How to Wash French Lingerie So It Lasts Longer

Quick answer

Hand wash French lingerie in cool water with a mild detergent, press the suds through the fabric, then rinse until the water runs clear and lay it flat to dry. Skip the washing machine, bleach, hot water and the dryer; those are what stretch underwires, dull embroidery and break down the elastane that keeps a bra or brief in shape.

Step-by-step: hand washing French lingerie

1. 1. Fasten hooks and adjust straps: Close the bra hooks and loosen or remove adjustable straps so they do not tangle with embroidery or lace. Separate colors: black tulle and dark embroidery can bleed onto pale pieces in the same basin. Checkpoint: hooks closed, straps secured, no metal clasps left open.
2. 2. Fill a basin with cool water and mild detergent: Use cool water and a small amount of mild or delicate lingerie detergent. Swirl it in with your hand rather than pouring it directly onto the fabric. Never use bleach, fabric softener or hot water. Mistake to avoid: more detergent does not clean better; it just leaves residue in the tulle.
3. 3. Submerge and press, do not scrub: Place the bra or brief in the water and gently press the suds through the fabric with your palms for about two to three minutes. Pay attention to the underband and the area under the arms, where body oils collect. Checkpoint: no twisting, wringing or rubbing two pieces together.
4. 4. Rinse in cool water until it runs clear: Drain the basin and refill with cool water, or hold the piece under a gentle cool tap. Press the water through the fabric rather than squeezing. Repeat until no suds remain. Mistake to avoid: leaving detergent in the fabric, which dulls embroidery and can irritate skin.
5. 5. Remove excess water with a towel: Lay the piece flat on a clean, dry towel and roll the towel up gently to absorb the water. Do not wring the bra or brief, and do not hang a wet underwire bra by its straps. Checkpoint: the piece is damp, not dripping, and still holds its shape.
6. 6. Dry flat, away from heat and sun: Reshape the cups and lay the bra or brief flat on a drying rack or a clean towel. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators, hair dryers and tumble dryers. If you must hang a brief, use a clip hanger on the waistband. Mistake to avoid: the dryer and direct heat, which shrink elastane and warp underwires.
7. 7. Store shaped, not folded flat: Once fully dry, store bras stacked with cups nested inside each other, or hang them by the back band. Keep briefs folded separately so hooks and embroidery do not snag. Rotate your pieces rather than wearing the same bra several days in a row. Checkpoint: cups keep their shape and bands are not crushed.

Pieces that benefit from this routine

• HUIT - Moonlight - Underwire Bra: The Moonlight Underwire Bra is crafted with deep black tulle and intricately embroidered honeysuckle branches. Embroidered tulle is the kind of surface that catches on hooks and zippers in a machine, so hand washing keeps the embroidery intact and the black tulle from dulling.
• Cafe Fleur - Underwire Bra: The Cafe Fleur Underwire Bra uses delicate floral embroidery on fine tulle and has adjustable straps. Fine tulle and embroidery need a gentle press-and-rinse rather than wringing, and the adjustable straps should be fastened before washing so they do not tangle.
• Céleste Bikini: The Céleste Bikini is made from 40% polyester, 36% polyamide, 16% cotton and 8% elastane, and the care instructions recommend hand washing in cool water with a mild detergent and laying it flat to dry. The 8% elastane is what gives the brief its stretch and recovery, and hot water or a dryer is what causes it to break down, so the recommended routine directly protects the fit.