Pre-washing

• If you're someone who's inclined to wear your bras several times before washing them, you should reconsider this choice. Every time you wear a bra, it can absorb deodorants and perfumes that may slowly degrade the fabric, and perspiration may leave behind discoloration. Wash your bra after every wear to reduce the risk of prematurely degrading your bra.
  
  Before you decide how to launder your bra, read the bra's care label. Most brands will tell you whether you should hand wash, machine wash or dry clean. If you heed these labels when washing your undergarments, you'll extend their lives.
  
  Whether you decide to machine wash or hand wash your bras, you need a gentle, washing-soda-based detergent. Read the ingredient label on any detergent before you purchase it to make sure it doesn't contain any bleach, bleach alternative or other harsh chemicals.
  
  You should clasp together bra straps and sort them by color before washing. If you wash darker colored bras with lighter ones, the light colors may become dingy and gray.
  
  

Washing

• The best way to wash bras in the washing machine is to place them in a mesh lingerie bag and wash in cool water on the gentle cycle. If you need to wash bras by hand, fill a sink basin with cool water and a bit of your detergent. Lightly agitate the garments; don't leave them in the water for any longer than 5 minutes. Use cold water to rinse the detergent, squeeze the bra to remove excess water and use a towel to blot it dry.
  
  Air dry your bras; this will help them maintain their shape. Reshape freshly washed bras and allow them to dry flat on a towel or hang dry on a clothes line or laundry rack.