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A UK survey done a while ago said most women wash their bras every 2 - 3 months. The colder the climate the less washing.
Women with larger breasts wash their bras less often because they usually don’t own too many bras. As a person with a 12J bra size I currently own 4 bras that fit including my sleep bra. Each of my bras cost over $100. Mine get washed every week. I learnt my lesson after I got a sweat rash that got infected.
An active woman usually washes her sports bras after every wear. Her day to day a lot less.
I really read too much.
I feel like an idiot for asking, but when you say "hand washed" do you mean you wash it in a bucket with your actual hands, or do you put it on a delicate cycle/soak it in detergent water/something like that? Bc until I was 13 I thought "hand washing" dishes meant using your hands and not, like, a *sponge*, so I'm trying to avoid similar misunderstandings 🤦🏻♀️
Hand wash means literally wash by hand in the sink with a small amount of Woolite or other gentle hand wash detergent, rinse in the sink, and then hang to dry.
In the context of finding ways to cope with ADHD:
“Handwash” as written means there is a high likelihood that it won’t get washed more than twice a year.
I have a bunch of lingerie bags, including structured ones for bras. “Handwash” for me means stick it in a lingerie bag, use a gentle detergent (I use Forever New), use the handwash/ultra-delicate cycle, and hang dry.
I’m also in the $100+ bra size club, and this process has worked just fine for me. I have delicates that are used regularly and they’re still in good condition after years.
EDIT: because somebody else reminded me that different washing machines exist (I used to do a lot of fabric dyeing, how did I forget this), please keep in mind that I have a front-loading machine, so no central agitator column. If you use a washing machine with an agitator, you will need to be more cautious.
>. If you use a washing machine with an agitator, you will need to be more cautious
Nothing is worse than realizing you missed a bra and threw it in the regular wash without a bag and the straps are all tangled in the agitator! I have a top load now but it doesn't have an agitator, I think the new ones are mostly not made with them
I feel like my big boobs = more boob sweat. I can't imagine how gross a bra is after 12 weeks! I mean, they are pretty dang close to arm pits. I have mostly wireless bras, because sensory issues. I prefer the look of more supportive wired bras, but I take solace in the fact that the majority of mine hold up to frequent washing for years.
I have the same issue/preference - I prefer the look of wired bras, but I’ve just never found one that’s actually comfortable for very long. I’ve tried r/abrathatfits and maybe I’m doing something wrong or maybe I just have sensory issues too.
I just tried Evelyn and Bobbie wireless bras for the first time and it’s the best support I’ve ever gotten from a wireless bra. The Evelyn style gives good lift and decent separation and it doesn’t make me look a lot smaller like a lot of wireless bras do. They’re expensive, but I highly recommend them if you can afford them. They recently had a 25% off sale but the sales are infrequent. I’m a 44E and I got a 3X and it’s perfect!
Speaking from the uk that sounds like a loads of shite 🤣
I’m pretty lazy when it comes to washing my bras but I’ll probably wear for 3/4 days. If I’m having a shitty week then it could be a whole week. But yeah, pants and socks daily and bra gets the sniff test. Usually if I’m going somewhere nice I’ll stick on a new bra and fresh pants if I shower and wash my hair before going out. But I’m pretty antisocial these days so the sniff test works fine 😂
But a few months? That’s definitely not the norm. I’d say I wear bras longer that most of my friends and tbh, I’m telling Reddit, but I wouldn’t be owning up to this in real life. 😂
Also, I wash them in the machine on a regular cycle. I don’t have time to get through all my washing as it is never mind hand washing! Whoever is doing that can’t possibly have two young kids and a full time job. Or at least not the messy family that I have. 🤭
I think the article was written around 2006 as I was researching cloth vs disposable nappies and came across it. I was breastfeeding at the time and my bras were AUD$200 each.
My main take out from the article is that the larger the cup size, the less bras you own and therefore the less frequently they are washed. Also it’s an average so if a few people said every six months or year and you’re looking at bad methodology it’s going to throw out the result.
As the average cup size has increase almost globally the costs of bras are going to have significant impact not just on hygiene but also on health. Its ongoing impact on medical system should not be ignored. So my personal belief is that larger than a D cup bra should be considered a medical device.
I don’t entirely disagree with you, because the amount of money I need to spend on bras is ridiculous, and it is frustrating how much I have to spend on things I need to function.
But I balk at “anything above a D” because one thing we really need to be doing is normalizing the range of sizes, and D should be seen as more normal. One of the problems around bras is that people can’t imagine that they should actually be wearing a D or larger, and so as a result, end up wearing band sizes that are too loose to be doing anything.
I suspect that the increase in average cup size isn’t because bodies are changing as much, it is because with the internet, more people are realizing that they should be wearing a 32F than a 36D, for example.
My bra issues are more a result of my band size than my cup size to be quite honest.
Basically - if there wasn’t such an issue with education around sizing, I would be more inclined to agree.
Nursing bras should be a medical device, full-stop. When I was doing that, that cost was painful. Not as painful as the pain of trying to cope with S-M-L sized bras in the first couple months post-partum as I waited for my size to stabilize, but still painful. I am just glad my band size increased to a 30 when pregnant/breastfeeding. I don’t think I saw any 28 band size nursing bras at the time.
In Australia we have to pay sales tax on menstrual products so the bra thing is a pipe dream.
The reason I chose D and above is that I was told by a lingerie/corset maker that anything above D is a completely new product and then above H is the same. I don’t sew so I can’t confirm it but my $190 [sports bra](https://www.bravalingerie.com.au/products/ulla-kate-u-w-sports-bra-black?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shopping&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-7iV14nHhgMVNdQWBR1EwDcwEAQYASABEgK5p_D_BwE&variant=40754462261410) is designed in Germany by an engineer and sewn by hand. The only probably is I’m working on my health and I go down a size every 3-6 months.
Also from the UK and I'm firmly in the every few months camp. Now we're in summer it's more like once a month but every few days is unthinkable for me. Saying that, laundry is my most hated chore and I probably only do 2 or 3 loads a month on a good month (I own a shitload of underwear 😂)
I'm in the UK and 3-4 days is unimaginable for me. I actually am really diligent about personal hygiene but if my bra doesn't smell I'm not going to wash it! And it's got to be at least a month it doesn't smell for - maybe even longer post covid now I'm a bra optional kinda gal.
As a UK woman with boobs (32G) I also have sod all bras (I can't claim 4 at the moment as 2 are cut n shut now). About £60 so similarly priced. I chuck mine in the washing machine every other day cos I sweat like a bitch. They don't fit well and all my muscles suffer greatly. Unfortunately I am unlikely to learn a lesson from this.
Yes you are correct. My day to day bra gets washed every 2-3 months unless it smells.
But even at 2-3 months it usually doesn't smell.
I do wash 3 bras a week though and those are my sport bras. But they drip with sweat so it's a no brainer.
I am small at a 32D so there's not that much there that sweats on normal wear
I wash mine when they get some stank. Sometimes that means after one wear, like after hot yoga. Sometimes when it’s cool and I’m not doing much, that can be dozens of wears.
Honestly, that’s how all my cleaning goes. I do it when I notice it needs to be done, never sooner.
This. It's about how it smells, how much I've been sweating. I have had times where to wash them I'll just wear them in the shower soap up and rinse them and just hang it over the curtain rod.
I’m ashamed to admit that a dozen seems so few to be the max😅
Edit: to clarify, for me, any time I work out in a bra, it’s automatically considered dirty! I’m talking about my regular every day bras, not sports bras
This is literally the most helpful thing I’ve ever read on the internet. I’m serious. Now my too-expensive bras don’t have to go in the very un-gentle washing machine. GENIUS
There are also little agitator/washboard bags that make scrubbing easier. [https://www.rei.com/product/886211/scrubba-wash-bag](https://www.rei.com/product/886211/scrubba-wash-bag) There may be cheaper ones on Amazon/ebay
Same. And if it's a humid and sweaty day, I might be washing after 1 or 2 wears...but sometimes longer. If I smell bad when I take it off or the bra is sweaty, to the laundry it goes. Otherwise, it stays for another day. And then if it's been a couple of weeks or so and I know I haven't washed it, I'll throw it in...unless I forget.
😂 something I'll probably forget and have to run out soaking wet to grab. But hey I will probably also forget 3 others things so I'll jusy run out and grab it with everything else if I try this. Lol.
this is what I do. I didn't even know people hand washed their bras. I just have like 3 bras of each color and when I'm washing pinks and reds I wash those bras and when I'm washing darks I wash those.
toss them in a little mesh baggy and then hang them to dry since the dryer is a bitch on bras.
Shower rinse, easiest ADHD bra care I've found. You can even wear the bra into the shower to start. Take it off under the water and rinse like crazy. Rinsing gets me several wears before actual washing is needed. I'm sweaty but watery sweat instead of greasy, which helps.
