Swimwear Care Tips
Whether a bikini, tankini or a bathing suit is your swimwear of choice, you’re going to want it to be able to take the plunge several times before you part ways with it.
Caring for swimwear is a little bit different from looking after your bra, so we have put together these handy swimwear care tips that will help to make your favourite cossie last longer and keep you looking pool gorgeous through summer and beyond!
During Use
First things first, make sure to watch out for where you sit!
Whether you’re exercising at your local swimming baths or you’re relaxing by the pool on your summer holidays, the edges are generally made from rougher material which stops them from being slippery. This is great from a safety point of view but for the sake of your swimsuit you should avoid sitting directly in areas which can cause snags.
Further to this, if you’re lucky enough to be soaking up some rays in your new swimsuit then you should also avoid getting sun lotion on it as much as you can help it. Oil based products such as this can cause a breakdown in the elasticity of the garment and a saggy swimsuit is not a good look on your holiday!
Our final tip for this section, we must say with a heavy heart, is to avoid hot tubs and Jacuzzis with your brand new costume.
Extreme temperatures and concentrated chemicals found in hot tubs are, unfortunately, a death sentence for the elastic in swimsuits so we’d recommend wearing an older swimsuit if you’re going for a Jacuzzi dip!
Drying
Time is of the essence when washing a swimsuit.
While bras can get away with several wears before they need to be washed, your bikini, tankini or bathing suit has generally been in contact with chlorine or salt water, which needs to be removed from the delicate outer layer of the costume after each and every wear.
A rinse with fresh water is a good start if you are not going to be able to give your swimsuit a proper wash straight after wear, but this should then be followed up with a hand washing session. We’re sorry to tell that the use of a washing machine to clean your swimsuits is a big no-no due to the damage that will be sustained to the outer fabric and the stretching of the elastic.
Instead, use a mild ‘hand-wash’ detergent and lukewarm water to soak the garments before thoroughly rinsing them.
During Use
You might have guessed this one! Tumble drying, as with machine washing, is not at all recommended for swimwear as it causes the lycra or spandex within it to deteriorate.
Similarly, direct sunlight is also very unhealthy for the precious fibres within swimwear and it also causes colours to fade at an accelerated rate. By far the best way to dry your swimsuit is to lay it on a towel, in a shaded area, as this means that it is not being stretched on anything. Luckily this process shouldn’t take too long at all since most swimwear is designed to be quick-drying, hurrah!
