How to care for swimwear so it lasts more than one season

Swimwear has a shorter lifespan than most clothing, and a lot of that degradation is preventable. Chlorine, sunscreen, and heat are the main culprits, and the care habits that protect against them are not complicated. They are just not widely known.

The chlorine problem

Chlorine breaks down elastane, which is the fibre that gives swimwear its stretch and recovery. The damage is cumulative and irreversible: once the elastane is compromised, the fabric loses its shape and does not recover. The most effective protection is rinsing the swimsuit in cold fresh water immediately after leaving the pool or the sea. Not when you get home, but at the beach or poolside.

Hot water accelerates the damage, so the rinse should always be cold. A brief soak in cold water for five minutes is more effective than a quick rinse under a tap.

Washing and drying

Hand washing in cold water with a small amount of gentle detergent is the safest method. Machine washing, even on a delicate cycle, puts mechanical stress on the fabric that shortens its life. If you do machine wash, use a mesh laundry bag and the coldest setting available.

Drying is where most swimwear is damaged. A tumble dryer will destroy the elastane in a few cycles. Direct sunlight causes fading and degrades the fabric over time. The correct method is to press the water out gently (do not wring), lay the swimsuit flat on a towel, and dry it in the shade.

• Rinse in cold water immediately after swimming
• Hand wash in cold water with gentle detergent
• Press out water. Do not wring
• Dry flat in the shade, never in a tumble dryer
• Store flat or loosely rolled, not folded on a crease

Sunscreen and swimwear

Oil-based sunscreens are particularly damaging to swimwear fabric. They are difficult to rinse out completely and leave a residue that degrades the elastane over time. Mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) are less damaging and also less likely to cause the yellow staining that oil-based products leave on light-coloured fabrics.

If you use an oil-based sunscreen, apply it and let it absorb fully before putting on your swimsuit. This reduces the amount that transfers to the fabric.

A swimsuit that is rinsed, hand-washed, and dried correctly after every use will last two or three seasons rather than one. The habits are small; the difference in longevity is significant.