One of the most common questions we get is: Can you put a swimsuit in the washer? Simply put, yes. Bathing suits can be washed in a machine as long as they are treated like delicate garments and extra precautions are taken. However, be sure to check the label first to follow any specific care instructions.
Use cold-to-room-temperature water and a mild detergent—we recommend Soak, our pick for the best delicates detergent—to pamper your swimwear. While hand washing inside-out is the most gentle method, most suits can be safely machine-washed on a delicate cycle.
The spin cycle of a washing machine can get stiff on certain fabrics (suits are made of various kinds of fabric), so the suit will ultimately wear down in a few washings only. So a suit should be always dry cleaned as the process doesn't involve cleaning by use of water or detergents.
Try soaking your swimsuit in a baking soda solution for about 30 minutes. Then wash normally and add a cup of white venigar to the final rinse. Dry outside in the sun.
Select a Gentle Cycle: Use cold water and select a gentle cycle on your washing machine. Use Mild Detergent: Again, opt for a gentle detergent. Air Dry: After washing, follow the same drying method as above--never put it in the dryer. Avoid Chlorine: Rinse your swimsuit immediately after swimming in chlorinated water.
Don't put a wet swimsuit in the dryer. This can shrink and damage the fabric. Drying a swimsuit in direct sunlight can fade the colors.
Representatives from Patagonia, REI and Fair Harbor all agree that suits don't need to be washed every time you wear them. “Let them air dry,” said Danehy. “And only wash them when need be.” Mulholland suggests washing swimsuits roughly every three to five wears.
The trick to getting the best clean for your swimwear is using a detergent specifically designed to penetrate and clean synthetic fabrics without hurting its performance. HEX Performance Laundry Detergent is perfect for swimmers and beach-goers looking to have their swimsuits looking, feeling, and smelling their best.
Baking soda, lemon juice or vodka can tackle both sweat smells and sweat stains. Freezing clothes will kill bacteria. Sometimes your clothes just need a good airing out.
Store Swimsuits in a Cool, Dry Place
If you can dedicate an entire drawer to your suits, that's great. If not, make sure the space you choose to keep them is dark, dry, cool, and has good airflow. Allowing the suits to breathe will prevent mildew - especially important if they get put away slightly damp.
If you are still not sure, you can also check the tag of your suit jacket or pants, which should indicate how to care for your apparel. For example, it might say “Dry Clean Only”, in which case you'll need to head out to the nearby cleaner or tailor.
Picking a Suit You Can Wear in the Rain
Subjecting your good wool suit to heavy rain might not ruin it, but it won't do wonders for the fabric. Exposure to water—particularly repeated or prolonged exposure—will warp the fibers, causing them to expand, swell, and sag.
Dip your suit in and out of a bowl of cold water with Persil Silk & Wool until it's suitably cleaned and gently rub at any areas where there are marks. Then, rinse it off with cold water and leave it to air dry naturally. If you'd rather machine wash, put your suit into a mesh bag after turning it inside out.
Washing Methods
Washing a suit jacket by machine is relatively simple. Turn your jacket inside out and place it into a mesh laundry bag. Make sure you use a cold wash and the gentlest option available and let the machine take care of the rest. Once done, lay your suit out flat and let it air dry.
If you take good care of your suits and rotate them out each season, you can likely get 3-4 years. However, if you only wear your suit a few times per year or don't take proper care of them, they may only last 1-2 years.
However, to make sure your nylon swimsuit continues to look like new all summer, we recommend hand washing it with a dose of Woolite® Delicates laundry detergent instead.
Try soaking your swimsuit in a baking soda solution for about 30 minutes. Then wash normally and add a cup of white venigar to the final rinse. Dry outside in the sun.
Sweat can smell like vinegar because of diseases such as diabetes, trichomycosis, and kidney disease, or because of hormone changes, certain foods, or skin infections. Sweat is released by sweat glands that are found throughout the body. These are the eccrine, apocrine, and apoeccrine glands.
One of the most common questions we get is: Can you put a swimsuit in the washer? Simply put, yes. Bathing suits can be washed in a machine as long as they are treated like delicate garments and extra precautions are taken. However, be sure to check the label first to follow any specific care instructions.
You can use mild hand soap, lingerie soap, or mild detergent. You can even try Blue Dawn Dishsoap – this seems to work wonders on everything! Swimwear should be treated gently so after the suit is washed, we recommend laying flat to dry. Avoid drying your bathing suit in the dryer.
A mild detergent is typically a hand dish washing soap that only contains surfactants that dissolve dirt and grease as opposed to a soap that also contains builders, which would be classified as a moderately strong detergent.
Roll the swimsuit in a terrycloth towel to absorb excess water or simply hang it to air-dry in a spot with good air circulation, away from direct sunlight, which can cause colors to fade. Add a circulating fan to speed drying. Skip the dryer because high temperatures can permanently damage the fabric.
The combination of saltwater, chlorine, body perspiration, suntan lotion, and the burning sun can all take a toll on your swimsuit. Even the highest quality swimwear (like Sauipe) is delicate by nature and will get damaged if exposed to harsh elements too often and for long periods.
This combination will remove any chlorine as well as salt from your swimsuit, making it look like new. Just soak your swimsuit in the cold water mixed with ¾ cup of white vinegar for 30 minutes. Then rinse the suit with fresh cold water and lay it out to dry.