Your swimsuits are your most important water accessory. Finding those perfect pieces that fit and feel just right is always a thrill. And quality suits are an investment. But, as all avid swimmers know, swimwear is particularly susceptible to fading colors, decreasing elasticity, and developing a deformed shape.
The fading may just be an aesthetic issue, but the other problems affect the suit’s comfort and even your swim. While repeated use and exposure to certain elements invariably take their toll on any suit over time, there are some effective ways to minimize damage and significantly prolong the life of your favorite (and priciest!) swimsuits.
Use these swimwear care tips to protect your swimwear and keep it looking and feeling great for as long as possible.
Swimsuit Care Tips
- Don’t wrap your swimsuit in a towel after taking it off. You’re just bundling it in the damaging elements it’s been exposed to during use. Sweat, sunscreen, sun tan lotion, skin creams, sand, salt, chlorine, other pool chemicals, etc. cause colors to fade, loss of elasticity, and other damage to swimwear.
- Wash your swimsuit by hand! We suggest a specially formulated product like Suit Solutions. Add the cleanser to cold water as per the label instructions, and neutralizing the pool chemicals and achieving a thorough cleaning is as easy as a few quick swishes. Suit Solutions is perfectly safe for daily use, too!
- Don’t put your suit in the washing machine. The machine’s agitation and harsh detergents cause the same effects as the compounds you’re removing, so it’s counterproductive.
- Never soak your swimwear for a prolonged period, as this loosens the material.
- Air dry your suit with it laying down, but not in direct sunlight; this fades the colors. The heat from a dryer damages the fibers and reduces elasticity.
- Don’t drape it over a shower rod or other pole to dry, because this can deform the shape of the swimsuit.
- Don’t hang-dry it either. If you do, the water pooling at the bottom can also stretch the fibers.
- Refrain from wringing out your bathing suit. This too loosens the fibers, diminishing the piece’s elasticity.
- Don’t wear a high-quality suit in a hot tub or Jacuzzi. Again, heat’s no good for it.
- Avoid sitting on concrete or other rough surfaces while wearing your swimsuit. If the material gets snagged, the damage to the suit quickly gets worse.
- Cycle through suits rather than wear the same one multiple times in a row. The suit fibers tighten up and can return to their original shape when they have the necessary time to rest.
- Sunbathe before you swim, not after. Sunlight fades your swimwear, but it does so faster if your suit is wet.
- Buy high-quality swimsuits. They may cost more, but it’s still a smart investment. Cheap, low-quality suits will get tossed much sooner and have to be replaced more often.
Source: https://www.summersolutionsswim.com/15-swimsuit-care-tips-extend-life-swimwear/