When treating yourself to some gorgeous new swimwear for your next holiday, everyone expects it to last more than one summer. But all the chlorine, sun cream and exposure to sunlight can be damaging to your swimwear and leave it stained, faded or misshapen. To ensure that you maximise the life of your new bikini or swimsuit you must take proper care of it. So here are a few handy tips to keep your swimwear fresh and ready for your next getaway…
- Rinse Immediately
When you finish your day by the pool or at beach, pop your bikini or swimsuit straight into the sink or bath for a rinse in warm water to remove most of the chlorine or saltwater. If you have time, wash it properly now, but if you don’t have the time then just make sure to rinse it out at least and then leave to dry overnight.
- Hand Wash
Swimwear is delicate so do not put it into the washing machine. Always handwash it. If you absolutely have to put it in the washing machine then use a laundry bag to protect it and use a delicates cycle.
- Use delicate detergent
Once again, don’t use harsh detergent because this can damage the fabric. Make sure you use hand wash detergent suitable for delicate fabrics.
- Do not stretch or wring
Never ever wring the water out of swimwear after washing it, or stretch the material too much. Once the elastic fibres are broken, they won’t regain their shape.
- Do not dry in the sun
Drying swimwear in the sun will cause the colours to fade, and no one wants their beautiful new richly-coloured bikini to become dull and lacklustre!
- Do not tumble dry
The high heat of a dryer will damage the elasticity of the fabric and the general look and performance of the material so avoid tumble-drying at all costs. Simply air dry your swimwear on a rack or hang it somewhere out of the sun.
Just follow these simple tips and your bikinis and swimsuits will last you plenty of summers! If you’ve been neglecting your current swimwear then maybe it’s time to refresh your collection? Shop for the latest styles now, just be sure to take good care of them!