Your eccentric bikinis and monokinis take a real beating every time you use them. The sunshine, sunscreen, sweat, chlorine and saltwater really wrecks the material, causing them to shred, stretch, fade in colour, turn yellow or lose elasticity after some time. For that reason, we’re sharing with you a few tips and tricks when it comes to caring for your swimwear so that it lasts a little longer and stays in shape.
1. After you’ve used your swimwear, rinse it out immediately under running water once you get undressed. The water will dilute and wash away all the remaining sunscreen, salt, sweat and chlorine that gets built up, which can stain the material or cause it to stretch.
2. Hand wash your swimwear with cool water, making sure not to tug or pull on the material too much. Try not to machine wash your swimwear as the laundry detergent can really ruin the material.
3. Do put them in a cool place to dry off naturally. Lay them flat as hanging them up will cause stretching. Also, avoid wringing the swimwear to omit excess water as this can break down the delicate fibres in the material. Squeeze the suit hard, or press it down on a flat surface to get the water out.
4. The next time you apply sunscreen, let the sunscreen set on the skin and dry before putting on your swimwear. This will avoid sunscreen stains from ruining your swimwear. If you do get sunscreen stains on them, dilute one part of vinegar in three parts of water and soak the stain. Then, hand wash normally.
5. Don’t ever dry clean, iron or bleach your swimwear. This causes discolouration and major damage to the material. If your swimwear looks wrinkled, just dampen it and it should flatten out almost immediately.
6. When you’re travelling, try to alternate your swimwear from day to day. Spandex is a memory fabric and takes time for it to get back to its original shape. Also, try to allow your swimsuit to dry off completely before packing up and catching your flight home. Storing a wet swimsuit in a plastic bag can cause mildew to grow.