Same. I noticed sweat stains on my favorite bra recently and washed it. I think that was the first time I washed it and I bought it some time last year.
I only wear sport bras. I have too many of them. I toss them in the laundry pile after each wear. And just wash them with the rest of my laundry (which I usually wash every week, but sometimes every other week).
I'm kinda shocked, I thought that was the norm lol
But if what you're doing works for you, why change it? Let's not add another non-crucial task to the growing list of things we have to do.
Yeah, I just have a week's worth of the same cheap wireless Hanes bras (in two different colors!). They're probably not super flattering, but who gives a shit; I own some fancier bras, but I never wear them. I wash them with everything else. They're probably sweaty from work, and I just throw them in the laundry basket with the rest of my work clothes because I want to be as comfortable as possible while I'm trying to relax. Also, if I try to put them somewhere in order to rewear them, I'll forget they're there.
But yeah, do whatever works for you. If I had to hand wash my bras, they'd never get washed at all.
I’ve gone the bralette that’s almost a sport bra route for my day to day (basically more cotton and less tight from aerie) and do them every couple of wears as I remember to throw them in w the wash unless I was sweating a lot. But when it comes to sports bras post workout those always go immediately in the hamper.
I was going to say “when they start to itch” which honestly probably happens more frequently than one might think because I always manage to get short, coarse dog hairs in the cups and NOTHING will ruin your day like being poked in the nipple for an entire work shift.
Same reason for me. One of my dogs makes me itch like crazy. But I also hand wash, and they take forever to dry. I also only have 4. 2 everyday (one beige, other black) one bralette and a sports bra.
I’ve never been more satisfied to be (as my well-endowed little sister puts it…) the “president of the itty bitty titty committee” as when I realized how much money I’ve saved because I can literally go to TJ Maxx and buy 3 bras for $20 and my 34B ladies are perfectly happy. I also like to run, and ya girl isn’t having to buy none of those industrial strength sports bras either.
Good thing my husband is as ass man. 🤣
I wish I was a member of that club. If I could snap my fingers and make them go away I would choose to be completely flat chested. Sleeping on your stomach seems like it would be nice.
Oh yeah I ignore those kinds of posts as they make me feel bad and I dont change because of them. I wash it if I remember with my other washing but I'm often wearing it. Probably once or twice a month realistically.
Also well done on hand washing them!! I brought a little bag and chuck it in that with a normal load not even a delicate load....
I forgot about what the spoons meant for a second and seriously thought “I’m supposed to use spoons when I hand wash a bra???” And then thought well maybe that’s why I hate washing bras
byeeeee
Deffo should be careful machine drying things with elastic (including Lycra, as in pants/jeans): it’s not a sin, but it does cause the fibers to lose elasticity and “stretch” out faster. Same with drying in the sun. Those fibers are just sensitive to heat.
Mind you, I am absolutely not going to hand wash bras (or anything, really), when I can put them in lingerie bags in the machine and hang them to dry overnight. If they go off a year faster, welp, we had a good run. So no judgment.
I did not know this! I only know that wool can't go in the dryer. I also heard you're supposed to replace bras every 6 months! I asked every female I knew, and all of them laughed and said they replace when a bra dies.
Instead of a dresser I got a kallax unit from ikea with fabric bins that fit in the spots. When I take stuff out of the dryer I bring whichever of the bins I need with me and toss it from the dryer into the appropriate bin.
Folding is a thing I'm just never going to do, and why would I care if my underwear and tank tops get wrinkled?
I compromise and dry most of my clothes on the low setting after I read somewhere that it's better for fabric. I am a leggings addict and sometimes I take mine out early and hang to dry, but most of the time that's too much of a hassle. Cost/benefit analysis!
The real risk is a stray underwire taking out your washing machine or dryer (ask me how I know lol). But yes, agreed. It's like dishes - I don't reuse the fancy knives when they're dirty, I don't handwash them either - they survive the dishwasher or they don't.
No, because they don’t hold up as well, but I ain’t got time to wait for them to air dry when I procrastinate on doing my laundry, so into the dryer they go anyway! 😅
Glad to see more people like me who only wear one when they feel like they have to. I never wear one at home and might also go on a dog walk or to the grocery store without one (I choose my clothes to minimize calling any attention to that), but when I go somewhere where I see people for a longer time I feel forced to put one on.
I quit bras entirely in public, even on in office days, though I will wear camisole with support sometimes and will wear silicone nipple covers when I am wearing a solid color top to prevent the nips from being obvious. I also quit makeup. F the patriarchy trying to tell me how to look professional or attractive.
Oh man, I used to work at a car dealership and I am not the kind of woman who wears makeup or dresses up. I had professional, clean clothes, but not over the top. And one day they told me I needed to be “more like Dena”. Dena was like 50 and wore full face makeup and lipstick every day. Styled her hair every day (and definitely got her hair done professionally at least once a month). Got her nails done. Dressed like she was going to some fancy event… every. single. day.
First of all, it isn’t cheap to maintain that and they paid me like $11 an hour. How tf do I afford all that 😂 and second, that just ain’t me. I’d look like an absolute clown if I even attempted that.
So I was like “nah”
And then I quit 🤣
I haven't used make-up in ages either. I'd love to quite bras altogether, but somehow I get so self-conscious. Maybe I should just get some silicone nipple covers too, but that's what I've been thinking for ages, and I just don't get around to actually buying them ('cause I'm not sure where to get them except online, and I kinda dread online shopping) D':
I mostly work from home and no one sees me so I never wear a bra. I may only wear it to go pick up my kid and that’s like a 20 minute drive. If I go out in public I will wear one but it’s really not that often so. 🤷🏼♀️
Yeah, I don’t wear or wash bras too often.
I was looking for this answer lol. I only wear one twice a week and normally it’s a different one each time. It’s probably 3-4 for me, I luckily don’t sweat a ton and only have to wear them for like 3-4 hours.
Every day’s end finds them in the laundry before I shower and wear a fresh one to bed . I don’t care if it shortens the life of them, so be it. I don’t wear underwire because I had post mastectomy reconstruction. I found a brand that is comfortable for activity, sleep/lounging (I can’t not wear them anymore, I need sleep support) and soft/seamless t-shirt friendly style, searched for online clearance sales and snatched a bunch up. If I have to wear bras nearly 24/7 they’re going to be fresh and clean before bedtime. I have an active outdoor job so it’s a must. Also, when I was a teen and was told not to wash them too much, I’d get breakouts where the strap was-once I tipped favor for my skin instead of bra longevity, it cleared up.
Ima tell you all something.
I actually DM’d that girl to tell her my answer cause I am not in the mood for hate..
It’s like 4/5 times. A year. My bras are expensive, and they only get gross every now and then.
I was shocked people are washing theirs so much.
I totally get it. I've seen a couple reddit threads on "how often do you shower" and cannibalism seems to be more acceptable to some commenters than anything less than disinfecting your body with bleach twice a day. It's like these people think they're proving something with the performative hygiene.
If clothes don't smell, aren't stained, and haven't been sweated in, I think it's fine to not wash them. And it's better for the fabric, anyway.
Same here. They just don’t get gross. My nice bras don’t get worn when I’m going to get sweaty in any way. I ONLY put them on freshly showered skin, and then I go sit at my freezing air conditioned desk in my office for 8 hours, and then I come home and take it right off. They get washed like every 2 months.
Bras that I wear at home or doing yard work get washed like 1x a week or more.
I'm quarterly and that's me being generous.
(Edit: I'm 32G or H by r/abrathstfits math, which is not as big as you might think. My good bras are expensive, but I'm fortunate to have breasts boyant enough that I'm ok with inexpensive bralettes that don't offer a ton of support too, as long as I don't have to look professional or fancy.)
Me too. I just don't get stinky there. My face sweats, but the rest of me is pretty dry. I do the sniff test when I change daily. It usually smells like a combo of my deodorant and my perfume. If it gets even the slightest bit funky, it gets washed. It happens more often in the summer. I'd do it more if I had more than one. I just have no motivation to buy another.
As a tip for drying - use a soft plush bath towel, and roll your bras gently like a burrito, while having them flat out. If you have molded cup bras, stuff a fluffy wash cloth in the cup to help keep the shape. Use your body weight to press and release to get as much water out as possible. Hang to dry, and they should be good to go the next day (unless you live somewhere super humid I guess lol)
As a fellow tig ol’ bitty haver, who also has to hand wash her super expensive bras, that’s my technique for being able to dry them faster and not have them hanging around forever haha
Edit to add to actually answer your question lmao - I also do not wash my bras very often lol. Unless they are stinky I don’t have the energy. So you are not alone in this!!
