Yes, from wear and tear to salt, sunscreen, sand, pool chemicals and many others, swimwear fabrics have gathered a lot of enemies over the years.
If swimming is one of your favourite things to do, you already know that finding the perfect swimwear takes some work. But when you finally find the right one, you start getting worked up over how to care for it to ensure it doesn’t lose its fit or run its colours. Don’t worry; we’ve all been there, and your concerns are valid. That’s especially because it can seem like everything is out to get your swimsuit.
The bad news is that there’s no way to completely eliminate all the factors that go hard on your favourite luxury swimsuit if you enjoy a good swim regularly. Fortunately, however, you can limit the effects of these destructive elements and make them last for years through adequate maintenance.
We will show you all you need to know about caring for your swimsuits in following paragraphs. Come along!
TAKING CARE OF YOUR SWIMWEAR DURING USE
Extending your swimsuit’s life starts from taking the necessary precautions as you swim. Here’s how to care for your swimwear while taking dips in the pool and having a fun time at the beach:
1. CHLORINE IS NOT YOUR BEST FRIEND
Chlorine is a corrosive substance that kills germs in water. However, it can also attack the integrity of your swimwear and make its colors fade quickly. So, if you're in your home, invest in adequate pool management and follow the recommended chlorine level measurements. The CDC advises maintaining a pH of 7.2–7.8 and free chlorine levels of at least 1 ppm in swimming pools and 3 ppm in hot tubs and spas.
If you're swimming outside your home consider dipping only in non-chlorinated pools or pools with saline in place of chlorine. If you're vacationing, prioritize water sources like the ocean.
2. AVOID ROUGH SURFACES
Jagged or rough edges are hard on clothes, especially swimwear, and can easily abrade and snag them. So, be careful where you sit or lean before and after swimming to avoid harming your fabric and making it pill.
If you must sit on a pool deck, have it in mind that they're rough. As such, it'll be wise to avoid your fabric rubbing against the surface by placing a towel as a barrier before sitting. Also, be careful of sand and dirt whenever possible.
3. BE CAREFUL WITH LOTIONS AND OILS
While sunscreen, cosmetics, and tanning oils are good for your skin, especially on beach days, they don't take kindly to clothing. So, ensure that you apply them to your skin in ways that limit contact with your fabric. Otherwise, you'll be exposing your swimwear to damage and discoloration over time.
HOW TO WASH AND HANG YOUR SWIMSUIT AFTER SWIMMING
When it comes to caring for your swimwear, here's one thing to keep in mind: it always starts with knowing how to wash it. Swimming exposes your swimsuit to the primary elements that stain, fade, and damage it. So, the best way to ensure that your swimwear stands the test of time is to wash off sunscreen, salt, chlorine, etc., away from it immediately after use.
However, while cleaning your swimwear as often as necessary is essential, how you wash it is just as important. Here's how to get it done:
1. WASHING SWIMSUITS BY HAND
Hand washing is the safest way to keep your swimsuit clean because it’s gentle and wouldn’t stretch the fabric if you do it right. Start by giving it a cold water rinse with every wear to remove chlorine, salt, lotions, etc. Alternatively, you can soak it in a cold water-filled sink for about 30 minutes to get rid of the harmful chemicals.
After rinsing, drain the sink and refill it with cold water. Add a little quantity of gentle liquid or neutral detergent to remove the deep-seated dirt (one teaspoon full of detergent is enough).
Next, submerge your swimwear in the water and swish for some time after turning it inside out. Rinse thoroughly in fresh water. Gently squeeze excess water out of the fabric before air-drying it. When air-drying your bathing suit, be careful to avoid areas with direct sunlight as the sun’s UV rays can fade your fabric.
2. WASHING SWIMSUITS IN WASHING MACHINES
Like we mentioned above, hand washing is the best way to care for your swimsuits as machines are tougher on your clothes and can wear them out. However, if you must use a washing machine, start by pairing your swimsuit with similar fabrics only, and separating the beach towels from them.
Next, turn the swimwear inside-out and apply a small amount of mild detergent to any spots where sunscreen may have gotten on it. To avoid stretching and snagging, ensure that the swimsuit is in a mesh laundry bag before throwing it into the washer. After completing a “gentle wash” cycle with cold water, remove the swimsuit from the mesh bag and leave it to air-dry.
DO’S AND DON’TS OF SWIMWEAR CARE
Here’s what to do and avoid doing when washing your swimsuit:
☼ Avoid soaking your swimsuit overnight to prevent loosened fibers
☼ Don’t wring your swimwear when removing excess water
☼ Never put your swimwear in a dryer as the heat can destroy its elasticity
☼ Don’t hang your swimwear on a metal rod when drying
☼ Always use gentle detergents or mild soaps when washing your swimwear
☼ Never bundle up wet swimwear to avoid colour transfer ( this unfortunately happens even with the best of fabrics)
HOW TO TREAT STUBBORN STAINS ON YOUR SWIMWEAR
Got stubborn stains on your swimwear? Your stain removal method will depend on the stain itself. However, regardless of what caused the stain, pre-treating them with baking soda for a few hours and hand washing helps most of the time. Alternatively, you can soak it for 30 minutes in a solution of one part vinegar and three parts water.
HOW TO STORE YOUR SWIMWEAR
Storing swimwear properly seems like a no-brainer, but many mistakes can happen in the process. For example, it’s might be the first instinct to hang swimwear after drying but that may not be the best thing to do. Using a hanger to store your swimsuit will stretch the fibers out. Instead, store it flat on a shelf after you’re sure it’s completely dry.
If you don’t plan to wear your bathing suit for a while, store it in a fabric garment bag instead of a plastic one to avoid bacteria and mildew. Also, it’s important to store your swimwear at room temperature, away from heaters, leaking pipes, etc. We wrote a guide on how to store your swimsuits if you would like to find out more.
SWIMWEAR REPAIRS
Although small holes and broken straps look unflattering, they’re not enough reason to throw your expensive swimsuit away. You can still wear them for many years after if you know how to repair them.
If your fabric has small rips or snags, get a polyester thread (with the same color as the fabric) and a needle to hand-sew them. Do this by pulling the thread through the snag’s middle loop and tying it to the snag with a knot. After that, insert the needle into the snag's base, drawing it through to the other side.
However, if your swimsuit requires bigger repairs, be sure to take it to a professional tailor or your local clothes repair shop.
OPT FOR HIGH END BIKINI FABRICS IF YOU WANT A FABULOUS SWIMSUIT THAT LASTS LONGER
The first step to ensuring that your swimwear lasts as long as possible is getting the best quality swimsuits you can get your hands on. No matter how much you take care of an inferior fabric, it's only a matter of time until the elements render it unwearable. That's why you should choose premium, high quality swimwear brands and nothing else when purchasing your next beautiful swimsuit.
Premium brands will use only high grade, technical fabrics, that have been treated to better withstand the daily wear and tear we put our most loved swimsuits through.
For KORARU, that means using ultrachlorine resistant fabrics- to make sure you can wear your swimsuit in the pool daily and not have it sag or discolour.
Those same fabrics are also pilling resistant- meaning that the effects of the friction that comes with every day wear and travel, laying down in the sun or on the sand are minimised and pilling will be less likely to occur.
And last, but not least- our amazing swimwear fabrics are also sunscreen and oil resistant. Apply and re-apply your sunscreen confidently, knowing you will most likely be able to wash that stain off at the end of the day.
You can read more about our fabrics and 9 less known reasons why you should choose sustainable swimwear here.
We made sure to create the best sustainable swimwear, so all you have to do is choose.
