How to Protect Your Bathing Suit from Pool Chemicals

Proper bathing suit care can greatly extend the life of your bathing suit.

Many people swim in pools or bathe in hot tubs that use harsh chemicals like chlorine to kill bacteria, but also are hard on bathing suits. This article will show you how to protect your bathing suit from pool chemicals. By taking the following steps you can protect your swimwear.

Hand wash your bathing suit as soon as possible after each swim. Use a mild liquid detergent.

Place your bathing suit in a sink full of cool water with a small amount of mild liquid detergent. Swirl it around gently until it is clean, wring it out, and then rinse it well in another sink full of cool water. Wring it out again before placing it to dry.

Pay close attention to washing the bra area of your swimsuit if you exercised in it. Sweat and natural oils from your skin can reduce the elasticity of the fabric. Plain water will not remove pool chemicals from your bathing suit, so be sure to use soap.

Do not wash your suit in a washing machine. Washing machines break down the material of your bathing suit and cause piling.

Lay your bathing suit out flat to dry or hang your bathing suit to dry in your bathroom or on a drying rack. Do not hang it to dry in the sun or dry it in a clothes dryer.
Both the sun and the clothes dryer break down the material of your bathing suit.

Give your bathing suit at least 24 hours between uses. Your bathing suit needs this time to regain its original shape. Make sure your bathing suit is completely dry before reuse.
It is a good idea to have a few bathing suits so you can alternate use if you swim frequently.

 

Video courtesy of Pool Moz the leading-edge pool equipment company.