Without proper care swimwear fabric can be eaten away quickly by chlorine. We've put together a few tips and tricks to help you extend the life of your new suit.
The Best Swimsuit Material
The swimsuit material that lasts the longest is polyester. No swimsuit is immune to chlorine, but polyester is a tough fabric that won't dissolve nearly as fast as nylon or lycra blended sport swimsuits. If you're buying a new suit, ensure that it is 100% polyester. (Note: Polyester suits will stretch less - and so, fit tighter - than nylon or lycra blend suits.)
No Washer / Dryer
Keep that swimsuit or tech suit away from the washing machine and dryer!
Your swimsuit doesn't like harsh detergents, being jostled around, or being exposed to heat. Hand wash your swimsuit in fresh water and no soap when you are done with it, or wear it with you into the shower to rinse off. You can also fill up a sink with cold water and let the suit soak for a few minutes if you have time. The idea is to let the chlorine be washed out. Avoid putting in your home dryer.
No Swimming Pool Dryers
That includes swimming pool swimsuit dryers. They work well to dry the suit, but they can be just as damaging as your home dryer.
Don't Hang Dry
Have you ever wondered why your suit seems longer than it was when you bought it? Well... do you hang it to dry?
We recommend that you DO NOT hang your suits to dry. If you hang it up while it is wet, gravity is going to help stretch it out more than wearing it does.
Use a Towel
After use, dry your suit with a towel and let it air dry on a rack to fully dry. (A mesh pocket in a backpack can sometimes be more practical if you need to carry your suit around all day.)
Be Careful on Concrete
This one might seem like a no brainer, but concrete is highly abrasive, and a lot of pool decks (and bleacher seats) are concrete. Parents of swimmers, tell your kids to sit in a towel, warmups, or parka if they're lounging around the deck waiting for their next event - and if they are wearing a tech suit, change out of it if they have a long time between races.
That's it. There are products on the market that will help neutralize chlorine, and we do sell them for those interested, but you can get most of the benefit of proper care just by following these steps. We hope it helps.