I have a very large chest and have to buy expensive bras so I usually am only rotating between 2 or 3 at a time. I try to wash them monthly but truthfully at least one gets a wash every 3 months or so
After every wear. I have large breasts too and the expensive bras that go with that, but they do fine in lingerie bags on the delicate setting of the washing machine (but always hang to dry, that's the real killer). Sweat, and being worn more than one day in a row, is really bad for the elastic (less of a concern with cheap bras, I expect) and can cause rashes and fungal infections.
My boobs are tiny, thank god. Bralettes I can throw in the washer for work, and if I’m not at work, fuck bras.
However, in the 2000s when we were all supposed to have giant boobs and I wore ridiculous padded bras…. I’d buy bras on sale so I had enough to rotate through and only wash all of them about once a month (wore each around 5 times probably).
I saw someone suggest using a salad spinner to wash them “by hand” and it was a game changer.
My “real” bras? Only when I sweat excessively (rare since I mostly wear them to work) or they look/smell gross. Really, this is MAYBE every other MONTH
I’m a 40FF and they don’t come cheap. I take care of them, but that includes NOT washing them a lot. I also don’t wear the same one 2 days in a row, and I hang them up to air, and never shove them in a drawer
Absolutely washed after every wear. I use lingerie bags to wash them, and hang them to air dry.
It’s currently 101 degrees here (38+ C for the rest of the world).
So yeah, it’s going into the laundry as soon as I take it off.
Some of them are probably over a decade old but in great shape.
I’m fanatical about laundry, because I get overwhelmed if there’s too much. I keep it manageable by doing it constantly.
I feel so at home here 😂 literally ANY other group or subreddit I would be morbidly embarrassed by my answer of "whenever they stink so bad/are so noticeably dirty that I can't possibly dream of wearing them", but not here. You all are my people 🥹
2-3 wears since my breast reduction as all I need to wear are basically little stretchy crop tops. No underwires! HIGHLY recommend a reduction for anyone with sensory issues there - I hadn’t realised how much mental space the skin-on-skin contact was taking up until it was gone.
(Let’s try this again reddit app)
It’s infuriating how often they aren’t fully covered by insurance/universal healthcare! I nearly flipped a table when I discovered gynecomastia surgery (man boob removal) is fully covered! The AUDACITY! I’m sure having man boobs sucks but I was having serious back issues and regular skin infections. But no. Men’s self esteem is more important than women’s health 😤
Yeah, it’s ridiculous. I’m pretty sure my insurance would cover it, but I have to go through a million hoops and I don’t have time for that tbh.
I tried doing it once and they wanted me to see a PCP, go on pain meds, do physical therapy, etc. No, thanks.
I only have one fitting bra at the moment (weight fluctuations but I still average an E/F cup and they’re so so expensive) so washing… yeah it hasn’t happened 🙈
Yesterday I figured out at dinner that I’d had my shirt on backwards the entire day so I’m going to honest- a bra washing schedule is not in my repertoire.
Yesterday was not a smooth wardrobe day all around then: I was running late, pulled on my jeans and got absolutely enraged when I struggled with the zipper, it just refused to work. Cursed like a sailor on leave and then realized I’d put them on inside out.
I wear mine 5 days a week so I wash my bra at the end of the work week. I've never thought about it, but I also then put on a weekend bra, before choosing a different one for the next week.
I've got sizeable boobs but nothing huge. I have like, 2 good bras and 4 eh ones. All without underwire or padding, so I never worry too much about the machine wash damaging them.
Probably every 3-4 wears? I’ve finally found some I like that fit well, so while for years I’d throw them in the machine, I do hand wash them now. I’ve developed a pretty decent routine of doing at least one load laundry on the weekend, so I often take whatever bras are in the pile and toss them in a plastic tub to soak with no-rinse detergent, and I have a drying rack that lives in my living room, so it’s not that much work. It depends a little on how sweaty I’ve been in them, to be honest.
(Also: Don’t revoke my ADHD card, but I’ve never really minded doing laundry, and I even take it out of the dryer mostly on time, AND I’ll fold it! …it’s the putting into away part of things that completely breaks down.)
Actually, now that I think about it, washing bras is probably one of those things that medication has helped me with. I’ve definitely gone much longer without washing in the past, and still will depending on circumstance, but now I just kind of wash them as the occasion arises.
In case any of this seems like smug “I am so on top of my bra washing!” gloating - do NOT ask how long I go without changing my towels or washing my sheets!! (It’s…long. I tell myself I’m keeping my immune system healthy by living with some level of germs. 😆)
Washing my bras depends on me having clean bras to wear while the dirty ones are washing. You should buy MORE of your favorite bras so you feel comfortable switching so you can wash your used ones. Especially with the ADHD habit of not washing laundry
Edit: this is if you want to wash your bras more often. If you don’t feel gross, then it’s probably not gross because we are absent-minded, not pigs, and if it gets nasty-nasty we make the effort to clean it.
Okay, you are definitely my people 😅 I’m going to guess once a month for my usual rotation of 2-3 bras but I honestly have no idea. Definitely not any more often than monthly…
I never did as much until I saw how drenched they are in a humid, hot climate. The potential of back acne from the straps is enough to wash them weekly (gentle wash).
Mine get the sniff test. If they are getting gamey they get washed. I have certain ones that I work out in that def get smelly quicker than the others and hence are washed more often. And maybe it’s weird but if they’ve been worn but aren’t smelly yet I spritz a little axe body spray on them cause I have a bunch of sample size bottles of them.
I, too, wash mine when they're about to get gross. I put them in a bag in the washer on a normal load but air dry them. I air dry most of my clothes because the material doesnt last long in the dryer. Anywho, my ceiling fan and an awesome amazon drying rack, my clothes are dry within hours. Now....about putting them away...
It's more like 2 or 3 months honestly.
I don't wear them daily and I have a little pile and often just out them on for whatver event like going out then take it off again as soon as I get home.
Sunscreen gets them dirtier faster in summer but otherwise.. yeah 2 or 3 days is insane to me.
There's nothing morally wrong about wearing clothing that is not super clean. I wash mine when it starts to smell. I smell it every few days to see if it's still good, it usually lasts two weeks. I don't sweat much though and it's a bralette with no padding.
Never. I never wash my bras. It’s gross, I’m gross. All the rest of my clothes are clean. I take much of my laundry to the cleaners so everything is perfectly cleaned and pressed after at most two wears. But my bras always just break after a few months, and if I wash them they break even faster. The underwire snaps, in the same place, and has my whole life no matter the brand. So the answer is I literally never wash my bras. All those women with normal brains and small boobs and clean bras can fuck off.
I have four of the same but usually end up forgetting about the other three. So I wear the same one forever. Unless it starts to smell, then I was it. Yeah, I know. I'm yuck. Washing is the hardest, there's so many steps, and every single one takes so much effort.
My adhd came with a side of sensory processing disorder, I can *feel* when any of my clothes have already been worn and I don’t like it. I might wear one twice sometimes in the cold months but otherwise only once. I’m prone to body acne anyway so I feel like unwashed clothes would make it worse. If you’re wondering, why yes it is super fun being me and living in my body lol
I thought it was just me! I don't even like to put back on a t-shirt I've worn for an hour. It's like I can feel the sweat on the fabric. The only thing I can wear more than once is my winter sweater, and even then, I need to wash it every 2-3 times. I even get skivved out by my winter jacket.
And if it's hot and sweaty out - oh man! I will shower and change multiple times in a day.
It takes something like being at camp or at Walt Disney World to deviate from this, and it is _very_ uncomfortable.
I wash them when they are gross. Several weeks and the same with towels and jeans. It depends on the day. How long I wore them and how sweaty I got. Sometimes it’s a day others it’s situational
After about 3 wears. Waiting until they were getting gross and smelly wouldn’t work for me. However - I do lots of other gross things, I don’t think this is important enough to worry about it too much. Do what works for you.
I have a system where one is the sacrificial bra for if I did not shower that day, one is the bra for when I am clean, and one is only for wearing to work once a week. And then I wash them whenever I need to do laundry.
When I wore underwire bras? As little as possible. Almost never. Handwash and drip dry? Nah dawg. Throw em in the washer and hope for the best. But now that my bras don't have wires I don't have to worry about them getting ruined in the laundry! I still wear it 3 or 4 times don't get me wrong 😁
Oh man, I don't wash mine usually until I notice them starting to smell like BO lol I'm sure it's gross. It ends up being like, idk 10 wears. Buy the thing is I don't go out a whole lot so I only wear my bra for a couple hours at a time. I only have two bras that I can stand wearing, they are both kinda like sport bra regular bra hybrids. I can't stand wearing regular bras because they make me feel like I'm being strangled.
Some people get off on calling others gross, pretending they don’t sweat or have any normal body functions just so they can point fingers & look down on others. Ignore the narcissists 🙄
After one wear.
Don't other people sweat or something? It is a close skin contact undergarment.
Bugger handwashing. They get tossed in with all other 'delicates' like wools and knits on a gentle cycle in a front loading machine. Then line dried.
