Dry clean, hand wash, machine wash- don’t these terms confuse you? I mean, clothes are meant to be washed and worn, right? WRONG! Lingerie is specially designed to stretch and compress at strategic places giving you curves you never knew you could ever have, and washing them the wrong way will ruin the fabric, lighten the color (or even make it bleed), and stretch the garter and nylon.

You ought to take note of the instructions sewn into the garment. Underwear is supposed to be hand washed to minimize the chances of it stretching during the cycle. If you have no choice but to use the washing machine, use a laundry bag and hook the clasps of the bras so that they don’t get caught in the other items. Wash using the gentlest cycle on your machine.

After you’re done washing them, hang them indoors to dry. If you don’t have space to hang them in your bathroom, hang them outside and avoid sunlight as this will lighten the color of dark hues. NEVER put them in the dryer. Even the lowest setting will damage the fabric. In addition, use a specially made formula when washing your delicates. Some people find Johnson & Johnson’s baby soaps gentle enough for washing silk and lace. If you can spend a couple more dollars, go for specialty soaps that are made for lingerie.

When wearing corsets, it’s ideal to spray on a fabric protectant so that you can wipe off anything the spills on it easily. Never soak them in water because most are made with steel that might rust. It’s best to have it cleaned at the dry cleaners. Silk and lace undergarments should be treated with extra care. Do not wring them; lay them over a towel and wait for it to dry. Hanging them will only stretch the fabric. Nylon on the other hand can be put in a laundry bag and thrown into the washing machine under the gentlest cycle. Keep this in mind when washing hosiery.

Lingerie, especially the elaborate kind, are a very expensive investment. Nevertheless, they deserve to be taken care of for giving you that sexy booty.