Someday I’d like to conduct a survey of how my readers wash their bras. Personally, I’m a put-it-off-as-long-as-I-can washer. Once when Ralph’s mother at Orchard Corset was fitting me, she suggested the lazy approach: wash it while you’re wearing it in the shower. I haven’t tried it yet, but it seemed like a good idea. Usually I alternate between soaking my bras in laundry detergent in the sink and putting them in a lingerie bag in the washing machine.

Now, however, I am going to try Real Lingerie Washing Stuff. The cashiers at the lingerie stores swear by the Stuff, and I’ve always wondered whether it’s simply a marketing add-on to my bill, or if it would really make a difference. Now it’s time to find out.

I have marked each of the 3 identical bras that I purchased from Linda’s before Thanksgiving with a number—1, 2 and 3. Bra 1, I will wash in Tide. Bra 2 I will wash in the Le Blanc Silk & Lingerie Wash that I bought from Linda’s. Bra 3 I will wash in the Forever New Fabric Care Wash that I bought from Intimacy. This almost makes me excited to wash my bras. Almost.

Let’s see if careful washing will make Bra 2 and Bra 3 last longer than Bra 1, or if they each need to be replaced at the same time. Speaking of replacements, I’ve heard anywhere from 6-12 months. This last time, I realized it was replacement time when the seamstress making alterations on my bridesmaid dress suggested I take in some fabric at the shoulders in order to give me some “lift”.