Everything you need to know about how to wash and care for your favorite swimsuit.
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You’ve found a swimsuit you love, (yay!) one that looks great and fits amazingly–and you certainly want to keep it that way! But between pool chemicals, salt water, gritty sand, high temperatures, sunscreen and sweat—whew–your suit can really take a beating. Washing your bathing suit can remove all of those things, obviously, but it can also extend its lifespan and ensure it maintains a perfect fit as long as you don’t resort to simply tossing it in the washing machine with the rest of your laundry. Throwing your suit in the washing machine can actually do more damage than good—so, it’s imperative that you use the correct technique. Luckily it’s pretty easy. Here, everything you need to know to keep your swimsuit clean and in tip-top shape.
Yes, you really do need to skip the washing machine and hand wash your suits. It’s not only more gentle, but the care instructions for most swimsuits call for it. When it comes to hand washing your suit, a gentle hand soap (yes, really!) will do the trick. Prefer to use a detergent? Look for specialized sport detergents that are designed for Spandex or delicate fabrics. We like The Laundress Sports Detergent and Hex Performance Sports Detergent.
Once your selected your cleansing agent, follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Fill your sink with cold or lukewarm water and add a dime-sized dollop of soap. Swish the water and soap together and then submerge your bathing suit.
Step 2: Create a small whirlpool by using your hand to gently move the water in a circular motion.
Step 3: From there, softly knead your suit in the water for a few minutes.
Step 4: Drain the soapy water, then rinse your swimsuit with cold water until all the soap is gone.
Step 5: Without twisting or ringing your suit, gently squeeze out the excess water.
Step 6: Hang your suit to dry somewhere indoors (the sun can cause fading) and let it dry completely before putting it away. Ideally, you’ll want to hang it over a rack, rather than on a hanger to avoid stretching out the straps.
The short answer is no. Throwing your suit in the dryer will significantly reduce its lifespan. Stretchy materials like Spandex and Lycra can lose their elasticity in the hot heat of a dryer.
Need to speed up the process of air drying? After you wash your suit and squeeze out the excess water, lay your freshly washed suit on top of a towel. Then, tightly roll up the towel with the suit inside to absorb additional water. This will help it air dry a bit more speedily, so you can have it ready faster without causing unnecessary damage.
Think of swimwear like you do your underwear. You wouldn’t wear your briefs two days in a row and the same should apply to your bathing suit—this goes for one-pieces, as well as bikini bottoms and tops.
Even if you don’t go in the water, washing your suit each time you wear it ensures that sunscreen and sweat don’t linger. If left on your suit, it can start to discolor or break down the fabric. Pool chemicals like chlorine can be even more damaging. They can wear away a swimsuit’s elasticity (hello, saggy bottoms) and even cause the color of your suit to fade or turn yellow.
No time to do a full wash? At the very least, you should be rinsing your suit. Do this by either keeping your swimsuit on and hopping in a cold shower or stripping it off and rinsing it in the sink. Bonus tip: When you put on a clean suit, you might also want to consider hitting the shower before taking a dip. This will actually minimize the amount of chlorine or salt water your suit absorbs.
Baking soda is another way to get your one-piece or bikini squeaky clean—yes, really! Rather than soap, you can add a half cup of baking soda to the water you’re washing your suit in to cleanse and remove odors.
Dealing with a stain? Before you wash your bathing suit, mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with just a bit of water to form a paste. Rub that paste on the stain, let it sit for 20 minutes before washing and—voila!—the stain should disappear.
And while we’re talking stains, white vinegar is another excellent ingredient to have on hand. It’s particularly helpful for yellow discoloration that can be a result of Avobenzone, a chemical that’s found in some sunscreen formulas (and one you’ll want to try to avoid). White vinegar is also a great antibacterial and deodorizing treatment to use if your swimsuit develops a musty scent (which can be a result of not letting it hang dry completely). Just add a capful of white vinegar to a sink full of water and leave to soak for up to 30 minutes. Then hand wash as normal.
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