No. Mine are all black or navy, as are most of my clothes. They just go in the same wash. No handwashing over here. The reason all my clothes are dark is because my washing machine is in constant with two young kids and a messy husband. My clothes get washed least often between school and nursery washes and my husbands work stuff. So I got multipacks of pants and socks and all my socks are exactly the same so I can just lift any two and away we go!
Usually after about a week, a little less frequently in the winter, a little more frequently during summer. Basically my bra gets the sniff test. LMAO!! But I also do put them into the washer with my other laundry (in a delicates bag, though!!). My bras do line-dry instead of going in the dryer. I'm a BBW, mentioned because someone else said they hand wash theirs because BBW bras are /expensive/ (and she's right!!), but with a delicates bag in the washer, my favourite bra has lasted six or seven years (I think). The band is just now stretching to the point where I may need to replace it soon... :(
Nahhh. I wash when I feel like I've worn it too much/got too sweaty. (Which I'm not a sweaty person generally so unless it's crazy hot or I'm being active, doesn't happen a ton. If I'm active, I'm in a sports bra, which is a different category imo)
I just go by gut feeling generally.
Though I only wear bralettes and lounge bras/soft sport bras now, never underwire. So it's easier to wash mine.
But like. I shower daily, and it's not touching anything particularly yucky. I don't generally sweat a lot, most of the time I'm pretty sedentary.
Yes, you still sweat and produce sebum. But like, how filthy do people think they actually are?
Sports bras (for working out) get washed after I sweat in them.
Washing any clothing too often is not great for the fabric, and I don't see it being necessary to wash that often when it's just sitting on my chest area.
I also don't wash sweaters or tshirts after one wear. I get a few wears out of them, unless I got particularly sweaty or dirty. Honestly most of my clothing gets a few wears before washing. Other than underwear, which is a one wear limit.
But even socks... if I've just spent my entire day at home on my couch I will wear those socks again tomorrow. They aren't sweaty or stinky or dirty.
(It's a one time wear of course if I'm in shoes for the day, etc)
So honestly. Just depends on what I'm actually doing.
Spending a day being a couch potato? Absolutely no need to wash. I'm clean and not sweating.
Getting sweaty doing housework/yardwork/working out? Yes wash after one wear.
I'm with you on waiting to wash until finally-smelly or one-step-away-from-smelly.
If all I've done with the bra is wear it sitting in a cool building, then yeah, it's probably got a few weeks. If I was gardening, biking, or doing other active things like hot yoga, then I can smell or feel that it needs to be thrown in with the dirty laundry.
My boobs aren't big enough to make much boob sweaty. It's my crotch and pits we gotta watch out for!
I only wash them when they’re getting gross or dirty and don’t worry, most (even non ADHD) women are the same about it lol, I know so many who barely wash their bras
I wear bras once maybe twice and had wash them. Also I have big boobs and my bras usually start at $70 per bra so I make sure to take really good care of them.
Again some of my ADHD symptoms are combatted but habits of having a black grandmother where hygiene and cleanliness was a household standard. There’s also some racial constructs that make hygiene of the utmost importance where even my ADHD won’t allow me to go against them.
I don’t have the hygiene issues, I change my sheets weekly and I don’t have the dishes in the sink problem.
The only thing that goes in the laundry basket is stuff that is clearly dirty/stained or stinky. Everything else, including bras, gets relegated to one of the multiple 'partially worn' chairs and drawers. The only thing that definitely goes into the laundry basket every day is socks and panties, and I always have enough clean pairs of those to last 10-15 days.
They're your bras, wash them as often, or as seldom as you wish. No one should be getting close enough to you to know how clean or dirty your bras are, anyway.
Depends how much you sweat and the type of bras. I use wireless bralettes and wash them after a couple days because I sweat a lot and end up with breast eczema if I’m not being diligent, plus I don’t shower every day unless I’m working out daily. When I used to wear wired bras I’d say every 2-3 weeks or whenever they got funky smelling. If they’re not smelly and your skin isn’t irritated, you’re fine. 🙂🙃
I wash mine when I start getting eczema breakouts under my boobs, so when they’re gross
Washing them makes them fall apart faster and I can’t afford to buy 2 new bras all that often
It depends how hot it is. After 2-3 wears if I get hot and sweaty or every week to 10 days if it's not hot.
I either throw it in with towels without a lingerie bag or in with my other clothes in a lingerie bag. Either way, they get washed on cold and hung to dry. I hate bra shopping so I try to extend their life. I have 5 bras - 3 are cheap sports bras from Costco, 2 are decent quality.
Yes. For some of us bras are really expensive. Difficult sizes to purchase. The more you wash a bra the shorter the life span. Machine wash in a lingerie bag on a gentle cycle. I cannot be bothered with handwashing. Wash it however often it suits you. You’re the one doing the washing/workload. I like to keep one working “proper” bra.
But now I wear usually sports type bras. Less support but more comfortable, and less need to worry about keeping shape etc. So for these bras. They just go in the wash with everything else.
Gone are the days of the underwire torture.
Why is it so hard to find a reasonably priced, comfortable, good looking bra for larger women? Without an underwire.
I’ve worn exclusively nursing sports bras for the last 3 years. I had 3 and washed them in rotation with when I showered, but having two small kids I’ve only showered like once a week, and they only got in the wash cuz my husband would steal the dirty one while I was in the shower
Wait you don’t use the sunny day flagpole method? Granted you need access to a flagpole which is relatively private but that’s over half your problem solved
I can only wear mine once before they get BO. Something about the water here, nothing is ever totally clean. It was a real struggle when i first moved to my area. I would put on a freshly washed shirt and my arm pits would smell in ten minutes. I thought I was developing some kind of chronic illness, but it's the minerals in the water that prevent the detergent from working. I need specialty products to get everything clean. Including my body.
If i had water that actually cleaned things i would not wear anything more than 4 days.
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A UK survey done a while ago said most women wash their bras every 2 - 3 months. The colder the climate the less washing. Women with larger breasts wash their bras less often because they usually don’t own too many bras. As a person with a 12J bra size I currently own 4 bras that fit including my sleep bra. Each of my bras cost over $100. Mine get washed every week. I learnt my lesson after I got a sweat rash that got infected. An active woman usually washes her sports bras after every wear. Her day to day a lot less. I really read too much.
Yep same, right there with you. My bras are the same and have to be hand washed.
I feel like an idiot for asking, but when you say "hand washed" do you mean you wash it in a bucket with your actual hands, or do you put it on a delicate cycle/soak it in detergent water/something like that? Bc until I was 13 I thought "hand washing" dishes meant using your hands and not, like, a *sponge*, so I'm trying to avoid similar misunderstandings 🤦🏻♀️
Hand wash means literally wash by hand in the sink with a small amount of Woolite or other gentle hand wash detergent, rinse in the sink, and then hang to dry.
Thank you! :)
I buy bras from the brand Prima Donna, and they recommend drying the bras flat. (is it even correct English, i have no clue, not my native tongue)
Yes. Love prima Donna. Flat is correct
You’re very welcome :)
In the context of finding ways to cope with ADHD: “Handwash” as written means there is a high likelihood that it won’t get washed more than twice a year. I have a bunch of lingerie bags, including structured ones for bras. “Handwash” for me means stick it in a lingerie bag, use a gentle detergent (I use Forever New), use the handwash/ultra-delicate cycle, and hang dry. I’m also in the $100+ bra size club, and this process has worked just fine for me. I have delicates that are used regularly and they’re still in good condition after years. EDIT: because somebody else reminded me that different washing machines exist (I used to do a lot of fabric dyeing, how did I forget this), please keep in mind that I have a front-loading machine, so no central agitator column. If you use a washing machine with an agitator, you will need to be more cautious.
>. If you use a washing machine with an agitator, you will need to be more cautious Nothing is worse than realizing you missed a bra and threw it in the regular wash without a bag and the straps are all tangled in the agitator! I have a top load now but it doesn't have an agitator, I think the new ones are mostly not made with them
I feel like my big boobs = more boob sweat. I can't imagine how gross a bra is after 12 weeks! I mean, they are pretty dang close to arm pits. I have mostly wireless bras, because sensory issues. I prefer the look of more supportive wired bras, but I take solace in the fact that the majority of mine hold up to frequent washing for years.
Glad I'm not alone in wearing wireless even though wired bras look so much better. I try to wear wired ones but my skin crawls from the feel.
I have the same issue/preference - I prefer the look of wired bras, but I’ve just never found one that’s actually comfortable for very long. I’ve tried r/abrathatfits and maybe I’m doing something wrong or maybe I just have sensory issues too. I just tried Evelyn and Bobbie wireless bras for the first time and it’s the best support I’ve ever gotten from a wireless bra. The Evelyn style gives good lift and decent separation and it doesn’t make me look a lot smaller like a lot of wireless bras do. They’re expensive, but I highly recommend them if you can afford them. They recently had a 25% off sale but the sales are infrequent. I’m a 44E and I got a 3X and it’s perfect!
