Why Baking Soda Is The Magic Tool You Need To Clean Your Bras

Bras do so much to support us — literally. And a good bra can be hard to come by, so taking care of them to ensure they last a long time is key. Tried and true bras can be susceptible to several issues over time: graying, pilling, staining, and odor-retention, especially if you rotate between just one or two every few days — what other article of clothing do you wear that often, and how often should you be cleaning those bras? Every two to three wears! But many find that laundering their bras as usual, along with other clothes, isn't enough to keep them in good shape, even if they do clean them often enough. If your bras come out with yellow pit stains, pilling, and less-than-pleasant aromas when you wash with regular old detergent, you need to give them a hit of a cleaning powerhouse: baking soda.

Baking soda is an incredibly versatile cleaning substance, especially when it comes to laundry. In its fine powdered form, baking soda works as a gentle but effective abrasive on a physical level. On a chemical level, this alkaline powder cuts through acidic compounds and stubborn stains. When it comes to bras, it can help with a myriad of the problems listed above. Here's how to use baking soda to ensure your bras stay clean, look great, smell wonderful, and last for a very long time.

Do give your bras a thorough but gentle clean with baking soda, we recommend hand washing. Fill a bowl or sink basin with warm water, a dash of your favorite laundry detergent (you don't need much!), and a tablespoon of baking soda. Depending on the size of the bowl you're working with, you should be able to wash a few at a time. Submerge the bras entirely in the solution, swishing them around to make sure the liquid actually penetrates the fabric.
If you are spot-treating some stains left by sweat or even food, massage baking soda directly into the fabric — the powder is rough enough to actually break down the stains but not damage the material. This process will also allow the baking soda to draw out any foul odors within the bra. After you've allowed the bras to soak for at least 45 minutes, give them a thorough rinse under cool water, then ring them out and lay them out to dry on a flat surface to help them maintain their shape.

We know, we know, it's so tempting to just put those bras in the washing machine and hope for the best. It's faster, it's easier, and it's bad for your bras — even with the help of baking soda. In fact, that dreaded pilling, you hate to see on your bra straps? Those can directly result from machine washing, as pilling is caused by tiny loose threads getting tangled with each other, and this is exacerbated during a wash cycle. It's generally much harsher on fabrics, and it's the last thing you want when it comes to bras with delicate lace and silk details.

With that being said, yes, you can use baking soda in your washing machine to clean your bras. When you do a load of laundry, you can simply add a few tablespoons of baking soda directly into the tumbler, along with your preferred laundry detergent, and run the bras through a cold wash cycle. This may help with some of the laundry issues bras have. You can also try soaking your bras in warm water with baking soda and dish soap before putting them in the washer for some extra cleaning power. Once the wash cycle is done, remember that bras are one of the things that should never be machine-dried.