Your swimsuit is actually working overtime while you are lazing about the pool or taking in a lovely summer day outside in the sun, despite the fact that it may not seem like it. Swimwear experiences more wear and tear than people realize over the summer, but you might not notice it. Your favorite swimsuits’ colors fade and weaken with time due to heat, chlorine, and seawater.
Additionally, oils like sunscreen and others might create unsightly stains on your preferred swimwear. Swimsuits are more prone to offensive odors, abrasions, pilling, and other damage than other types of clothing. While worrying that you might ruin your go-to bathing suit on your upcoming trip might make it difficult to unwind, PEXMOD is here to help you correctly care for your swimwear so you can get the most usage out of your favorite items!
How to Wash Your Swimsuit
01 Rinse After (and Before) You Swim
Rinsing off is something you should always do both before and after swimming. Because bathing suits include polymers that can degrade after prolonged exposure to salt water, grity minerals, and chlorinated pools, cleaning them before swimming is essential. The filaments in your bathing suit’s material might absorb fresh water instead of saltwater or chlorine, which further breaks down the material, by rinsing it before you go swimming.
Before you can give your bathing suit a good wash after a swim, rinsing helps eliminate chemicals, salt, and other components that it has been exposed to.
02 Hand Wash With Gentle Detergents After Each Swim
You should wash your bathing suit as soon as you get home from the beach or the pool. If at all possible, make sure to always abide by the guidelines on your swimwear. If the care instructions are missing from your swimsuit, handwashing it is the safest option. Make sure to avoid leaving wet swimsuits balled up in your backpack for the best results. Your wet swimsuit may become soiled and develop mildew and other unpleasant odors if you ball it up.
Generally speaking, swimsuits can be safely washed in cool water with mild detergents. The ideal approach to clean them is by hand washing them inside out because it is the gentlest option; however, many suits can be washed in a washing machine on a delicate cycle.
Use a laundry bag or pillowcase for bikini tops to stop the straps from tangling and the cup shape from changing. Make sure to tie and secure the hook and loop fasteners on swim trunks before washing. Swim trunks should be washed in a mesh laundry bag to protect the drawstrings and linings.
03 Lay Flat to Let It Dry
Your dryer can be used to securely dry your swimsuit if it has a no-heat or “air fluff” setting. Otherwise, the synthetic fabrics used in the majority of swimsuits might be harmed by too much heat during a standard drying cycle, resulting in the colors fading. For the same reasons, you shouldn’t dry swimwear outside in the sun.
Remove extra water from your swimsuit, roll it up in a towel, and then put it flat in a place that is well-ventilated and out of direct sunshine to dry. To allow greater airflow on either side, place the swimsuit on a dry towel or a drying rack. To prevent odors like mildew, stay away from overly warm areas and make sure your bathing suit is completely dry before storing it.
Removing Stains From Swimwear
The same mild detergent you usually use to wash your bathing suit after a swim can be used to remove the majority of stains from swimwear. Sunscreen or other oil-based stains should be treated again with liquid detergent and washed on the warmest temperature the item can handle. Be careful when using a dryer because using a temperature that is too hot will cement the stains and make them even more difficult to remove.
Try to refrain from using sunscreens containing avobenzone if you reside in a region with hard tap water. The iron in hard tap water reacts with sunscreens with avobenzone bases, causing rust to form on your swimsuit.
Pretreat and Eliminate Odors
The worst scents should be eliminated by washing your swimsuit as soon as you finish swimming, but aromas like chlorine that linger may need a little extra care. Use a mildly scented detergent to see if that helps with chlorine and other aromas. People with sensitive skin who want to stay away from scented fabric softeners and detergents can use well-known DIY solutions like diluted vinegar and baking soda. Additionally, anything acidic or citrusy might aid in getting rid of strong odors. To make sure your swimsuit won’t get stained or discolored, test any home cures on a small area first.
How to Properly Store Your Swimsuit
Before storing your swimsuit, ensure that it is completely dry, or else the lingering moisture will cause odors from mildew. Once the suit is completely dry, fold the garment and store it somewhere lying flat. Avoid hanging them like other garments because they can stretch the fibers and wear them down over time. If you are putting it away for the winter, find a garment bag made out of fabric to keep it safe. Plastic bags can lead to more mildew and bacteria on the swimsuit over a prolonged period.
Let the Professionals Take Care of It
While washing swimwear on your own is possible, trying to get rid of extra moisture and bothersome scents can be challenging. Attempting to care after delicate swimwear on your own comes with several risks. Even the gentlest dryer cycles with the least amount of heat can easily cause harm to swimwear.