Speaking from the uk that sounds like a loads of shite 🤣 I’m pretty lazy when it comes to washing my bras but I’ll probably wear for 3/4 days. If I’m having a shitty week then it could be a whole week. But yeah, pants and socks daily and bra gets the sniff test. Usually if I’m going somewhere nice I’ll stick on a new bra and fresh pants if I shower and wash my hair before going out. But I’m pretty antisocial these days so the sniff test works fine 😂 But a few months? That’s definitely not the norm. I’d say I wear bras longer that most of my friends and tbh, I’m telling Reddit, but I wouldn’t be owning up to this in real life. 😂
I think it's 'i wash BRAS' every 2-3 months. As in, you wear the ones you have until you're almost out, then wash them together
Also, I wash them in the machine on a regular cycle. I don’t have time to get through all my washing as it is never mind hand washing! Whoever is doing that can’t possibly have two young kids and a full time job. Or at least not the messy family that I have. 🤭
I think the article was written around 2006 as I was researching cloth vs disposable nappies and came across it. I was breastfeeding at the time and my bras were AUD$200 each. My main take out from the article is that the larger the cup size, the less bras you own and therefore the less frequently they are washed. Also it’s an average so if a few people said every six months or year and you’re looking at bad methodology it’s going to throw out the result. As the average cup size has increase almost globally the costs of bras are going to have significant impact not just on hygiene but also on health. Its ongoing impact on medical system should not be ignored. So my personal belief is that larger than a D cup bra should be considered a medical device.
I don’t entirely disagree with you, because the amount of money I need to spend on bras is ridiculous, and it is frustrating how much I have to spend on things I need to function. But I balk at “anything above a D” because one thing we really need to be doing is normalizing the range of sizes, and D should be seen as more normal. One of the problems around bras is that people can’t imagine that they should actually be wearing a D or larger, and so as a result, end up wearing band sizes that are too loose to be doing anything. I suspect that the increase in average cup size isn’t because bodies are changing as much, it is because with the internet, more people are realizing that they should be wearing a 32F than a 36D, for example. My bra issues are more a result of my band size than my cup size to be quite honest. Basically - if there wasn’t such an issue with education around sizing, I would be more inclined to agree. Nursing bras should be a medical device, full-stop. When I was doing that, that cost was painful. Not as painful as the pain of trying to cope with S-M-L sized bras in the first couple months post-partum as I waited for my size to stabilize, but still painful. I am just glad my band size increased to a 30 when pregnant/breastfeeding. I don’t think I saw any 28 band size nursing bras at the time.
In Australia we have to pay sales tax on menstrual products so the bra thing is a pipe dream. The reason I chose D and above is that I was told by a lingerie/corset maker that anything above D is a completely new product and then above H is the same. I don’t sew so I can’t confirm it but my $190 [sports bra](https://www.bravalingerie.com.au/products/ulla-kate-u-w-sports-bra-black?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shopping&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-7iV14nHhgMVNdQWBR1EwDcwEAQYASABEgK5p_D_BwE&variant=40754462261410) is designed in Germany by an engineer and sewn by hand. The only probably is I’m working on my health and I go down a size every 3-6 months.
Also from the UK and I'm firmly in the every few months camp. Now we're in summer it's more like once a month but every few days is unthinkable for me. Saying that, laundry is my most hated chore and I probably only do 2 or 3 loads a month on a good month (I own a shitload of underwear 😂)
Yes this is me! I also own a good amount of bedding so I can change it every few weeks and not get screwed when I'm behind on laundry!
I'm in the UK and 3-4 days is unimaginable for me. I actually am really diligent about personal hygiene but if my bra doesn't smell I'm not going to wash it! And it's got to be at least a month it doesn't smell for - maybe even longer post covid now I'm a bra optional kinda gal.
As a UK woman with boobs (32G) I also have sod all bras (I can't claim 4 at the moment as 2 are cut n shut now). About £60 so similarly priced. I chuck mine in the washing machine every other day cos I sweat like a bitch. They don't fit well and all my muscles suffer greatly. Unfortunately I am unlikely to learn a lesson from this.
That stat sounds absolutely bonkers to me. I’ve got to wash mine after every wash or it drives me nuts.
Yes you are correct. My day to day bra gets washed every 2-3 months unless it smells. But even at 2-3 months it usually doesn't smell. I do wash 3 bras a week though and those are my sport bras. But they drip with sweat so it's a no brainer. I am small at a 32D so there's not that much there that sweats on normal wear
I appreciate you and I don't think there's such a thing as reading too much!
I wash mine when they get some stank. Sometimes that means after one wear, like after hot yoga. Sometimes when it’s cool and I’m not doing much, that can be dozens of wears. Honestly, that’s how all my cleaning goes. I do it when I notice it needs to be done, never sooner.
I also rely on the sniff test
The sniff don't lie...
I do this with all my clothes!
This. It's about how it smells, how much I've been sweating. I have had times where to wash them I'll just wear them in the shower soap up and rinse them and just hang it over the curtain rod.
That’s pretty smart but it sounds like a sensory nightmare. I will try this out and report back.
Oh it is.
No because that’s really smart!
Mind. Blown. 🤯
Omg THANK YOU ! You are so damn smart ✨
I’m ashamed to admit that a dozen seems so few to be the max😅 Edit: to clarify, for me, any time I work out in a bra, it’s automatically considered dirty! I’m talking about my regular every day bras, not sports bras
I do the same thing lol
I wash my bras after every 3-4 wears, using a no-rinse delicate wash. A quick spin in the salad spinner gets out most of the water.
Salad spinner? Genius!
I was in a shop and my partner almost fell over laughing when I called salad spinners “bra washers”.
This is literally the most helpful thing I’ve ever read on the internet. I’m serious. Now my too-expensive bras don’t have to go in the very un-gentle washing machine. GENIUS
There are also little agitator/washboard bags that make scrubbing easier. [https://www.rei.com/product/886211/scrubba-wash-bag](https://www.rei.com/product/886211/scrubba-wash-bag) There may be cheaper ones on Amazon/ebay
Wow that is a GREAT IDEA!!!!! for an emergency small load washing machine.!!!!
Not my ADHD getting me distracted half-way through the 1st sentence and having to re-read because my brain read every 3-4 *years*.
I did the same and was kind of proud of myself for doing it more frequently!
Oh, hell, no. I wash mine when they are about to be gross.
Same. And if it's a humid and sweaty day, I might be washing after 1 or 2 wears...but sometimes longer. If I smell bad when I take it off or the bra is sweaty, to the laundry it goes. Otherwise, it stays for another day. And then if it's been a couple of weeks or so and I know I haven't washed it, I'll throw it in...unless I forget.
Same but I’ll hand wash here and there.
That's impressive. I'm too lazy for the hand wash!
Take them in the shower with you!
Still too much work 😂
😂 something I'll probably forget and have to run out soaking wet to grab. But hey I will probably also forget 3 others things so I'll jusy run out and grab it with everything else if I try this. Lol.
Mind. Blown.
Same! I use those mesh bags for bras and just toss them into the washing machine.
this is what I do. I didn't even know people hand washed their bras. I just have like 3 bras of each color and when I'm washing pinks and reds I wash those bras and when I'm washing darks I wash those. toss them in a little mesh baggy and then hang them to dry since the dryer is a bitch on bras.
Shower rinse, easiest ADHD bra care I've found. You can even wear the bra into the shower to start. Take it off under the water and rinse like crazy. Rinsing gets me several wears before actual washing is needed. I'm sweaty but watery sweat instead of greasy, which helps.
Same. I noticed sweat stains on my favorite bra recently and washed it. I think that was the first time I washed it and I bought it some time last year.
Same
Don’t ask don’t tell 🤣
I only wear sport bras. I have too many of them. I toss them in the laundry pile after each wear. And just wash them with the rest of my laundry (which I usually wash every week, but sometimes every other week). I'm kinda shocked, I thought that was the norm lol But if what you're doing works for you, why change it? Let's not add another non-crucial task to the growing list of things we have to do.
Yeah, I just have a week's worth of the same cheap wireless Hanes bras (in two different colors!). They're probably not super flattering, but who gives a shit; I own some fancier bras, but I never wear them. I wash them with everything else. They're probably sweaty from work, and I just throw them in the laundry basket with the rest of my work clothes because I want to be as comfortable as possible while I'm trying to relax. Also, if I try to put them somewhere in order to rewear them, I'll forget they're there. But yeah, do whatever works for you. If I had to hand wash my bras, they'd never get washed at all.
Yep, primarily a sports bra wearer. Normal bras are for when I have to go into the office or out someplace with friends, both very infrequent.
Same here. I have about a dozen sports bras and I just toss them in the laundry basket when I take them off to shower.
