gentle cycle, cold water or 30 degrees at most, low spin
• No fabric softener: it coats the elastic fibres and reduces their hold. The single most common mistake
• With similar loads: underwear with underwear, never with jeans and zipped hoodies

For lace pieces the gentleness doubles: the details are in the lace bra guide.

How do you dry a bra?

In the air, always. The tumble dryer is where bras go to die: heat degrades elastane, deforms moulded cups and shortens a bra's life more than any other mistake. The right alternatives cost nothing:

• Flat on a towel is the ideal, with the cups in shape
• Hung by the centre bridge or draped over the line at the middle: never by the straps, which stretch under the weight of the water
• Away from radiators and direct sun: heat is heat, even without a spinning drum

How do you store bras in the drawer?

The golden rule: cups keep the shape you make them hold. Padded and moulded bras belong in the drawer open, one behind the other as in a shop, with the cups in their natural shape. The habit to drop is the classic folding of one cup into the other: it creates permanent creases in the padding, which then show under t-shirts. Soft unstructured styles, on the other hand, forgive everything and fold however you like. If the drawer is small, better a few bras stored well than many compressed.

When is it time to replace a bra?

A bra worn and washed regularly gives its best for six to twelve months; good rotation stretches that, but not forever. The signs of retirement:

• The band is comfortable on the tightest hook: the elastic has used up its margin, and the band is the engine of support
• The band rides up at the back even freshly put on
• The wire has escaped, bent, or can be felt through the fabric
• The cups hold permanent creases or the padding has compacted in patches
• The straps slide constantly even adjusted to the minimum

When replacement time comes, it is worth re-measuring: your size may have changed along with the bra. Two minutes with the Triumph size calculator and the new purchase starts from the right number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I wash a bra at 40 degrees?

Better not: above 30 degrees elastane starts to suffer and colours fade sooner. Cold water with a good delicates detergent cleans underwear perfectly well.

Is a delicates bag really necessary?

Yes, and it is the best purchase under a fiver for your drawer: it prevents snagged hooks, wires bent by the spin and rubbing against heavy garments.

How do I remove a stain without washing the whole bra?

Dab the area straight away with cold water and a drop of gentle detergent, without rubbing hard on lace. Warm water sets many stains: always start cold.

Do sports bras follow the same rules?

Yes, with one difference: they get washed after every workout, because sweat degrades the elastic. For them too, no fabric softener and no tumble dryer.

---

For over 140 years, Triumph has created products designed to inspire beautiful feelings. Rooted in femininity, shaped by thoughtful design, and expressed with modernity, our lingerie helps every woman feel at ease in herself. We believe true beauty is a feeling that comes from harmony with the body and confidence in one's own femininity. At Triumph, we create the conditions for beautiful feelings to flourish. Because the greatest beauty is already hers. We simply help her feel it.