This Might Surprise You: You Should Wash Your Bra After Every Wear!
Some might find this obvious and wonder how anyone can wear the same bra for days when you wouldn’t wear the same shirt two days in a row. But there are definitely those who wear their favorite comfy bra for several days or even a week, and some who only wash their underwear a few times a month, not even sure when they last cleaned their bras.
Jené Luciani, author of The Bra Book, says bras should be swapped out just as often as any other underwear. It’s not only about hygiene—washing frequency also affects the bra’s durability and lifespan.
Oils and Bacteria Can Damage the Fabric
Because bras sit close to the skin, they get dirty quickly. The buildup of skin flakes, oils, and sweat creates a perfect environment for bacteria to multiply. Wearing an unwashed bra isn’t just unhealthy—it also harms the fabric. Dirt and bacteria can cause the bra to lose elasticity and struggle to keep its shape, which means it wears out faster.
Washing can also wear out your bra if you don’t follow the manufacturer’s care instructions. Always check the label and make sure your bra is machine washable.
Delicate bras should be washed in a laundry bag or by hand, but most bras can handle a gentle cycle at low temperatures with a mild spin in the washing machine without damage.
Some Are a Bit More Flexible
Lexie Sachs, senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textile Lab, says it’s not a strict rule to wash your bra after every wear. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
She explains that if you sweat a lot or have an active lifestyle, washing your bra after each use makes sense. But if your days are less intense or you don’t sweat much, you can wear your bra a few times before washing it.
Of course, what exactly counts as “a few times” isn’t clear, so if you don’t want to toss your bra in the laundry every day, you’ll have to trust your own judgment when it comes to washing.
