You’ve just splurged on a hot bikini and one piece swimsuit for your next beach vacation and now you need to make sure it looks like the day you bought it for as long as possible. Should you put in the washing machine? Should you hand wash it? Are there any other tips you should know about washing swimsuits?
We’ve got you covered in this blog. Wash your bathing suit with these 4 easy steps to help it resist fading, thinning, and pilling:
Step 1 - Do not use a washing machine
We cannot stress this enough. Do not wash your swimsuit in the washing machine. Do not use regular laundry detergent. Both of these are very harsh on your bathing suit are not suggested for proper swimsuit care. Resist the temptation! Your swimsuit will thank you.
Okay so now that we’ve established you shouldn’t put it in the washing machine. You must be wondering how to hand wash bathing suits? We go into detail below on the best swimsuit care tips.
Step 2 - Rinse promptly
First, always rinse your suit in cold water immediately after swimming or sun tanning. Make this your routine after every dip in the ocean or pool because rinsing will remove lotions, sweat, chlorine, and salt water that will break down delicate swimsuit fabrics and shorten the life of your bathing suit. If this is a new swimsuit, we suggest rinsing it as well to rid it of any dirt or chemicals that may still be on it from manufacturing.
Step 3 - Hand-wash your swimsuit
As soon as possible after rinsing, hand-wash your swimsuit in cold tap water. Use a cleaner specifically designed for dedicates and swimwear. We absolutely love to wash our suits in SOAK Swimwear Cleaner (try the pineapple scented one to feel like you’re on Hawaiian pineapple farm). Avoid using regular laundry soaps because they contain harsh chemicals that can fade and break down delicate swimwear fabrics.
Step 4 - Dry flat
If you have a fresh manicure you’ll be happy to know you don’t have to, and shouldn’t, wring, twist, and scrub your swimsuit after washing. Save your nails after washing your bikini and gently squeeze your swimwear to drain excess water - then hang dry or dry flat. Check the washing instructions for your suit to see which drying method is recommended.
If your bathing suit has any crochet detail, definitely try flat because it may curl if hung to dry. Also, dry your swimsuit in the shade rather than the sun to resist fading. Remember to rinse, hand-wash cold, and dry flat and you’ll have a bathing suit that your friends and pool-side admirers will envy on your trip to Arizona next month, and your Mediterranean cruise next year!
If you’re heading somewhere tropical and warm this winter, here are some travel size and single use swimwear cleaner products we recommend (and you can take them in your carry-on bag!)
If you have any questions about how to best care for a particular swimsuit, get in touch!
Sign up to get 10% off your first order.
Swimwear Worthy of You
