How to Hand Wash Your Favorite Brazilian Bikinis

 

 

When it comes to our favorite Brazilian bikinis, one pieces or even your delicate lingerie, we always recommend hand washing.  After all, whether we’re talking large cup sizes, padded bikini tops or underwire, you want to give these delectable delicates the tender loving care they deserve, and they usually won’t bode well mixed in with your jeans or knits.  First of all, most Guria bikinis have trims or hardware.  That’s right, from grommets to s-hooks to our sexy little 18 karat gold G logo charm that adorns every Guria Brazilian cut bikini or one piece, your swimwear does have trims.  While we love them, they can easily catch on other items in your laundry and wreak havoc to your favorite sweater or blouse. So, for the sake of your Brazilian swimwear, and for the sake of your wardrobe in general, please follow the care instructions on each and every label which suggest hand washing and air drying.

 

 

 

But hand washing doesn’t have to be difficult, or boring.  You can actually indulge in the beautiful aromas of some of the delicate detergents, almost like aromatherapy. Follow the steps below and it can be as easy as mixing a martini, stirred, not shaken, of course ;)

 

 

 

You will need a sink or basin filled with cool water and a mild, delicate-wash detergent. Also at least one, but preferably two clean, light-colored towels and a place to dry the garment. First the fun part: shopping.  I’m going to suggest using a very gentile laundry detergent made specifically for hand wash or delicate items.  Some choices that will not break the bank are Woolite, available at your local grocery store, Method Beach Sage Detergent, available at www.target.com It’s concentrated so just use a little.  It’s also hypoallergenic, plant based and bio-degradable, so it doesn’t hurt the environment.  Other great choices are Dreft or any other laundry detergent designed to be gentile on baby’s skin.  I also like Baby Laundry Detergent from Jessica Alba’s product line, Honest.  I should mention that the baby products are often fragrance free, so if you are looking for a lasting scent to your delicates, this would not leave the result that you desire.  My favorite of all however is Delicate Wash from The Laundress, available at www.Shopbop.com.  It has notes of bergamot, lavender and amber to name a few.

 

 

 

Fill the sink or basin with cool water and add the directed amount of detergent.  Usually a cap full or less is recommended.  Swirl your hand in the water to make sure the detergent is fully dissolved and distributed through the water.  Next, immerse your swimwear in the water. Your next move is to gently swirl and squeeze the clothing, working the suds through.  Make sure you don’t pull, stretch, or wring the fabric.  Allow the garment to soak for a few minutes, 2-5 should be sufficient. Now you’ll want to squeeze the excess water out of the garment gently, making sure not to wring or twist it.  Set the swimwear aside and drain the sink or basin.  Now you’re going to refill the sink or basin with fresh, cool water, and swirl the item around to rinse. Continue draining the soapy water, refilling it with fresh water, and swirling the item until there are no more suds in the water (hint: if you have to do this more than twice, you probably added too much detergent and should use less next time).  After your final rinse, lift the garment, gently squeeze out the excess water, and transfer it to a flat, clean, dry towel. If the garment doesn’t have padding or underwire, you may choose to roll the towel up with the article inside, pressing on it gently to soak up more water.  If the garment soaks through the towel quickly, repeat the process on a second dry towel. Hang up the item on an air dryer or on a hanger, or, place it on a dry towel and arrange it to its original shape.

 

Of course, the most important reason to hand wash is because you want to give the best care to the swimwear.  Spandex and nylon are delicate fabrics that are sensitive to heat.  If you wash them in hot water or if you dry them in the dryer, that can go up to 155 degrees Fahrenheit on high heat, you will completely fry the fabric.  And your bikinis are guaranteed to do one thing: SHRINK…and everyone knows shrinkage is a bad thing… especially in your already teeny Brazilian bikini.  Plus the fact that these babies are not cheap, well, even if you got them on sale, they are still an investment that you want to care for properly so they last season after season, wear after wear, year after year and vacation after vacation.