Caring for clothing is often as easy as dumping it in the washer and pressing start, but swimsuits typically require a little more consideration. Could use a little help there? Here are five washing and storage tips that will ensure your swimwear stays at its best and lasts for many summers to come.
1. Rinse your suit with cool water ASAP after getting out of the pool.
While most swimwear pieces are designed to be pretty durable, they’re not indestructible. Those long summer days lounging at the pool or hanging at the beach can still do a number on even the most well-made bathing suits. The harshness of chlorine and salt is primarily to blame, causing swimwear to get holes or fall apart faster.
Don’t want your newest, favorite bikini or trunks to fall victim? Next time you come in from your fun in the sun or taking a quick dip, do your best to rinse your suit off well with cool water. This will help keep at least some of the damage at bay and increase longevity.
Two more mini-tricks to keep in mind? Try your best to make sure your suit is marked as suitable for the pool (some swimsuits are more chlorine-resistant than others!) and avoid wringing out your swimwear. Doing so will similarly weaken and stretch it out before its time.
2. Don’t immediately throw your swimwear away when damaged.
We get it. It’s often easier to throw out torn and disheveled clothes than fix them. Yet, we urge you to give the latter a shot with your swimwear before banishing it straight to the garbage.
Why? Well, first off, it can often be a little on the expensive side to replace － and seriously, do you really want to start swimwear shopping from scratch? But also, bathing suits are actually surprisingly easy to repair if the damage isn’t too extensive!
A simple needle and thread can fix broken straps, small fabric rips, and fraying edges with no major sewing skills required. Note, though, that we said small rips. Unless you’re particularly skilled, you’ll be hard-pressed to fix larger ones or huge holes, so periodically take a look at your swimsuits and take care of minor issues before they grow to become too big to handle.
3. Make sure you’re washing your suit appropriately.
After you’ve worn yourself out swimming laps, it can be tempting to just dump your suit in with the rest of the laundry. Problem is, swimwear is a bit finicky compared to other clothing. Machine agitators, heat, and harsh detergents are all bad news for your bathing suit’s ability to keep its shape and overall lifespan.
Want to help your swimwear last more than a season? Handwash only, and avoid using a dryer as it reduces elasticity and weakens the material’s integrity.
Although, if you are going to use the washer or dryer, definitely follow your specific suit’s instructions. This will usually call for washing in cold water on a delicate or slow cycle but different brands/types of swimwear may vary. We also recommend sticking to spandex-specific or regular gentle detergents when possible and gently scrubbing out stains with a sponge or old toothbrush rather than falling back on harsh commercial stain removers.
4. Be mindful about how you’re storing your swimwear.
It may sound strange, but how (and where) you store your board shorts or bikinis can significantly affect their longevity. Leaving them crumpled up or in a plastic bag? That’s a hard no from us － that’s how you get mildew!
The best way to handle swimsuits is to instead store them flat, only when completely clean and dry, and in a fabric garment bag. Another good rule of thumb is avoiding storage anywhere your swimwear could be exposed to direct sunlight. UV rays can cause color fade and break down the fabric over time.
5. Rely on more than just one suit.
Embracing minimalism is a good habit to get into, especially when it comes to clothing. With bathing suits, though, less isn’t necessarily more, and this holds particularly true for those who are frequent swimmers. After all, constant wear means constant tear.
Add on top of this how damaging chlorine and salt water can be and your beloved beachwear is in trouble. Plan accordingly and have a few different swimsuits in your rotation. More infrequent use of each piece will make them all last longer, and restricting certain styles to certain activities can bolster this effect. Plus, it’s just more fun － variety’s the spice of life, as they say!
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Regardless of whether you spend most of your swim time at the pool or in the ocean, swimsuits are truly put through the wringer. All that salt and chlorine can quickly degrade the fabric and ruin its fit, forcing you to throw your favorite swimwear out before its time. However, if you’re mindful about how you wash and store it, rely on more than one suit, and take care to repair minor rips, you’re sure to keep them around longer.
So, what did you think about all our tips? Find any tricks particularly helpful, or have a few that should be added to the list? Let us know by leaving a comment below, and be sure to catch up with the other articles in our Shoplito swimwear content hub today!
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