Caring for Your Lingerie Posted on December 29, 2010 under Cleaning Tips, Garment Care. | no comments.
Lingerie is one of the most personal purchases you make and some people may feel embarrassed about bringing intimate apparel to their dry cleaner. However, if you want to extend the life of these delicate items you might consider dry cleaning, especially if the care tags recommend dry clean or hand washing.
Now we understand that you may be a little shy about taking them to your local dry cleaner so we thought we would give you some tips on how to take care of them at home. First, never put them in the wash machine, even the gentlest cycle can still result in snags and tears.
The only way to wash them is by hand, Remember to be careful, most can damage easily. When you hand wash your items use cold water to avoid shrinkage and use a mild lingerie soap or silk wash that is designed to be used in cold water. Allow the items to soak for twenty five minutes, drain and refill the sink with cool water and soak for an additional ten minutes.
Using your hands to support the lingerie, lift them from the bottom and fold them over and over so that you remove all the water from the fabric. One rinse should be enough, but you can repeat the rinse technique one more time to be sure that all the soap has been removed. Never use bleach on your lingerie, it will ruin them. Remember to combine lights with lights and dark’s with dark’s to avoid discoloration.
The best way to dry your lingerie is to first roll it in a towel to remove the majority of the water, then placing the towel on a flat surface, lay the lingerie flat to dry. If you wish, you can use a warm iron while the garments are still slightly damp to remove any wrinkling.
And as always when in doubt check with your local dry cleaner.
