Underwear is a delicate part of everyday wardrobe that requires especially careful handling. Panties and bras made from elegant lace or thin material, when washed in the general mass of things, will quickly turn into unusable rags - they will fade, shrink or stretch. Therefore, it is very important to know about the features of cleaning such intimate toiletries from dirt in order to extend their service life. Our article will tell you about all the nuances and secrets of careful care.
How to remove stubborn stains
Blood
- Rub the stained area with laundry soap, scrub and rinse.
- Apply stain remover for colored or white fabrics, leave for 5-10 minutes, rinse.
- Apply a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to the stain, leave for 5–10 minutes, and rinse.
After removing blood stains, the laundry should be washed in cold water, dried and ironed.
Brown and yellow spots
We have a separate article on how to remove yellow and brown stains from panties.
We'll tell you briefly here.
- Thoroughly wash the area of contamination with laundry soap, rub it with your hands, and wash as usual.
- Mix soda or salt with a small amount of water to a thick paste. Apply the mixture to the stain for 10-15 minutes and then wash.
Drying
Washed sets must also be dried properly so that the products do not become deformed.
- The room should be well ventilated and protected from direct sunlight.
- As a rule, cotton underwear is dried on a line, secured by the edges with clothespins.
- Silk, lace, viscose and synthetic products should not be placed on heating radiators or near other heating devices. They are placed on a table covered with a light, clean cloth (terry towel, sheet) until completely dry. Do the same with bras, carefully straightening them on the surface.
Features of washing clothes from different materials
Cotton
Cotton linen is quite unpretentious. It can withstand washing in the washing machine and by hand.
White cotton panties can be washed at a maximum temperature of 90 °C, and colored ones - 60 °C.
Silk
It is recommended to wash silk fabrics by hand in moderately warm water.
- Rub the stained areas with a solution of washing powder.
- Rinse the product and squeeze lightly.
Synthetics
Synthetic laundry can be washed by hand or in a washing machine on the synthetic cycle.
The water temperature should not exceed 30 °C.
Lace
It is advisable to wash lace underwear by hand.
- Dilute the powder in water at a temperature of 30 °C.
- Soak the product for 10–15 minutes.
- Rub areas of particular contamination.
- Rinse the item with cold water.
- Squeeze lightly and dry.
Basic washing rules
To keep things in good condition, you need to know how to wash underwear correctly. To do this, you should follow certain simple recommendations:
- Sort your clothes by category. It is prohibited to wash delicate, synthetic and items made from natural materials, which are characterized by higher wear resistance, at the same time. The same applies to the color of the product. Never load light and colored fabrics into the machine drum together.
- Strictly follow the instructions on the product label. If there is none, adhere to washing standards regarding the material from which the laundry is made.
- Wash intimate items immediately, without leaving them dirty for long periods of time.
- Use powder for baby clothes. It has good cleansing properties, is hypoallergenic and does not cause skin irritation.
- Wash items in special mesh bags, especially if they are bras with hooks and detachable straps. For these purposes, you can use a pillowcase.
- Do not load a full tank when washing in an automatic machine. This way, the products won’t wash well, and the powder won’t be completely washed out of the fabric.
- Using a pre-soak, make sure that the detergent is well dissolved in the water without leaving any grains.
Important: even a new set of underwear must be washed before wearing. This is one of the hygiene requirements.
Recommendations
The following tips will help you cope with washing clothes without problems
- New items should always be washed before wearing for the first time.
- It is better to wash worn linen immediately without accumulating them. This makes it easier to wash off.
- If possible, it is better to wash your underwear by hand rather than in a machine. This will extend the life of things.
- The frequency of washing clothes is determined by the intensity of wear and type. For a bra, it is advisable to wash it after two wearings, for panties, socks, tights - daily, for nightgowns - 2 times a week, for T-shirts - every other day.
You will find maximum useful information about washing clothes and various fabric products here.
Important information
Panties need regular washing. It is carried out with every change of linen. Tips and tricks to help you wash your underwear efficiently:
Before you begin washing or removing stains, you need to study the information on the product label.- Be sure to wash your panties after purchasing. It is not safe to put them on without pre-treatment.
