Can You Put Bras in the Dryer? Here’s Why You Might Want to Think Twice

Everyone knows you can throw your T-shirts and socks into the dryer without much thought, but can you do the same with your bras?

If, like many of us, you have a habit of tossing everything into the dryer once the washing machine finishes, the thought of hanging each bra up to dry may seem like an unnecessary chore. Though, even with a low-heat setting and a mesh laundry bag, machine-drying your bras can do more harm than you might expect. Yes, it’s the age-old laundry debate: Can you really put bras in the dryer?

We’re here to tell you, once and for all, yes, you can put certain bras in the dryer—as long as their care labels allow it. Sorry, there’s always a catch. So before you go throwing your favorite bras in with the rest of your laundry, it’s important to consider what all that heat and tumbling can do to them. A stretchy sports bra, a lace bralette, and a molded T-shirt bra won’t necessarily fare the same way in the dryer, so knowing what yours is made of matters just as much as the setting you choose.

Can You Put Bras in the Dryer?

@hurraykimmay Never EVER put your bras in the dryer! It’s so damaging. #bratok #brafitter #bratips #brafittingtips #brasize #cupsize ♬ Lo-fi hip hop – NAO-K

The care label is a good place to start, regardless of how well-made your bra may be. Some sports bras and T-shirt bras can tolerate tumble-drying on low heat, while those made with lace, silk, or decorative embellishments generally require more careful treatment. Look for the tumble-dry symbol (a square with a circle inside it) and check whether the manufacturer specifies a temperature. If the symbol is crossed out, it’s best to skip the dryer altogether, even if you’re only planning to use the lowest setting.

And while we’re certainly not opposed to the convenience of machine-drying, there’s a good case for letting your bras dry naturally. Heat can gradually wear down the materials that give a bra its stretch and support, so air-drying may help you get more wear out of your favorites. A mesh laundry bag is helpful for keeping straps and hooks from getting tangled with the rest of your clothes, but it won’t protect the fabric from heat (unfortunately, there’s only so much a laundry bag can do). Our editors generally reserve tumble-drying for bras whose care instructions specifically allow it, using the lowest recommended temperature.

What Happens When You Tumble-Dry a Bra

One trip through the dryer isn’t necessarily going to ruin your favorite bra, although making a habit of it can have consequences for the elastic, cups, and other materials that help it maintain its shape. The elastic running through your bra’s band and straps is supposed to stretch when you wear it, then spring back when you take it off. After enough exposure to dryer heat, however, it may not recover quite so well. You could end up with a band that’s no longer as snug as it used to be, or straps that need tightening far more often than you remember.

The tumbling motion presents another set of concerns, even when you’re careful about the temperature. Lace can catch on zippers or other clothing, underwires may become bent or displaced, and molded foam cups can develop creases that aren’t always possible to smooth out again. Sometimes you’ll notice the damage straight away, like a snag in your favorite lace bra. Other times, it takes several trips through the dryer before you realize the cups aren’t holding their shape anymore. And while your lace bralette and sports bra might share the same laundry basket, they don’t necessarily belong in the same dryer cycle.

How to Dry Bras Properly

Once your bra is out of the wash, resist the temptation to wring it out like a dishcloth. Twisting the fabric can stretch the elastic or distort the shape of molded cups, so it’s better to gently press out the excess water with a clean towel. From there, reshape the cups with your hands and lay the bra flat on a dry towel or mesh drying rack. If you’d prefer to hang it, drape the center of the bra over the rack instead of suspending it by the straps, which can stretch under the weight of wet fabric.

As for where to leave your bras while they dry, we’d choose somewhere with good airflow, away from direct sunlight or heating vents. High temperatures can damage elastic fibers even when you’re technically air-drying, so keeping them away from unnecessary heat is just as important as how you lay them out. Bras with thicker padding may take longer to dry than unlined lace or mesh, so give them enough time before putting them away. If you tend to do laundry in the evening, leaving your bras out overnight is perfectly reasonable, provided there’s enough ventilation for them to dry completely.