Many women do not know how to take proper care of their bras and underwear. Washing, drying and storing them correctly will keep the undergarments lasting longer.

Bras and underwear can be expensive items to continually replace. In order to keep from having to replace them often, appropriate steps should be taken while washing and caring for them.

All bras, no matter what the style or material, should not be washed in a washing machine, Victorias Secret members said. The workers are required to remain anonymous as set forth by their corporate company.

Victoria’s Secret recommended hand-washing bras in lukewarm or cold water. Two good ways are taking the bras into the shower and washing them with shampoo or washing them in the sink with a mild detergent.

Hand washing bras causes less wear and tear to the bra and keeps it from warping. If hand washing isn’t an option, some women encourage washing bras in a lingerie bag.

Although hand washing is the better alternative, washing bras in a lingerie bag is okay too, but it may cause bras to deteriorate more quickly.

After washing the bras, lay them out flat to dry. This prevents bending and damage to the cups.

Victoria’s Secret offers three different types of bras: good, better and best. The good bras will last one to two years, the better will last three to four and the best will last three to five.

Victoria’s Secret employees tell their customers that the bras will only last for those specific years if they take good care of them. These care instructions are the best way to make sure the bras will last for their entire life span.

For underwear, Victoria’s Secret recommends following the care instructions on the tag — underwear can be washed and dried in a dryer, but women should use a mild detergent and dry the underwear on the low heat or air-dry setting. Underwear is different from bras because you have to wash them more often. Bras really only need to be washed every two weeks.