- When using a new stain remover, you need to test it on a small area and monitor the reaction of the fabric.
- You can restore the brightness of your laundry and further disinfect it using a weak vinegar solution. The product is soaked in it for half an hour.
We wash off stains
You should wash it immediately after staining - the older the stain, the harder it is to get rid of it.
Washing at a high temperature if they are cotton will help restore the whiteness of your panties. If it is a different material, then it is better to pre-soak it in ammonia water (3 tablespoons of ammonia per half bucket of water).
Important! Blood stains can be removed by hand immediately. The water is cool, the detergent is ordinary laundry soap, for white fabric you can use bleaching soap. The area of contamination is rubbed with soap, left for a couple of minutes, then gently rubbed and rinsed. If traces of blood remain on the first try, you need to repeat hand washing several times.
Other types of linen
When caring for other types of underwear, for example, T-shirts, pajamas, panties, etc., you should be guided by the types of fabrics from which they are made.
Cotton products
Cotton fabrics are most often used when sewing underwear. It is natural and best for sensitive skin.
Here are some recommendations for washing cotton items:
- Before washing, white cotton linen can be soaked in vinegar for up to 10 minutes and then used with soap;
- When washing linen made of lace or with embroidered inserts, it is better to avoid mechanical friction and twisting; it is better to wash it by hand;
- For synthetic fabrics, the use of bleaches is contraindicated to avoid damage to things;
- To better wash your underwear, you can soak it in a soda solution for half an hour.
Cotton products that are pleasant to the body
To prepare a soda solution, you will need to dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in three liters of water.
Silk products
Silk fabrics are very often used for sewing underwear. This fabric is not only beautiful, but products made from it are quite expensive. Therefore, proper care will allow you to use such products longer.
For silk fabrics, hand washing is recommended, in exceptional cases - machine washing at a temperature not exceeding 30°C, subject to a special permitting symbol on the product label. Silk underwear is washed in gentle detergents without chlorine, which destroys the structure of the fabric, is well rinsed and does not wring out.
Synthetic products
When washing products made from artificial materials, a delicate cycle and gentle detergents are also used. Such fabrics are afraid of hot water; they will have to be washed at a temperature not exceeding 40°C.
Shapewear or sportswear often contains elastane. Caring for such products should be as delicate as possible. It is not recommended to soak such laundry overnight, and stains should be removed immediately, without waiting for them to dry.
Lingerie with elastane
Thermal underwear contains unique fibers that can perfectly absorb and release liquids. Washing such linen should be done frequently at a temperature no higher than 40°C, otherwise the linen will lose its absorbent properties and may shrink. It is prohibited to use chlorine-containing products, as the fabric structure is destroyed. You can learn more about working with such things from this article: basic principles of washing thermal underwear.
How to wash panties in a washing machine
You need to wash panties in a machine using a special detergent for delicate fabrics or powder for children's clothes.
Since intimate items of clothing are in direct contact with the skin all day long, not a drop of chemicals should remain on the product.
This means that it is better not to use a large amount of products (bleaches, rinses) or at least turn on an additional rinse after the main cycle.
Important! It has been scientifically proven that the powder is completely rinsed out only if you rinse 5 times. That's why synthetic detergents often cause allergies or asthma in a person - they are simply poorly washed out of clothes.
Lingerie care
First of all, you should not allow underwear to be worn. It cannot be worn for several days in a row. This not only complicates the washing process, but also violates basic hygiene rules. Dirty underwear cannot be stored for a long time. This approach usually leads to the fact that traces of discharge and other stains become old and are almost impossible to wash off.
Items that have been worn for a long time require the use of strong washing powders, physical force, or even boiling. After such procedures, the condition of lace underwear leaves much to be desired. More frequent washing will eliminate such problems, and your underwear will remain as good as new and will last for quite a long time.
Removing stains
The following methods will help remove urine stains, wash off feces (a typical stain for children's panties), remove greasy stains, and get rid of menstruation marks. They can be used so that the fabric does not turn grey.
