The Reason You Should Never Put Your Underwear In The Dryer
Shutterstock By Shana Aborn/Oct. 21, 2020 2:31 pm EST
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. When it comes to laundry, some people are the sort-by-color, use-the-right-settings type, while others are the toss-it-all-in-and-press-start type. But whichever category you fall into, you may be making a huge laundry faux pas at drying time. If you typically put your underwear into the dryer, you might enjoy the short-lived pleasure of having all your wash done at the same time. But this could quickly be canceled out by the annoyance of ending up with panties that you wouldn’t want to wear even on your grungiest days.
There’s a reason why dryers have all those different settings: Each one is designed to dry specific types and weights of clothes and linens in the most efficient, least damaging way possible. As Real Simple explains, most dryers have settings such as “heavy duty,” a high-heat option for items like jeans and towels that absorb a lot of moisture and take longer to dry, and “permanent press,” a lower-heat setting that helps prevent wrinkles in both synthetic-fabric clothes and natural-fabric clothing that wrinkles easily (per Whirlpool). But when it comes to your lacy undergarments, the rules are totally different.
The Reason You Should Never Put Your Underwear In The Dryer
Shutterstock
By Shana Aborn/Oct. 21, 2020 2:31 pm EST
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. When it comes to laundry, some people are the sort-by-color, use-the-right-settings type, while others are the toss-it-all-in-and-press-start type. But whichever category you fall into, you may be making a huge laundry faux pas at drying time. If you typically put your underwear into the dryer, you might enjoy the short-lived pleasure of having all your wash done at the same time. But this could quickly be canceled out by the annoyance of ending up with panties that you wouldn’t want to wear even on your grungiest days.
There’s a reason why dryers have all those different settings: Each one is designed to dry specific types and weights of clothes and linens in the most efficient, least damaging way possible. As Real Simple explains, most dryers have settings such as “heavy duty,” a high-heat option for items like jeans and towels that absorb a lot of moisture and take longer to dry, and “permanent press,” a lower-heat setting that helps prevent wrinkles in both synthetic-fabric clothes and natural-fabric clothing that wrinkles easily (per Whirlpool). But when it comes to your lacy undergarments, the rules are totally different.
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
There’s a reason why dryers have all those different settings: Each one is designed to dry specific types and weights of clothes and linens in the most efficient, least damaging way possible. As Real Simple explains, most dryers have settings such as “heavy duty,” a high-heat option for items like jeans and towels that absorb a lot of moisture and take longer to dry, and “permanent press,” a lower-heat setting that helps prevent wrinkles in both synthetic-fabric clothes and natural-fabric clothing that wrinkles easily (per Whirlpool).
But when it comes to your lacy undergarments, the rules are totally different.
Fresh-air drying is best for underwear
For maximum longevity, wash your bras and panties by hand, preferably in a sink with a detergent formulated for delicate fabrics. The energetic soaking and spinning produced by a washing machine can bend bra hooks and snag lace (per underwear manufacturer Lively). Don’t have time for a sink dunk? Then a mesh lingerie bag is a must, according to experts who spoke to New York Magazine. They also recommend not washing underwear along with heavy denim or terrycloth items, which can rub against the flimsier fabric and wear it down.
A little extra time and effort will keep your underwear looking great.
