Clean underwear is a must. But with all these new fabrics and bright colors, how do you keep your underwear clean without soon having a drawer full of washed-out and stretched-out undies? Read on for instructions on how to care for the different types of fabrics found in your underwear drawer. 100% cotton: The vast majority of underwear is made from cotton. It is very moisture absorbent, soft to the touch and durable, and is therefore the easiest to care for. The main thing to remember before tossing cotton undies in the wash is to separate the lights from the darks. Since all colored cotton will bleed a little even at low temperatures, your white and light colored undies will soon be tinted with other colors if you neglect this step. Wash on medium and, as for drying, cotton handles the tumble dryer pretty well, though you still want to use a lower temperature setting. Stretch cotton: Stretch cotton is cotton with the addition of a bit of spandex or elastane (usually something like a mix of cotton and 5-10% spandex or elastane). This ensures a better fit and longer durability, so proper care is a must with these. Again, you want to separate the light colors from the dark ones and wash on a medium setting. Don’t use bleach on these, and avoid fabric softener, as both of these will damage the elasticity of the undies. You can dry them in a tumble dryer, but use the lowest heat setting. Modal, rayon, bamboo and similar natural fibers: Undies made from natural fibers are very soft, and generally retain color and elasticity very well. However, proper care guidelines should still be adhered to so as to avoid lint build up, and color bleed problems. With these too, you must wash the whites and darks separately. Set the washer to a low to medium temperature and don’t use fabric softener or bleach. It is best to let these line dry, but if you can’t then use a low temperature setting. Microfiber: These are awesome for sports and are normally made of polyamide, spandex or nylon. Undies made from microfiber materials are quick drying, offer great stretch and are very soft. Wash them in cold or lukewarm water and do not use a fabric softener, as this will interfere with the elasticity. Since these dry almost immediately there is no need to use the dryer. Mesh or sheer fabrics: Generally, the rule that applies here is that if it is see-through then it is delicate and needs special care when washing. Firstly, you want to wash your delicates separately, and even here, you want to separate the lights from the darks. Ideally, such fabrics are best washed by hand, but who has time for that, right? So, your best bet is to wash them on a delicate cycle using the cold to warm temperature setting. Do not toss these in the tumble dryer. Instead let them dry flat and out of direct sunlight.