Lemon juice
Add lemon juice to water. The solution is especially suitable for washing delicate fabrics. Leave the product soaked for 2 hours.
Lemon juice will help wash white panties, remove the gray tint, returning them to a snow-white appearance, remove blood (cold solution), remove sperm from a man’s underwear. After cleaning with lemon juice, washed panties smell pleasant.
Salt
Mix salt and lemon juice into a paste. Apply the product to problem areas (period marks, discharge, urine stains), leave for at least 30 minutes.
By the way, traces of normal discharge are also typical for Muslims who use water after each visit to the toilet.
Citrus peel
Place the peels of citrus fruits (tangerine, lemon, orange...) in a pan of water and boil. Strain the broth, add hydrogen peroxide to it. Soak clothes in the solution for 2 hours. In addition to obtaining a pleasant aroma, after soaking in orange peels, various contaminants are washed off, the laundry becomes white after washing, gets rid of grayness and yellowness.
Expert opinion
Evgenia Taran
Soaking clothes in citrus peel is recommended to eliminate the burning smell after a fire.
Vinegar
According to housewives, vinegar is the best remedy for removing yellow stains from sweat, brown marks on children's underwear, and restoring faded clothes. Due to its disinfecting properties, it is recommended to wash clothes with thrush with vinegar. Pour vinegar into warm water. Soak things in the solution and leave overnight.
Expert opinion
Natalya Osadchaya
It is also advisable to rinse new items with vinegar before wearing them.
Do I need to wash the new one?
The question of whether new underwear needs to be washed after purchase deserves special attention. Of course, yes - there can be no two opinions, new things are subject to mandatory processing!
What is this connected with? There are several compelling reasons that cannot be ignored:
- During fitting, a lot of skin particles and traces of other people’s sweat settle - this is unhygienic and can lead to unpleasant consequences;
- In production and during transportation, the necessary sanitary conditions are not always observed - things can fall or be subject to other third-party influences;
- During the production process, the fabric is bleached and dyed - chlorine and dyes can lead to negative allergic reactions, disruptions in the functioning of internal organs and disruptions of the hormonal system;
- The same applies to phthalates, formaldehyde and repellent emulsions, which are applied to maintain presentation - harm to the body is unconditional.
If you care about your health, you should definitely wash your underwear after purchasing - according to the instructions on the label. The set will become soft, pleasant to the touch, and will have a clean and fresh smell.
We told you how to properly wash women's underwear - a few simple steps will help you achieve an impressive result! Taking care of yourself and taking care of delicate items of clothing is necessary; it is a pleasant and simple process. Next, we will explain that towels smell unpleasant after washing - why does this happen?
What to do with nylon products?
What to do with nylon products? They also need proper care. It must be gentle to avoid the appearance of puffs and streaks after washing. In particular, it is recommended to do the following:
- It is best to wash hosiery by hand. You need to fill a basin with water at room temperature and dilute a little liquid or colorless soap in it. The products are washed in the resulting solution and then rinsed thoroughly.
- It is best to dry the products on a table or other similar surface, straightening them out well. It is also permissible to hang them to dry, making sure that the stockings do not become deformed.
- It is preferable to allocate a separate storage space for stockings and tights. If there is no contact with other clothing, there will be no tangling or puffs.
Caring for underwear may seem a little complicated at first glance, but it is not. It is enough to perform the procedure 1-2 times and it will become a habit. Careful care is the only way to keep your underwear clean and tidy.
Why do we need a bag?
Bags for washing underwear are practical and useful devices.
Their use will allow:
- Preserve the underwear itself without damage or stretching.
- Avoid accidental loss of small parts (beads, hooks, etc.) that are a functional or decorative part of women's underwear.
- Prevent damage to the washing machine from laundry items.
The bags are different:
- design;
- material;
- size of cells;
- presence/absence of stiffeners;
- closing system.
For washing bras, models that hold their shape (have stiffening ribs) and are compact in size are better suited - this will prevent the underwear from dangling and stretching in the drum.
The mesh bag should be:
- quality;
- neatly made;
- have a convenient size;
- have a zipper lock.
