Take Care Of Your Swimwear - The Best Way

Right, so you have found yourself a stunning new swimsuit that will ensure you look and feel great on the beach this year. However there are some things you should know about wearing it at the beach, around the pool. It will be exposed to strong sunlight, probably salty sea-water and liberal amounts of sunscreen. After a couple of weeks of this treatment the material starts to stretch a little so it fits a little looser and the colors will probably begin to fade. You also start to get those little balls of fabric forming on the surface of your suit which makes it feel old to the touch.



You become resigned to the fact that you will have to buy another new swimsuit or bikini next year. However, there are some things you can do to get a little extra life out of your beachwear and swimwear. All you have to do is take a little more care of it.



The main problem is that the fabric your swimsuit is more than likely made from Lycra. This is the stuff which makes it fit so nicely in the first place and makes it feel so sexy and smooth. The problem with Lycra is that it is quite a fragile fabric and all the abuse it gets from the elements and other things we have already mentioned means that its properties start to break down. Add to that you probably keep your swimwear clean by using detergents, hot water and tumble driers and Lycra will eventually end up all but completely destroyed.

Below are the top ten tips for looking after your swimsuit or bikini. Follow as many as you can and you should be able to get more wear from your beach wear than you normally do.



1 Absolutely do not use the machine washing your swimwear. Always use a gentle detergent and wash by hand in only warm water, not hot.



2 Never use a tumble drier or an iron on your swimwear. Heat is very bad. Hang it outside to dry.



3 Keep an older suit handy for when you can't avoid hot water such in a spa or hot tub.



4 Salt and chlorine are the main enemies of Lycra. Always rinse yourself and your swimwear in clean fresh water after a swim in the pool or ocean.



5 If you are going to allow your swimwear to dry while you are still wearing it, then lie in the shade. Direct sunlight will always fade the colors, especially when your swimsuit is still wet.



6 If you have changed out of your wet swimwear, don't wrap it up in your towel as your towel contains lots of the chlorine from the pool or salt from the sea that you have just tried to rinse off meaning that it will now be transferred back to your swimsuit.



7 Have more than one swimsuit. If you let your swimsuit dry properly for 24 hours it will regain it's proper shape. This won't happen if you wear it day after day. Anyway, it looks good to have more than one outfit!



8 Use your dry towel or something similar to sit on. If you sit on the edge of the pool or a rocky outcrop this will probably have a rough surface and will easily damage your Lycra swimsuit.



9 The sun causes more damage to your swimsuit or bikini when it is wet, so do your sunbathing first and then go for a swim. If you have to do it the other way around, consider having two separate items of swimwear and beachwear so you can change into a dry bikini for sunbathing afterwards.



10 Consider paying a little more for swimwear made from advanced fabrics and weaves. Some are much stronger than Lycra and some are resistant to chemicals such as chlorine. However, the strength of some of these may affect their elasticity and so they may not be nearly as comfortable. Some advanced microfibre swimwear such as tan through suits are machine washable, chlorine and salt water resistant and fast drying. All of these will help prolong the life of your swimsuit. It may be more expensive in the first place but in the long run it could save you money by lasting longer. Paying a little more may not seem to be the best idea but in the end you will have a swimsuit that lasts more than one season and has not faded.