Wash A New Bra Before You Wear It
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had this experience: you go shopping and find the perfect piece. It’s your colour, your size, and it makes you feel like a million bucks! It’s so good, in fact, that you simply can’t wait to wear it – the tags come off, the bra goes on, and off you go until your next laundry day. I totally understand this impulse, but I tend to resist it myself. Here’s why I think it’s a good idea to wash a new bra before you wear it.
Ewa Michalak’s Cappuccino is headed home for a quick bubble bath before its first day on the job.
Cleanliness
Just like when you try something on at any clothing store, other people have tried it on too. It’s not like they’ve worn it for hours or worked out in it, but still, it can be nice to freshen up a new bra before you wear it all day. (Don’t worry about this one too much! Our fittings generally last 15-45 minutes, and a lot of bras are being tried on in that time. No one bra is worn for longer than a few minutes.)
Comfort
This is the big reason I recommend washing before that first wear. And again, it’s true of any clothing purchase: items are often starched or otherwise treated in the manufacturing process. This is great for manufacturing, shipping, and display purposes, but less great for sensitive skin. If you wash your new bra before you wear it, you’re removing that starch, softening the fabric and helping the band ease up a little. That last part’s extra helpful if you’re new to wearing a snugger band.
Soak is the best! No rinsing required.
“Ugh, Shavaun! Washing lingerie is such a chore! You can’t seriously expect me to wash a brand new bra.” I hear you! But washing your bra doesn’t need to be the worst thing ever. If machine washing is all you’re up for, pop the bra in a mesh bag (with the hooks done up) and toss it in the washer. Hang to dry, and by the next day that new bra is ready to wear. I personally prefer hand washing, because it lets me wash just one item without a trip to the laundromat. And Soak makes it super quick and easy! (Don’t believe me? Here’s a how-to I wrote for you a while back.)
Obviously you don’t have to wash a new bra right away. There’s no bra police coming to get you if you don’t, and it’s not going to ruin your life to wear a new bra home from the store. If you don’t have particularly sensitive skin, you might not even notice a difference between your bra pre- and post-wash. But if you’re a little sensitive, or if you’re new to fitting and this is your first bra in your “ideal” size, this is a quick and easy way to increase your comfort.
