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I dislike doing laundry. Not that many people enjoy it, but my actions speak volumes. I postpone the chore as long as possible sometimes even for a month or two. Lucky for me, I have a lot of clothes to get away with the delay. Unfortunately, I then spend an inordinate amount of time washing the backlog.

My procrastination, combined with living in an apartment building with a shared laundry room, makes me wonder if your delicates are in jeopardy. While my next statement may sound like I am nosey, I prefer to think of it as just being observant and perhaps a result of my boredom waiting for the cycle to end. My opinion, however, is strong. Stop blowing hot air that is, on your lingerie!

As an owner of a lingerie business, LaviniaLingerie.com, I speak with expertise. You should not put most bras and panties in the dryer. If you want to preserve the life of your intimate apparel, you or your housekeeper should really read their care labels. It is really shocking to see the level of abuse your underwear is taking! Indeed, I have witnessed disgraceful treatment of both expensive and inexpensive lingerie.

Washing machines and dryers, if used uniformly without regard to the type of garment, can degrade the elastic, lace, color, shape and seams of your undergarments. Have you ever wondered why the underwire of your bra has fallen out?

Follow these few simple suggestions and your lingerie should last longer. While I agree that a delicate soap like Woolite is useful, it is not a necessity. Laundry detergents like Tide are fine, but bleaches should be avoided. Delicate fabrics and elastics do not perform well once they have been exposed to bleach. If you don’t already own some, visit your local lingerie boutique or a home goods shop like Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy a few lingerie bags sheer mesh laundry sacks to protect your bras and panties from wrapping, twisting or hooking around other garments or the machine agitator. The bags are also great to wash and protect your stockings, pantyhose, slips and nightgowns. Once the garments are washed, you can easily grab the bags from the washing machine and avoid a potential mishap by putting them in the heat of the dryer. I can’t stress this point enough. It’s better to line dry your undergarments than use the dryer. Air them out and you will continue to benefit from the comfort, fit, support and style you originally invested in.