Posted on Jun 19, 2015

How Often Do You Actually Need To Wash Your Bra?

Admit it, you're gross like the rest of us.

BuzzFeed Staff

cgi sylvia plath @weepyspice

when was the last time i washed this bra? well that's between me and god
05:41 PM - 09 Jan 2015
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cassie .gov @mscarlosdanger

are you ever supposed to wash a bra? maybe. too bad the ancient runes that spoke of these rules have been washed away & we will never know
07:51 PM - 04 May 2015
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DreamWorks Pictures / Via cdn4.gurl.com

"Our general rule is that the closer that something is to your body the more frequently you have to wash it," says Mary Begovic Johnson, senior scientific communications manager at Procter & Gamble. "Since bras are in intimate contact with your body we recommend washing bras after three wears at the most. And after each wear if you're perspiring heavily."

Amelia Allen, a designer at Cosabella, agrees.

"Every three to five wears depending on your activity level and season. Being in South Florida, it's a lot more regularly."

Universal Pictures / Via i.imgur.com

Like acne breakouts, fungus, and yeast infections.

"You basically have a moist environment of skin sitting on skin, and that promotes the growth of yeast under the breast," says Zeichner. "And typically that manifests as a sort of pink patch, and the skin may become open and raw. That's especially prevalent in the summertime."

People with big boobs are especially at risk, since there's even more skin-on-skin contact happening.

Walt Disney Pictures / Via tumblr.com

"Because our skin is in contact with fabrics pretty much 24/7 -- even if you sleep naked you are sleeping on sheets -- it is important that people with sensitive skin use products that are dye and perfume free and hypoallergenic," Johnson says.

"And be careful not to use too much, especially if you're using a high efficiency washing machine," says Zeichner. "You don't need that much detergent, and if you use too much, it actually gets deposited into the fabrics of your clothing…Much of the irritation that people develop from clothing and from detergent really has to do with excess product being deposited between the fibers of the clothing, rather than a true allergic reaction."

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How Often Do You Actually Need To Wash Your Bra?

All right, circle of trust: When was the last time you washed your bra?

It's probably not as often as you want to admit.

Here's a few things to know before you strap on that filthy bra of yours for the 37th time.

1. You should be washing your bras a minimum of once a week.

2. But probably even more often than that.

3. It also depends what kind of bra you're rocking.

4. Frankly, your unwashed bra is a cesspool of grossness.

5. Your body also produces 1 billion dead skin flakes each day. That's a dead skin flake for every person on the planet per week.

6. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that going too long without doing laundry can have some not-so-pretty effects.

7. Well then, how should you actually go about washing them?

How Often Do You Actually Need To Wash Your Bra?

All right, circle of trust: When was the last time you washed your bra?

It's probably not as often as you want to admit.

Here's a few things to know before you strap on that filthy bra of yours for the 37th time.

1. You should be washing your bras a minimum of once a week.

2. But probably even more often than that.

3. It also depends what kind of bra you're rocking.

4. Frankly, your unwashed bra is a cesspool of grossness.

5. Your body also produces 1 billion dead skin flakes each day. That's a dead skin flake for every person on the planet per week.

6. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that going too long without doing laundry can have some not-so-pretty effects.

7. Well then, how should you actually go about washing them?

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