How often you need to wash your bras isn't an exact science. But dermatologist Alok Vij, MD, says that as a general rule, you should wash them after every two to three wears.
Obviously you don't have to wash a new bra right away. There's no bra police coming to get you if you don't, and it's not going to ruin your life to wear a new bra home from the store. If you don't have particularly sensitive skin, you might not even notice a difference between your bra pre- and post-wash.
"By not washing bras frequently, body soils like sweat, sebum, and skin cells can build up on bras, which can eventually lead to malodors and even residues and dinginess," Wang warns. And, according to Miller, any bacteria left on the bra can lead to annoying skin problems, such as "irritation or rash."
"Our general rule: wash your bra for every three wears, assuming that you're wearing the bra only for 'normal' activity—that is, sitting at your desk as opposed to exercising," says Kunitomi.
A good rule of thumb is three everyday bras: Two in a neutral color or skin tone shade. At least one darker color, like Black, Espresso, or Olive, for outfit variety.
There's nothing wrong with wearing a bra while you sleep if that's what you're comfortable with. Sleeping in a bra will not make a girl's breasts perkier or prevent them from getting saggy. And it will not stop breasts from growing or cause breast cancer.
The majority of participants (37 percent) said they wash their bras about once a month, while just 7 percent of voters said they wash them after every wear.
However, wearing the bra each day allows the stains to seep into the fabrics. This can create permanent stains in the bra. It may seem cosmetic, but stains also mean that sweat and oils could be permanently damaging your bra's elastic and fit.
"On average, they own 16 at any one time, topping up their collection with four purchases each year." And then the story goes on to reveal that while we women have enough bras to go at least two weeks without doing laundry, on average we wash them only every two months.
Even though bras are an undergarment, they're definitely not on the same level as your underwear. Those you should wash after every wear.
"If you don't wear a bra, your breasts will sag," says Dr. Ross. "If there's a lack of proper, long-term support, breast tissue will stretch and become saggy, regardless of breast size." Still, both experts agree that multiple factors play into if and when sagging (technical term: "ptosis") occurs, bra-wearing aside.
Unless you're regularly breaking into a sweat, you don't need to change your regular bra every day. A change twice a week (or at least once a week) is a good guideline to aim for.
Studies show that wearing a bra at night negatively impacts the lymphatic system, which removes toxins from your breasts via the lymph nodes in your underarms. The physical constriction of a sports or underwire bra blocks the lymphatic system from draining and keeps toxins from filtering out of your system.
In fact, experts recommend replacing bras every six months—or after about 180 wears.
Everyday bras
These are the bras that we reach for day after day. They go with most of our clothing, and we can rely on our everyday bras to keep us comfortable and supported all day long. But this everyday style doesn't have to be boring. A good rule of thumb is to have three everyday bras on rotation.
No matter the type of bra, the band should fit comfortably around your body, snug but not tight. Remember to always start a new bra on the loosest hook and hook tighter as the band stretches over time.
Why do we even need to change our bedsheets? To cut to the chase, Dr Browning says we should be changing our sheets once a week, or every two weeks at the most. Hygiene is a big factor, and one of the reasons is sweat. If you've ever tried sleeping in a heatwave, you'll know how difficult it can be.
Most people should wash their sheets once per week. If you don't sleep on your mattress every day, you may be able to stretch this to once every two weeks or so. Some people should wash their sheets even more often than once a week.
Young women usually have dense breasts because their milk systems might be needed for feeding babies. Sometimes this thickness is felt as a lump or a mass of tissue. As women age, their milk systems shrink and are replaced by fat. By menopause, most women's breasts are completely soft.
When our participants were asked what their ideal breast size would be, the C cup was considered the most popular, with 39% choosing it above other sizes. In second place, was the D cup, which was the first choice of 29% of people who completed our survey.
Men should own at least 14 pairs of underwear. If you do laundry every week, then 14 is the magic number.