How to Keep Your Swimsuit Clean Without Damaging It
With swim season on the way, you may be wondering (as you did last summer and the summer before): is there a proper way to wash these swimsuits so they last for years? We’ve covered how often they need to be washed early ( every three to five socks ), but here’s how you should wash them when the time comes to avoid stretching, fading, or otherwise shortening their lifespan.
The least dangerous washing method
Swimsuits are stretchy and made from materials that are rarely found in regular clothes because they do something that regular clothes don’t: they get wet. So you can’t just wash them like normal materials, and you have to be especially careful not to stretch them too much or wash them in a way that affects their elasticity.
Rick Rome, CEO and founder of laundry and dry cleaning service WashClub , tells Lifehacker that the most important part of washing a swimsuit is using cold water rather than hot water, as warm water “can stretch and elongate the rubber microfibers inside the suit.”
Your cold water should be supplemented with a mild detergent and a gentle wash cycle. This should be enough to remove sand or chlorine without fading or stretching the material. According to Stylecaster , after every wear and between washes, you can simply rinse your suit with cool tap water to remove sunscreen, dirt, sweat and chlorine.
Drying is also key. Rome says you simply shouldn’t use the dryer at all, as the heat can break down the polymer chains that make up the special material. Instead, hang it up or lay it flat to dry, but resist the urge to wring it out first so you don’t accidentally damage its shape.
And what about stains?
Whether you head straight for the water and fill your bathing suit with chlorine or prefer to laze around on the outer edges and fill it with sunscreen, your suit can get dirty quite easily, requiring more effort to clean.
Rome says that if you have sunscreen or other stains on your suit, you should pre-soak it in color-safe oxygen bleach for at least two hours. (Be prepared to spend about $20 on this, whether you choose powder or liquid .) If the stain still needs to be removed after this, use a soft-bristled brush to work it through before washing it in cold water. and drip drying cycle.