Bras are on the top list of the most tedious things women have to deal with on a very regular basis in life. While finding the right size of the bra is half the battle, tricky necklines, falling straps, and poking underwires are just some of the problems every girl faces at one time or another.

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There’s nothing worse than your favourite bra breaking or wearing out to the point where you can no longer wear it. And, there will be a bra that you just can not bear to part with! We’ve looked and found some great hacks and tips to help you fix common bra problems and breakages.

1 – Underwire popped out

The most tragic of bra woes. You don’t have to buy a whole new bra if the underwire starts to come out. Not to worry, it’s actually easy to fix this one. If the end of the wire is sharp and poking, wrap a small piece of duct tape around the top of it. Push the wire gently back into place, and then cover the hole with superglue. Make sure the edges of the fabric stick firmly! Now you can sew a small strip of fabric over it. Something like felt, velvet or moleskin can help making it comfortable enough. If you’re out and feel the wire poking, visit a shop and buy a maxi pad it will guard against poking wires until you get home.

2 – Stretched out straps

Over time, the elastics in a bra will wear out and lose their stretch. Don’t hang them or they’ll lose their shape. And never put them in the dryer! The heat will cause the elastic to wear away faster.If the straps of your bra are easy to go, you can do a quick adjustment or take it to a tailor if you’re not confident at sewing. All you need to do is mark the adjustment point, and then find a point where the strap is already sewn usually just underneath the slider. Undo the stitching, set the desired length, trim the excess and stitch it back down – voila! You can either use a sewing machine or sew it by hand but be sure to stitch enough to keep it secure and stable.

If you don’t want to start cutting and sewing, you can try a magic clip or racer back clip –you can even alter the length of the bra straps using these, or just use a bra clip to pin your straps together temporarily. A paperclip works too, in a pinch.

3 – Rips and tears

Just like all other pieces of clothing, bras also wear out and develop rips and tears in the fabrics. If the hole is too big and it may be of no longer use then it may be the time to say goodbye. But depending where it is torn and the size, you may be able to stitch it back. You can even try covering it with a beautiful lace or a patch. You can always match it on the other side so that it looks designer and unique.

4 – Bent hooks

There’s nothing worse than spending your money on a bra only to have a hook come off in the washer. If the hook fastening on your bra clasp is out of shape, such that you cannot hook it back or too far outwards then you can fix this easily. Just get a pair of pliers (needle nosed ones would be best as they’re slim and tapered, making them easy to get into those fiddly bits) and carefully bend the hook back into place. Every time you put a bra on and take it off, it’s putting pressure on those tiny little hooks. If a hook has completely fallen off then you may need to replace these and sew the new ones. Let’s face it, some people are just in-between bra sizes. You can just add bra back extenders to the back of your bra and you’ll instantly get a better fit without the hassle.

5 – Stretched out band

Just like your bra straps, excessive heat can damage the elastics in the band of your bra too – as well as the fact that elastics do wear out over time when used regularly. It is always advised to fit a bra on the loosest hook in the beginning so that you can tighten it as it stretches out over time. Sometimes though, your bra is still in new condition just the band elastics have to loosen up, or maybe you’ve lost some weight recently and don’t want to throw out a bra that still fits well in the cup. It may look difficult, but if you have a sewing machine it is easy. All you need to do is unpick the hook and eye components from either end of the band, and cut off the excess bra band. Now sew back the hook and eye fastenings, and there you go – a simple way to shorten the band of your bra.

6 – Discolouration

Sometimes a bra may get discoloured over time.The reasons could be-sweat, deodorant, body lotion, a colour transfer from your clothes – anything! Most of the time, all you need to do is clean it thoroughly. You can deep clean your bras by making up a simple baking soda and water paste to spread over the discoloured area. Leave it to set in and then rinse and wash as usual to reveal your shining clean bra!

7 – Backless and strapless support

Over time, if the elastics in a bra have worn out and lost their stretch, but the cups are still a perfect fit and in good shape. You can reuse the cups and sew them into a dress or top to add some support. It is quite easier to do with padded or moulded cups as they provide a proper structure of their own. Put on your bra, and put on your backless or strapless dress or top. Use some pins to hold the cups in place, and then carefully take the outfit off together. Once the cups are attached properly, you can cut the extra straps along the band and now you can wear that outfit with grace and comfort and whenever you wish to!