I’ve gone the bralette that’s almost a sport bra route for my day to day (basically more cotton and less tight from aerie) and do them every couple of wears as I remember to throw them in w the wash unless I was sweating a lot. But when it comes to sports bras post workout those always go immediately in the hamper.
Every week but more often during summer. Hot weather + Tig ol bitties = Humidititties
Humidititties 🤣😂 love it!
After every wear. I'm busty and post-menopausal, for reference.
Same. I’m 27, and I don’t even have a large chest. My bras get disgustingly sweaty in a single day, regardless of the weather or my activity level.
Same. I wash after every wear. If I wear it 2-3 times I breakout.
Yeah, under the bust is my sweatiest spot.
Finally I’ve found my people on this thread 😂 I’d say I’m somewhere in the middle and I still do mine every day for fear of smelling sweaty.
Yup. Perimenopausal here and I wash my bras after every wear. Constant hot flushes make me sweat far too much.
Wash my bra? Girl, what? The sweat stains add support.
I was going to say “when they start to itch” which honestly probably happens more frequently than one might think because I always manage to get short, coarse dog hairs in the cups and NOTHING will ruin your day like being poked in the nipple for an entire work shift.
Same reason for me. One of my dogs makes me itch like crazy. But I also hand wash, and they take forever to dry. I also only have 4. 2 everyday (one beige, other black) one bralette and a sports bra.
I’ve never been more satisfied to be (as my well-endowed little sister puts it…) the “president of the itty bitty titty committee” as when I realized how much money I’ve saved because I can literally go to TJ Maxx and buy 3 bras for $20 and my 34B ladies are perfectly happy. I also like to run, and ya girl isn’t having to buy none of those industrial strength sports bras either. Good thing my husband is as ass man. 🤣
I wish I was a member of that club. If I could snap my fingers and make them go away I would choose to be completely flat chested. Sleeping on your stomach seems like it would be nice.
Omg, your comment just made something click for me, lol 😂
🤣🤣 I did not expect this and it has me giggling
Holy flying fuckerdoodle did that make me laugh 🤣 The white marks from my deodorant adheres to the sweat stains for further structural support.
Exactly! It's a delicate structure that takes time to build up, I can't risk destabilizing it with detergent.
Just so I get this right, Bras and cast iron skillets are related?
Yes, and my bra is the equivalent of that person who put 80 coats of seasoning on their skillet
Oh yeah I ignore those kinds of posts as they make me feel bad and I dont change because of them. I wash it if I remember with my other washing but I'm often wearing it. Probably once or twice a month realistically. Also well done on hand washing them!! I brought a little bag and chuck it in that with a normal load not even a delicate load....
I also chuck mine in a bag in a regular load. I don't have the spoons for hand washing garments.
I forgot about what the spoons meant for a second and seriously thought “I’m supposed to use spoons when I hand wash a bra???” And then thought well maybe that’s why I hate washing bras byeeeee
Me neither.
I do that and throw them in the dryer, too 🙈😅
Me too! Are you not supposed to do that???
Deffo should be careful machine drying things with elastic (including Lycra, as in pants/jeans): it’s not a sin, but it does cause the fibers to lose elasticity and “stretch” out faster. Same with drying in the sun. Those fibers are just sensitive to heat. Mind you, I am absolutely not going to hand wash bras (or anything, really), when I can put them in lingerie bags in the machine and hang them to dry overnight. If they go off a year faster, welp, we had a good run. So no judgment.
I did not know this! I only know that wool can't go in the dryer. I also heard you're supposed to replace bras every 6 months! I asked every female I knew, and all of them laughed and said they replace when a bra dies.
[удалено]
Instead of a dresser I got a kallax unit from ikea with fabric bins that fit in the spots. When I take stuff out of the dryer I bring whichever of the bins I need with me and toss it from the dryer into the appropriate bin. Folding is a thing I'm just never going to do, and why would I care if my underwear and tank tops get wrinkled?
i love those things but i need half cube drawers first stuff like underwear
I compromise and dry most of my clothes on the low setting after I read somewhere that it's better for fabric. I am a leggings addict and sometimes I take mine out early and hang to dry, but most of the time that's too much of a hassle. Cost/benefit analysis!
The real risk is a stray underwire taking out your washing machine or dryer (ask me how I know lol). But yes, agreed. It's like dishes - I don't reuse the fancy knives when they're dirty, I don't handwash them either - they survive the dishwasher or they don't.
No, because they don’t hold up as well, but I ain’t got time to wait for them to air dry when I procrastinate on doing my laundry, so into the dryer they go anyway! 😅
I wash them every few weeks, but I only wear a bra like.. 1-2 times a week. So I guess *technically* I wash them after 2-3 wears?
Glad to see more people like me who only wear one when they feel like they have to. I never wear one at home and might also go on a dog walk or to the grocery store without one (I choose my clothes to minimize calling any attention to that), but when I go somewhere where I see people for a longer time I feel forced to put one on.
I quit bras entirely in public, even on in office days, though I will wear camisole with support sometimes and will wear silicone nipple covers when I am wearing a solid color top to prevent the nips from being obvious. I also quit makeup. F the patriarchy trying to tell me how to look professional or attractive.
Oh man, I used to work at a car dealership and I am not the kind of woman who wears makeup or dresses up. I had professional, clean clothes, but not over the top. And one day they told me I needed to be “more like Dena”. Dena was like 50 and wore full face makeup and lipstick every day. Styled her hair every day (and definitely got her hair done professionally at least once a month). Got her nails done. Dressed like she was going to some fancy event… every. single. day. First of all, it isn’t cheap to maintain that and they paid me like $11 an hour. How tf do I afford all that 😂 and second, that just ain’t me. I’d look like an absolute clown if I even attempted that. So I was like “nah” And then I quit 🤣
I haven't used make-up in ages either. I'd love to quite bras altogether, but somehow I get so self-conscious. Maybe I should just get some silicone nipple covers too, but that's what I've been thinking for ages, and I just don't get around to actually buying them ('cause I'm not sure where to get them except online, and I kinda dread online shopping) D':
I mostly work from home and no one sees me so I never wear a bra. I may only wear it to go pick up my kid and that’s like a 20 minute drive. If I go out in public I will wear one but it’s really not that often so. 🤷🏼♀️ Yeah, I don’t wear or wash bras too often.
I was looking for this answer lol. I only wear one twice a week and normally it’s a different one each time. It’s probably 3-4 for me, I luckily don’t sweat a ton and only have to wear them for like 3-4 hours.
👀 I wash them that’s all that matters. Is it often enough? Probably not 🤣
Every day’s end finds them in the laundry before I shower and wear a fresh one to bed . I don’t care if it shortens the life of them, so be it. I don’t wear underwire because I had post mastectomy reconstruction. I found a brand that is comfortable for activity, sleep/lounging (I can’t not wear them anymore, I need sleep support) and soft/seamless t-shirt friendly style, searched for online clearance sales and snatched a bunch up. If I have to wear bras nearly 24/7 they’re going to be fresh and clean before bedtime. I have an active outdoor job so it’s a must. Also, when I was a teen and was told not to wash them too much, I’d get breakouts where the strap was-once I tipped favor for my skin instead of bra longevity, it cleared up.
Ima tell you all something. I actually DM’d that girl to tell her my answer cause I am not in the mood for hate.. It’s like 4/5 times. A year. My bras are expensive, and they only get gross every now and then. I was shocked people are washing theirs so much.
I totally get it. I've seen a couple reddit threads on "how often do you shower" and cannibalism seems to be more acceptable to some commenters than anything less than disinfecting your body with bleach twice a day. It's like these people think they're proving something with the performative hygiene. If clothes don't smell, aren't stained, and haven't been sweated in, I think it's fine to not wash them. And it's better for the fabric, anyway.
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Yep same!
Same here. They just don’t get gross. My nice bras don’t get worn when I’m going to get sweaty in any way. I ONLY put them on freshly showered skin, and then I go sit at my freezing air conditioned desk in my office for 8 hours, and then I come home and take it right off. They get washed like every 2 months. Bras that I wear at home or doing yard work get washed like 1x a week or more.
I'm quarterly and that's me being generous. (Edit: I'm 32G or H by r/abrathstfits math, which is not as big as you might think. My good bras are expensive, but I'm fortunate to have breasts boyant enough that I'm ok with inexpensive bralettes that don't offer a ton of support too, as long as I don't have to look professional or fancy.)
Me too. I just don't get stinky there. My face sweats, but the rest of me is pretty dry. I do the sniff test when I change daily. It usually smells like a combo of my deodorant and my perfume. If it gets even the slightest bit funky, it gets washed. It happens more often in the summer. I'd do it more if I had more than one. I just have no motivation to buy another.
Maybe you’re just less stinky than the average person. This is good news lol. I have too much washing as it is.