If the machine is supposed to wash several items of laundry at once, then there should also be several bags. You can purchase such devices on the Internet, as well as in stores that specialize in selling household goods and household chemicals.
It is advisable to choose a small mesh size . This makes it more reliable.
Manual processing
Hand washing clothes is the best option. Despite the labor intensity, it allows you to wash carefully and thoroughly, keeping the entire process under control and paying attention to the necessary areas.
Procedure:
- Pour warm (not higher than +40ºС) water into a basin.
Dilute the detergent. If it is a powder, you should make sure that it is completely dissolved without lumps.- Place things in the water.
- Lather and rub the stained areas.
- Leave to lie in the basin for 15-20 minutes.
- Gently rub things without applying force.
- If the water is dirty after all the manipulations, you need to drain it and get new water, in which you can also dilute the gel or powder, and wash the laundry again.
- Rinse thoroughly.
A good rinse is very important; it must be done several times until the water is no longer soapy.
Is ironing required?
You can iron women's underwear sets only if this is permitted by the manufacturer and is indicated in the form of symbols on the label.
Mostly, cotton or linen products that are not afraid of high temperatures may need ironing. This will make them fresher and tidier after washing. It is advisable not to iron items made from other materials - nylon, silk, viscose, etc. But if such a need arises, then the procedure should be carried out carefully, from the inside out, with a slightly warm iron, without touching the seams, elastic bands and lace.
Knowing how to properly wash “intimate” wardrobe items and provide them with proper care, you can maximize their service life. At the same time, the linen will always look new, fresh and attractive, giving the owner a feeling of confidence and irresistibility.
Do I need to iron?
Most women's underwear models do not require ironing. The ban on ironing is often indicated by the manufacturer himself .
Silk, synthetics, lace are very sensitive to heat. Such materials can be easily damaged, especially if they come into direct contact with the soleplate of the iron. In addition, you should not iron your shapewear.
Most cotton and linen items can be ironed on the front side at a low temperature . Places with embroidery - from the inside out. But it should be borne in mind that such treatment reduces the service life of the laundry and can lead to discoloration of the fabrics.
Synthetic items should be ironed through an additional cloth that is slightly moistened. The heating of the iron should not be too strong - up to 120°C.
Consider the type of fabric
You can wash panties and bras in an automatic machine, but subject to certain rules. The first thing is to carefully study the product label and find out its composition. The temperature, intensity and duration of washing a set mainly depends on the type of fabric used for sewing. This is usually silk, cotton or synthetic.
- Cotton. Cotton underwear, unlike synthetic and silk, is not afraid of high temperatures: colored underwear can be washed at 50-60 degrees, and white and light-colored underwear at 90-95. The main thing to remember is that thick fabric does not like aggressive detergents. It is advisable to choose baby powders and gels.
- Silk. It is better to wash the silk set by hand, but automatic washing on a delicate or manual program is also suitable. Some washing machine models offer a special “Silk” mode. It is important to set the heat below 30 degrees, turn off the spin, use a gentle gel and rinse the laundry twice. To restore color when rinsing, it is recommended to add vinegar at the rate of one tablespoon per liter of water.
- Synthetics. Panties made of elastane, polyamide or other synthetic fabrics can also be washed in an automatic machine. Some machines have a special program - “Synthetics”. To prevent the products from fading or deforming, it is necessary to reduce the heat to 40 degrees and avoid spinning.
Before washing your panties, read the label - on it the manufacturer indicates the composition, optimal type of cleaning, heating temperature and drying method.
We must not forget about sorting underwear. It is important to wash whites, coloreds and blacks separately, especially those just purchased.
How to dry?
It is advisable to dry any laundry in natural conditions. And away from heating devices. Hang it straightened, avoiding contact with other things. How you hang your laundry depends on the type of laundry.
The bras are thrown over the rope in the middle. And they try not to use clothespins. The panties are secured with clothespins on a rope at the top edge.
It is recommended to dry silk linen in a horizontal position. Knitted too. Automatic drying is not used for underwear.
