How To Store Bras To Keep Them Looking Their Best | Quick & Easy Guide

General News|

January, 14, 2021

You have finally found the style of lingerie you love, and bras that fit you perfectly, but just like anything else you invest money in, they need TLC to keep them looking their best. This is particularly true when it comes to storing bras—both short and long-term.

 Because bras are delicate items of clothing, they need to be prepared and packed correctly, and what they are stored in also needs to be carefully considered. Here are our top tips on how to store bras to keep them looking their best.

Prepping your bras

When it comes to underwear storage, you should wash bras according to their washing instructions before storing them. Surface dirt and stains can damage bras over the long-term, and dirty lingerie can also attract insects and vermin. A bra’s care label typically recommends hand washing, because bras are constructed of a range of materials including elastic, lace, buckles, seams, wires, and hooks.

The friction and agitation of washing machines can be rough on the fragile fabric many bras are constructed of. It can break down the elasticity needed for support, hooks can become snagged, and bras can be stretched and pulled which can cause them to pucker and lose their shape. Bras can also suffer pilling, frayed seams and edges, loose threads, and become tangled up in other clothing. Machine washing can damage underwire casings and cause wires to become exposed, making your bras uncomfortable to wear, and potentially damaging to your washing machine. 

The best washing option is to place your bras in a lingerie washing bag and use your machine’s “delicates” cycle. This cycle is shorter, calmer, and uses more water, so there will be less friction on your bras and with other clothing.

Packing your bras

The main advantage of storing your bras is to extend their life, but there is a right and a wrong way to do it! With moulded cup or push-up bras, many people often fold one cup into the other. However, these types of bras have a thick, pre-formed and typically seamless cup, which mould your bust to the shape of the cup. Folding one into the other will invert the shape and often result in a creased, dented, or misshapen cup.

When it comes to bra storage, instead of inverting one cup into the other, keep both cups “puffed up”. You can then stack or vertically line your bras up one behind the other—all facing the same way. Unhooking the back band can make bras easier to stack, but hooks can get easily caught on lace or other delicate materials, so fasten the hook-and-eye closure first. 

If you don’t wear moulded cup bras or those with underwire or padded cups (like bralettes or sports bras), fold them in half, ensuring they aren’t twisted or tangled. Better still, roll them individually, which will reduce wrinkles and creases. Make sure you hook the backs first then tuck the straps and band inside the cup before folding—it will stop them from getting snagged, pulled, caught, or stretched.

Storing your bras

In terms of how to store lingerie, vacuum storage bags are a great space-saving option, but definitely not for bras as they can cause damage long-term. Not only will your bras be left wrinkled and creased, the deterioration process can be quickened because clothing fibres need air to maintain integrity and structure. Similarly, plastic bags can trap moisture and cause clothing to turn yellow, as well as promote mildew and mould. Cardboard boxes are also not ideal as they can deteriorate over time and don’t protect clothing from vermin or the elements.

Airtight plastic storage containers will keep your clothes clean, dry and protected, particularly if your bras are wrapped in acid-free tissue paper first and given room to “breathe.” Wooden cedar balls (rather than mothballs) placed at the top of your storage container will also protect your bras from mildew, moths, and musty odours. You could also consider investing in specialised storage options like bra organiser drawers, lingerie travel cases, and bra storage protectors that will fit inside these containers to keep your bras even more organised.

References