Care for Swimwear

When it comes to cleaning your bathing suits, it’s not sink or swim. A few simple habits can help remove sunscreen, sweat, saltwater, and chlorine while keeping your favorite swimwear looking its best all season long.

The key is acting quickly. Rinsing or laundering swimsuits soon after swimming helps prevent fading, stretching, and lingering odors caused by chlorine, saltwater, and sunscreen buildup. Ahead, our favorite tips for keeping swimwear in gold-medal shape.

Step 1: Target Stains

Sunscreen spots, popsicle drips, makeup smudges—summer happens. Start by pretreating visible stains with Stain Solution and a Stain Brush.

Pay special attention to straps, waistbands, drawstrings, and underwire areas where sunscreen, perspiration, and residue tend to collect.

Step 2: Machine Wash

For best results, turn swimsuits inside out and place them in a mesh bag before laundering. This helps protect delicate fabrics, ties, clasps, and embellishments from unnecessary wear.

Select a delicate cycle, cool water, and a low spin speed.

Add Activewear Detergent to help remove chlorine, sunscreen, sweat, and odor-causing buildup while preserving the stretch, shape, and feel of swimwear and performance fabrics.

Step 3: Lay Flat to Dry

If you want your swimsuit to last beyond a single season, skip the dryer.

High heat can weaken elastic fibers and reduce stretch recovery over time. Instead, gently reshape your suit and lay it flat to dry away from direct sunlight to help prevent fading.

Taking a few extra minutes now can help preserve both the fit and appearance of your favorite swimwear.

Hot Tip

Love the hot tub? Your bathing suit doesn’t. The combination of heat and chemicals can accelerate wear on swimwear fabrics. After every soak, rinse or wash your suit as soon as possible to help preserve its color, elasticity, and fit.