A woman has sparked a debate after revealing she wears her bras ‘many, many times’ before washing them – and her sister was not impressed by her candid confession
How often do you scrub up your bra?
It seems like a simple query, yet it sparks quite the debate. Turns out, not everyone is in sync when it comes to washing their bras. A certain lady found herself at the centre of controversy upon realising that her sister barely washes hers as frequently as she does.
Baffled by the disparity, she took to Mumsnet to spill the beans: “This afternoon my sister and I were chatting and this came up- she washes her bra’s after every wear. I am quite the opposite… my bras go many many wears between washes and never seem obviously dirty or have any kind of scent.”
She posed the question to the Mumsnet community: “[Am I being unreasonable] and a sk**ky cow or is she being a clean freak? Just wondering what the general consensus is?” Further clarifying her stance, the woman indicated that sporting bras are an exception for her. “Also to clarify… we had this conversation getting changed at the gym – the only exception to my rule is sports bra’s which do get sweaty and are washed after every wear,” she said.
But even with her sports bra caveat, some Mumsnet users couldn’t mask their astonishment. One user chimed in: “After every wear. It’s flat on your skin which sweats.” Another echoed the sentiment: “After every wear like my knickers,” while a third was blunt: “Wearing a bra for more than a day is ick.”
Several commenters came to the woman’s defence, with one person saying: “Years ago – would’ve worn a bra for a week – no smell etc- didn’t sweat, no stains or dirt that I could see. These days – every day – couldn’t get away without it. Think it’s totally up to how much you do or don’t sweat in that area!”
Another chimed in: “To me it’s pretty good obvious when it needs washing and I do try not to over wash clothes – bad for the environment and wears out clothes too.” Meanwhile, another added: “Between 3 and 7 days but I don’t sweat a lot.” Thankfully, there’s no definitive rule on this. The experts say it really hinges on your personal usage.
It’s understandable then that Mumsnet users have varied responses. However, the general advice is to wash your bra after three wears, under typical conditions. The pros at Lounge Underwear advise: “The frequency at which you should clean your bra will completely depend on how active you are. For example, if you’ve been working out and sweating your bra will need washing.
“If you’ve just had a day at the office, you can usually get two or three uses before it needs a wash. This not only makes your bra last longer, but using an underwear care bag is also recommended to keep your intimates in top condition.”
