Quick answer
Hand-wash your bodystocking in cool water with a drop of gentle soap, never wring or twist it, and lay it flat to dry away from heat. Store it folded in a mesh bag or a separate lingerie drawer so zippers, hooks, and rough seams can't catch the knit. Most snags happen in the laundry basket or the drawer, not on your body.
A bodystocking is one continuous piece of stretch fabric, which means one small pull can travel. That's why bodystocking care is less about scrubbing and more about controlling what touches the fabric. The good news: a five-minute routine after each wear is usually enough to prevent snags and keep the stretch honest.
This guide walks through the full process in order, from the moment you take it off to the way you store it between wears. It applies to sheer lace styles like the Curvy Skye Lace Teddy and to fishnet or mesh bodystockings, since the risks are the same. One checkpoint per step tells you what to watch for.
Why bodystockings snag so easily
Bodystockings are usually cut from fine-gauge knit, mesh, or lace with high stretch. That construction is what makes them hug the body, but it also means a single broken thread can run. The most common culprits aren't dramatic: a fingernail, a ring prong, a velcro tab on a robe, or a stray hook from another garment in the wash.
Heat and friction do the rest. Hot water weakens elastic over time, and a tumble dryer turns a delicate knit into a magnet for every zipper and button in the load. Treat a bodystocking like a fine sweater rather than a T-shirt and most damage never starts.
- Keep nails filed smooth before handling sheer fabric.
- Remove rings and bracelets before you undress.
- Never wash a bodystocking with jeans, towels, or anything with hardware.
How to wash a bodystocking without stretching it
Fill a clean sink or basin with cool water and add a small amount of gentle detergent or lingerie wash. Submerge the bodystocking and let it soak for a few minutes, then press the suds through the fabric with your palms. Don't scrub, and don't hold it up by one shoulder while it's heavy with water, because that's how straps and leg openings lose their shape.
Rinse in cool water until no suds remain. To remove excess water, lay the piece flat on a clean towel, roll the towel up gently, and press down. Skip the wringing step entirely. If you must use a machine, use a mesh lingerie bag on the most delicate cycle, but hand-washing remains the safest route for lace and fine mesh.
- Checkpoint: the water should feel cool, never warm.
- If the dye runs on the first wash, rinse again in cool water before drying.
Drying rules that protect stretch
Lay the bodystocking flat on a clean towel or drying rack, away from direct sun and radiators. Hanging it by the straps concentrates all the weight in one spot and can stretch the shoulders permanently. A fan on low is fine; a hot hair dryer is not.
If you're short on space, drape it over a padded hanger instead of a wire one, and reshape the cups and leg openings with your hands while it's still damp. It should be fully dry before it goes back in the drawer, since damp fabric in a closed space invites odor and mildew.
- Never put a bodystocking in a tumble dryer, even on low.
- Avoid drying on metal racks or anything with rough edges.
Bodystocking storage that prevents snags
Once dry, fold the bodystocking loosely and place it in its own mesh bag or a dedicated lingerie drawer. If you hang it, use a padded hanger and give it space so it isn't pressed against zippers, hooks, or embellished pieces. Storing it inside a pillowcase also works well if you're short on drawer space.
Keep it out of long-term plastic bags, which can trap moisture, and away from anything with velcro or exposed hardware. If you own several bodystockings, separate them with tissue paper so lace edges don't catch on each other.
- Checkpoint: nothing sharp or rough should touch the fabric in storage.
- Rotate pieces so the same bodystocking isn't worn two days in a row.
Fishnet bodystocking care: a few extra notes
Fishnet and open-weave styles catch on almost everything, so they need the same routine with extra attention at the edges. Check the seams and toe openings after each wear for small pulls, and use blunt scissors to trim a loose thread rather than pulling it. Pulling a single strand in a fishnet can unravel a whole panel.
If a run does appear, a tiny dot of clear nail polish on the end can stop it from traveling further. This is a stopgap, not a repair, so treat the piece gently afterward. For lace styles like the Curvy Skye Lace Teddy, the same principle applies: secure the run, then hand-wash only.
- Trim loose threads with blunt scissors, never pull them.
- Stop a run with a dot of clear polish, then wash by hand going forward.
Your 6-step bodystocking care routine
- Undress carefully: Remove rings and bracelets first, then roll the bodystocking down rather than pulling it over your head. Common mistake: yanking one shoulder strap, which stretches the knit. Checkpoint: the piece should come off inside out and relaxed, not stretched.
- Pre-treat spots: Dab a tiny amount of gentle detergent on any deodorant or body-oil marks and let it sit for a minute before washing. Common mistake: rubbing the spot, which pills delicate mesh. Checkpoint: treat only the spot, not the whole garment.
- Hand-wash in cool water: Soak in cool water with gentle soap, press suds through with your palms, then rinse until clear. Common mistake: using hot water, which breaks down elastic over time. Checkpoint: no wringing, no scrubbing, no bleach.
- Remove water with a towel: Lay flat on a towel, roll it up, and press gently to absorb excess water. Common mistake: twisting the bodystocking like a rag, which distorts the leg openings. Checkpoint: the fabric should feel damp, not dripping.
- Dry flat, away from heat: Lay on a drying rack or clean towel out of direct sun. Common mistake: hanging by the straps or using a dryer, both of which stretch or damage the knit. Checkpoint: fully dry before storage, especially at the seams.
- Store in a mesh bag or its own drawer space: Fold loosely and keep it away from zippers, hooks, and velcro. Common mistake: tossing it in a general lingerie drawer where hardware catches the mesh. Checkpoint: nothing sharp or rough touches the fabric between wears.
Fabric notes from pieces in our catalog
- Curvy Skye Lace Teddy: Made from sheer lace, airy mesh, and sculpting elastic accents, with open underwire shelf cups and a thong back. A one-piece lace and mesh build is exactly the kind of garment that benefits from hand-washing and flat drying, since the elastic accents are what hold the shape.
- Amina Lace Bra Set: Soft cup lace two-piece set with lace, jacquard mesh, elastics, and a thong back. Jacquard mesh has texture that can catch on itself, so store this set separately or inside a mesh bag rather than loose in a drawer.
Bodystocking care comes down to three habits: cool hand-washing, flat drying, and isolated storage. Do those consistently and a sheer lace piece or a fishnet style will keep its stretch and its finish far longer than one that gets tossed in with the regular laundry.