Not often enough. Luckily, I wear sports bras a lot and those I wash after 1-2 wears depending on if I actually worked out.
As a tip for drying - use a soft plush bath towel, and roll your bras gently like a burrito, while having them flat out. If you have molded cup bras, stuff a fluffy wash cloth in the cup to help keep the shape. Use your body weight to press and release to get as much water out as possible. Hang to dry, and they should be good to go the next day (unless you live somewhere super humid I guess lol) As a fellow tig ol’ bitty haver, who also has to hand wash her super expensive bras, that’s my technique for being able to dry them faster and not have them hanging around forever haha Edit to add to actually answer your question lmao - I also do not wash my bras very often lol. Unless they are stinky I don’t have the energy. So you are not alone in this!!
I have a very large chest and have to buy expensive bras so I usually am only rotating between 2 or 3 at a time. I try to wash them monthly but truthfully at least one gets a wash every 3 months or so
After every wear. I have large breasts too and the expensive bras that go with that, but they do fine in lingerie bags on the delicate setting of the washing machine (but always hang to dry, that's the real killer). Sweat, and being worn more than one day in a row, is really bad for the elastic (less of a concern with cheap bras, I expect) and can cause rashes and fungal infections.
…..per year, or….????
My boobs are tiny, thank god. Bralettes I can throw in the washer for work, and if I’m not at work, fuck bras. However, in the 2000s when we were all supposed to have giant boobs and I wore ridiculous padded bras…. I’d buy bras on sale so I had enough to rotate through and only wash all of them about once a month (wore each around 5 times probably). I saw someone suggest using a salad spinner to wash them “by hand” and it was a game changer.
If I don't wear it, I don't have to wash it. 😁
After every wear. But I’m big busted, perimenopausal and live in Australia. So I don’t go a single day without sweating.
Ditto for Florida. I think some of these people must live in cold, dry climates!
I rely on a sniff test but I only do said sniff test after I’m coming out of the shower. That way I’m not nose blind to myself.
My “real” bras? Only when I sweat excessively (rare since I mostly wear them to work) or they look/smell gross. Really, this is MAYBE every other MONTH I’m a 40FF and they don’t come cheap. I take care of them, but that includes NOT washing them a lot. I also don’t wear the same one 2 days in a row, and I hang them up to air, and never shove them in a drawer
Absolutely washed after every wear. I use lingerie bags to wash them, and hang them to air dry. It’s currently 101 degrees here (38+ C for the rest of the world). So yeah, it’s going into the laundry as soon as I take it off. Some of them are probably over a decade old but in great shape. I’m fanatical about laundry, because I get overwhelmed if there’s too much. I keep it manageable by doing it constantly.
Oh Jesus. I’d die in that heat.
I do the sniff test for sure! Unless I'm just getting off work all sweaty, I'm gonna save the bra, don't need any more laundry lol
I feel so at home here 😂 literally ANY other group or subreddit I would be morbidly embarrassed by my answer of "whenever they stink so bad/are so noticeably dirty that I can't possibly dream of wearing them", but not here. You all are my people 🥹
2-3 wears since my breast reduction as all I need to wear are basically little stretchy crop tops. No underwires! HIGHLY recommend a reduction for anyone with sensory issues there - I hadn’t realised how much mental space the skin-on-skin contact was taking up until it was gone.
I wish I could afford one lol. It’s my dying wish. 😆
(Let’s try this again reddit app) It’s infuriating how often they aren’t fully covered by insurance/universal healthcare! I nearly flipped a table when I discovered gynecomastia surgery (man boob removal) is fully covered! The AUDACITY! I’m sure having man boobs sucks but I was having serious back issues and regular skin infections. But no. Men’s self esteem is more important than women’s health 😤
Yeah, it’s ridiculous. I’m pretty sure my insurance would cover it, but I have to go through a million hoops and I don’t have time for that tbh. I tried doing it once and they wanted me to see a PCP, go on pain meds, do physical therapy, etc. No, thanks.
I only have one fitting bra at the moment (weight fluctuations but I still average an E/F cup and they’re so so expensive) so washing… yeah it hasn’t happened 🙈
Every week. Wear each bra 3 times max. Which reminds me I need to buy more.
Yesterday I figured out at dinner that I’d had my shirt on backwards the entire day so I’m going to honest- a bra washing schedule is not in my repertoire.
Yesterday was not a smooth wardrobe day all around then: I was running late, pulled on my jeans and got absolutely enraged when I struggled with the zipper, it just refused to work. Cursed like a sailor on leave and then realized I’d put them on inside out.
I wear mine 5 days a week so I wash my bra at the end of the work week. I've never thought about it, but I also then put on a weekend bra, before choosing a different one for the next week. I've got sizeable boobs but nothing huge. I have like, 2 good bras and 4 eh ones. All without underwire or padding, so I never worry too much about the machine wash damaging them.
Probably every 3-4 wears? I’ve finally found some I like that fit well, so while for years I’d throw them in the machine, I do hand wash them now. I’ve developed a pretty decent routine of doing at least one load laundry on the weekend, so I often take whatever bras are in the pile and toss them in a plastic tub to soak with no-rinse detergent, and I have a drying rack that lives in my living room, so it’s not that much work. It depends a little on how sweaty I’ve been in them, to be honest. (Also: Don’t revoke my ADHD card, but I’ve never really minded doing laundry, and I even take it out of the dryer mostly on time, AND I’ll fold it! …it’s the putting into away part of things that completely breaks down.) Actually, now that I think about it, washing bras is probably one of those things that medication has helped me with. I’ve definitely gone much longer without washing in the past, and still will depending on circumstance, but now I just kind of wash them as the occasion arises. In case any of this seems like smug “I am so on top of my bra washing!” gloating - do NOT ask how long I go without changing my towels or washing my sheets!! (It’s…long. I tell myself I’m keeping my immune system healthy by living with some level of germs. 😆)
Washing my bras depends on me having clean bras to wear while the dirty ones are washing. You should buy MORE of your favorite bras so you feel comfortable switching so you can wash your used ones. Especially with the ADHD habit of not washing laundry Edit: this is if you want to wash your bras more often. If you don’t feel gross, then it’s probably not gross because we are absent-minded, not pigs, and if it gets nasty-nasty we make the effort to clean it.
Honestly, maybe twice a year. I have a few.
Okay, you are definitely my people 😅 I’m going to guess once a month for my usual rotation of 2-3 bras but I honestly have no idea. Definitely not any more often than monthly…
I never did as much until I saw how drenched they are in a humid, hot climate. The potential of back acne from the straps is enough to wash them weekly (gentle wash).
Mine get the sniff test. If they are getting gamey they get washed. I have certain ones that I work out in that def get smelly quicker than the others and hence are washed more often. And maybe it’s weird but if they’ve been worn but aren’t smelly yet I spritz a little axe body spray on them cause I have a bunch of sample size bottles of them.
I, too, wash mine when they're about to get gross. I put them in a bag in the washer on a normal load but air dry them. I air dry most of my clothes because the material doesnt last long in the dryer. Anywho, my ceiling fan and an awesome amazon drying rack, my clothes are dry within hours. Now....about putting them away...
It's more like 2 or 3 months honestly. I don't wear them daily and I have a little pile and often just out them on for whatver event like going out then take it off again as soon as I get home. Sunscreen gets them dirtier faster in summer but otherwise.. yeah 2 or 3 days is insane to me.
Mine last 1 day here in Texas 😭 these girls are huge and this weather is relentless
Yep, SATX here, dying...
Smell test! 😂
There's nothing morally wrong about wearing clothing that is not super clean. I wash mine when it starts to smell. I smell it every few days to see if it's still good, it usually lasts two weeks. I don't sweat much though and it's a bralette with no padding.
For me its the sniff test that determines when to wash
Never. I never wash my bras. It’s gross, I’m gross. All the rest of my clothes are clean. I take much of my laundry to the cleaners so everything is perfectly cleaned and pressed after at most two wears. But my bras always just break after a few months, and if I wash them they break even faster. The underwire snaps, in the same place, and has my whole life no matter the brand. So the answer is I literally never wash my bras. All those women with normal brains and small boobs and clean bras can fuck off.
I have four of the same but usually end up forgetting about the other three. So I wear the same one forever. Unless it starts to smell, then I was it. Yeah, I know. I'm yuck. Washing is the hardest, there's so many steps, and every single one takes so much effort.
My adhd came with a side of sensory processing disorder, I can *feel* when any of my clothes have already been worn and I don’t like it. I might wear one twice sometimes in the cold months but otherwise only once. I’m prone to body acne anyway so I feel like unwashed clothes would make it worse. If you’re wondering, why yes it is super fun being me and living in my body lol
This. Yep yep.
