How to take care of your swimsuit

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Care for your swimsuit in a few simple steps

After months of working out at the gym and hours spent hunting for the perfect swimsuit, you stand before the mirror pleased to see yourself in a vibrant swimsuit that fits just right. That was then – before hot days introduced your perfect swimsuit to the havoc of sun, sand, salt water and chlorine. Before you read the small print on the label or brushed up on proper swimsuit care. Before you learned how to take care of your swimsuit.

Even the most modest bathing suits are only small pieces of fabric that endure a lot of wear and tear. No matter how much you pay for it, your swimsuit will fade faster than your smile if you don?t care for it after every wear. Follow these swimsuit care tips to avoid the dreaded frays and sags that plagued summers past.

Swimsuit Care Tips

– Choose a quality swimsuit. They tend to cost more than you want to pay, but more often than not you?re getting stronger material and a higher quality of construction in return. If you?re spending time in a hot tub, look for a 100% polyester suit.

– After a swim in the pool, rinse in a cold outdoor shower to remove as much chlorine as possible. Unless your swimsuit is chlorine resistant, chlorine wears on the fabric and causes colors to fade fast. If you don?t have access to an outdoor shower, remove your suit and rinse it in the sink. Squeeze out excess water and either put the suit back on or change into a different suit for sun bathing.

– Clean your swimsuit once you?re finished swimming for the day. It may be the last thing you want to do after a day relaxing on the beach, but a gentle hand-wash with a delicate soap and cold water will preserve your suit?s fit and color. It?s important to remove salt and sand or chlorine right away, and once you get into the habit, cleaning your suit at the end of the day won?t take more than a few minutes.

– Though some labels may say that you can wash your swimsuit in the machine on a gentle cycle, it?s always best to hand wash it instead. You?ll be glad you did when your suit not only gets you through the entire summer season, but still fits great next summer.

– Once your bathing suit is hand-washed, squeeze out the excess water and roll it in a towel. Dry your suit indoors. Dryers wear on suit?s elastic and fabric. Hanging your suit outdoors will expose it to the color-fading sun.

– Swimsuits hold their original shape longer if you give them a break between uses by alternating between two swimsuits. Wear the lighter colored suit on the days you plan to lay out as bright colors are more vulnerable to fading from sun.

– To prevent slipping, pools are often surrounded by concrete or other rough material. Lay down a towel before you sit or lie to keep concrete from fraying and picking at your suit. You can find small mats made specifically for sitting on poolside concrete to help protect your bathing suit bottom.

– At the end of the season, lay your swimsuit flat on a shelf or lined container or shoe box to preserve its shape ? rather than stuffing it in a drawer.

Unless your swimsuit has super powers, that luster you adored at the beginning of the season won?t last forever. But if you make swimsuit care a regular part of long days in the sun, that suit will stay fabulous much longer.

References:
Daily Glow
Allure