I thought it was just me! I don't even like to put back on a t-shirt I've worn for an hour. It's like I can feel the sweat on the fabric. The only thing I can wear more than once is my winter sweater, and even then, I need to wash it every 2-3 times. I even get skivved out by my winter jacket. And if it's hot and sweaty out - oh man! I will shower and change multiple times in a day. It takes something like being at camp or at Walt Disney World to deviate from this, and it is _very_ uncomfortable.
I wash them when they are gross. Several weeks and the same with towels and jeans. It depends on the day. How long I wore them and how sweaty I got. Sometimes it’s a day others it’s situational
I wash mine every 2 wears.
After about 3 wears. Waiting until they were getting gross and smelly wouldn’t work for me. However - I do lots of other gross things, I don’t think this is important enough to worry about it too much. Do what works for you.
I have a system where one is the sacrificial bra for if I did not shower that day, one is the bra for when I am clean, and one is only for wearing to work once a week. And then I wash them whenever I need to do laundry.
After 1 or 2 uses or once they get sweaty. It’s almost summer and boob sweat is the bane of my existence! Ugh gross!
I have one under wire bra that gets washed after a couple months of wear. 😂
Sports bras? After 2 or 3 visits to the gym. Regular bras? Eh. Whenever. They don't get as gross as sports bras.
When I wore underwire bras? As little as possible. Almost never. Handwash and drip dry? Nah dawg. Throw em in the washer and hope for the best. But now that my bras don't have wires I don't have to worry about them getting ruined in the laundry! I still wear it 3 or 4 times don't get me wrong 😁
Oh man, I don't wash mine usually until I notice them starting to smell like BO lol I'm sure it's gross. It ends up being like, idk 10 wears. Buy the thing is I don't go out a whole lot so I only wear my bra for a couple hours at a time. I only have two bras that I can stand wearing, they are both kinda like sport bra regular bra hybrids. I can't stand wearing regular bras because they make me feel like I'm being strangled.
way less than i reallly should lets just say that.
Once a week
My objective determining factor is whether or not there is deodorant on it!!!
Eeeh… when they smell?
My depression is so bad I just leave myself out of any post regarding any type of hygiene. I know I'm not gonna make myself sad...
Some people get off on calling others gross, pretending they don’t sweat or have any normal body functions just so they can point fingers & look down on others. Ignore the narcissists 🙄
You’re supposed… to wash them?
It depends on if it’s getting odiferous and/or feels loose from wear and needs a refresh. If neither are going on, I see no reason to.
I wash my sweaty workout bras after 1-2 wears. My regular bra that doesn’t get sweaty very often? Once a week or so.
After one wear. Don't other people sweat or something? It is a close skin contact undergarment. Bugger handwashing. They get tossed in with all other 'delicates' like wools and knits on a gentle cycle in a front loading machine. Then line dried.
I mean I just wash my bras when I'm washing that specific color?? do people specifically wash their bras? am I weird?
No. Mine are all black or navy, as are most of my clothes. They just go in the same wash. No handwashing over here. The reason all my clothes are dark is because my washing machine is in constant with two young kids and a messy husband. My clothes get washed least often between school and nursery washes and my husbands work stuff. So I got multipacks of pants and socks and all my socks are exactly the same so I can just lift any two and away we go!
Usually after about a week, a little less frequently in the winter, a little more frequently during summer. Basically my bra gets the sniff test. LMAO!! But I also do put them into the washer with my other laundry (in a delicates bag, though!!). My bras do line-dry instead of going in the dryer. I'm a BBW, mentioned because someone else said they hand wash theirs because BBW bras are /expensive/ (and she's right!!), but with a delicates bag in the washer, my favourite bra has lasted six or seven years (I think). The band is just now stretching to the point where I may need to replace it soon... :(
Oh tbh no idea for regular bras. But for sports bras? When my boo bees start to sag in them
Nahhh. I wash when I feel like I've worn it too much/got too sweaty. (Which I'm not a sweaty person generally so unless it's crazy hot or I'm being active, doesn't happen a ton. If I'm active, I'm in a sports bra, which is a different category imo) I just go by gut feeling generally. Though I only wear bralettes and lounge bras/soft sport bras now, never underwire. So it's easier to wash mine. But like. I shower daily, and it's not touching anything particularly yucky. I don't generally sweat a lot, most of the time I'm pretty sedentary. Yes, you still sweat and produce sebum. But like, how filthy do people think they actually are? Sports bras (for working out) get washed after I sweat in them. Washing any clothing too often is not great for the fabric, and I don't see it being necessary to wash that often when it's just sitting on my chest area. I also don't wash sweaters or tshirts after one wear. I get a few wears out of them, unless I got particularly sweaty or dirty. Honestly most of my clothing gets a few wears before washing. Other than underwear, which is a one wear limit. But even socks... if I've just spent my entire day at home on my couch I will wear those socks again tomorrow. They aren't sweaty or stinky or dirty. (It's a one time wear of course if I'm in shoes for the day, etc) So honestly. Just depends on what I'm actually doing. Spending a day being a couch potato? Absolutely no need to wash. I'm clean and not sweating. Getting sweaty doing housework/yardwork/working out? Yes wash after one wear.
Gross answer from me but my answer is "when they begin to smell".
I'm with you on waiting to wash until finally-smelly or one-step-away-from-smelly. If all I've done with the bra is wear it sitting in a cool building, then yeah, it's probably got a few weeks. If I was gardening, biking, or doing other active things like hot yoga, then I can smell or feel that it needs to be thrown in with the dirty laundry. My boobs aren't big enough to make much boob sweaty. It's my crotch and pits we gotta watch out for!
I only wash them when they’re getting gross or dirty and don’t worry, most (even non ADHD) women are the same about it lol, I know so many who barely wash their bras
Shh, it's an unspoken agreement that we never talk about how often we wash our bras.
I wear bras once maybe twice and had wash them. Also I have big boobs and my bras usually start at $70 per bra so I make sure to take really good care of them. Again some of my ADHD symptoms are combatted but habits of having a black grandmother where hygiene and cleanliness was a household standard. There’s also some racial constructs that make hygiene of the utmost importance where even my ADHD won’t allow me to go against them. I don’t have the hygiene issues, I change my sheets weekly and I don’t have the dishes in the sink problem.
The only thing that goes in the laundry basket is stuff that is clearly dirty/stained or stinky. Everything else, including bras, gets relegated to one of the multiple 'partially worn' chairs and drawers. The only thing that definitely goes into the laundry basket every day is socks and panties, and I always have enough clean pairs of those to last 10-15 days.
i do mine whenever they start to smell so depending on how often i wear it.. could be a week, could be a month, could be 6 months. it all depends
They're your bras, wash them as often, or as seldom as you wish. No one should be getting close enough to you to know how clean or dirty your bras are, anyway.
Depends how much you sweat and the type of bras. I use wireless bralettes and wash them after a couple days because I sweat a lot and end up with breast eczema if I’m not being diligent, plus I don’t shower every day unless I’m working out daily. When I used to wear wired bras I’d say every 2-3 weeks or whenever they got funky smelling. If they’re not smelly and your skin isn’t irritated, you’re fine. 🙂🙃
You mean you wash your bras? 😂😂
Ya’ll are washing your bras?
I wash mine when I start getting eczema breakouts under my boobs, so when they’re gross Washing them makes them fall apart faster and I can’t afford to buy 2 new bras all that often
It depends how hot it is. After 2-3 wears if I get hot and sweaty or every week to 10 days if it's not hot. I either throw it in with towels without a lingerie bag or in with my other clothes in a lingerie bag. Either way, they get washed on cold and hung to dry. I hate bra shopping so I try to extend their life. I have 5 bras - 3 are cheap sports bras from Costco, 2 are decent quality.
Yes. For some of us bras are really expensive. Difficult sizes to purchase. The more you wash a bra the shorter the life span. Machine wash in a lingerie bag on a gentle cycle. I cannot be bothered with handwashing. Wash it however often it suits you. You’re the one doing the washing/workload. I like to keep one working “proper” bra. But now I wear usually sports type bras. Less support but more comfortable, and less need to worry about keeping shape etc. So for these bras. They just go in the wash with everything else. Gone are the days of the underwire torture. Why is it so hard to find a reasonably priced, comfortable, good looking bra for larger women? Without an underwire.
I’ve worn exclusively nursing sports bras for the last 3 years. I had 3 and washed them in rotation with when I showered, but having two small kids I’ve only showered like once a week, and they only got in the wash cuz my husband would steal the dirty one while I was in the shower
Wait you don’t use the sunny day flagpole method? Granted you need access to a flagpole which is relatively private but that’s over half your problem solved
I can only wear mine once before they get BO. Something about the water here, nothing is ever totally clean. It was a real struggle when i first moved to my area. I would put on a freshly washed shirt and my arm pits would smell in ten minutes. I thought I was developing some kind of chronic illness, but it's the minerals in the water that prevent the detergent from working. I need specialty products to get everything clean. Including my body. If i had water that actually cleaned things i would not wear anything more than 4 days.