How to Correctly Clean Your Competitive Swimsuit

Competitive Swim | November 29, 2018

how to clean competitive swimsuit

Picking out the right swimsuit can make a big difference when it comes to your competitive edge. That is why swimsuit designers pour tons of research into creating the most effective competitive swimwear. These types of suits have a number of benefits, including fabric with a shape that clings to you like a second skin, reducing resistance in the water.

These lightweight fabrics, which repel water, are specifically designed to enhance your performance in the pool. Certain types of competitive swimwear can reduce your drag by 4 percent. With these benefits, competitive swimwear is clearly an investment. A suit can cost more than $400, though pricing varies across brands and styles.

Even when you invest in high-quality swimwear from popular brands like Speedo, Arena or TYR, competitive swimming causes some wear and tear. Competitive swimmers put their bathing suits through the paces by pulling them on and off multiple times a week. Plus, your suit gets exposed to a ton of chlorine.

You want your investment to last and retain its benefits as a piece of competitive sporting gear. Here are some bathing suit care tips that will keep your competitive suit in great shape from every practice to every swim meet.

How to Get Chlorine Out of a Bathing Suit

Chlorine is a great way to keep pools clean, but this chemical can be harsh on your competitive swimsuit, especially when it lingers on your suit over time. Don't let chlorine dramatically reduce the lifespan of your competitive swimsuit. Here are some tips on how to clean your swimsuit and get chlorine out of the fabric.

Don't Let a Wet Swimsuit Sit for Long

leaving a swimsuit wet for too long

After swimming laps during practice or racing through the water for a meet, you are probably ready to shed your suit and grab something to eat. Before you leave all thoughts of the pool behind, think about your swimsuit. The longer the suit stays damp with pool water, the more difficult it will become to remove the chlorine.

Instead of dumping your suit in your bag and forgetting about it until later, take time to rinse it off at the pool. Use cold water in the sink or the shower to rinse as much pool water from the suit as possible. Carefully store it in a plastic bag and try to get to the cleaning process as soon as possible.

Focus on Rinsing the Bathing Suit

When you get home, or somewhere you can spend a few minutes working on the cleaning process, take your time rinsing your swimsuit:

Use cool water.
Rinse both the inside and outside the swimsuit to remove as much chlorine and possible.
Be gentle during this handwashing process. Too much pulling or wringing can stretch or damage the fabric of your swimsuit.

You can try doing a quick sniff test to see how much chlorine has come out during rinsing. If the suit still smells strongly of the pool, dip it back in the water and try rinsing it again.

Try Dechlorinating Drops to Clean Your Bathing Suit

Chlorine can be tough to get out, especially for competitive swimmers who spend so much time in the pool. If you need a little extra help getting the chlorine out of your suit, try dechlorinating drops. You can buy brands made specifically for swimwear, or you can head to your local pet store and grab dechlorinating drops made for aquariums. Either type of drop will work just fine.

Use one or two drops while you rinse the suit through cold water. Once you've used the drops, avoid resubmerging the suit in tap water. Tap water has a certain amount of chlorine in it, which can undo all the work those drops just did.

Use Vinegar on Your Swimsuit

vinegar to clean swimsuit

If you are looking for something you already have in the house, grab some white vinegar. A couple of tablespoons of this added during the rinsing and soaking process can help remove that chlorine odor. Plus, vinegar has antibacterial properties that can kill any germs your suit might have picked up while you were wearing it.

Let the Swimsuit Soak

Once you are done handwashing your swimsuit, you can let it sit in cool water for 15 to 20 minutes. This is a great time to let dechlorinating drops or white vinegar to do a little extra work. Leave your swimsuit submerged. Come back and smell it for any residual chlorine. If it still smells strong, you can give it some more time to soak before taking it out to dry. Just don't let the suit soak for an entire night. This can compromise the integrity of the fabric.

Look for Chlorine-Resistant Swimsuits

cleaning polyester material swimsuits

As a competitive swimmer, you are going to spend a lot of time in the pool. When you look to buy your next competitive suit, take the time to look for chlorine-resistant fabrics. While you'll still need to clean your suit properly, chlorine resistance will help your suit last longer.

Polyester is chlorine-resistant, while nylon is not. Check the label on your swimsuit, so you know what type of fabric you are buying. If your current bathing suit is not made from chlorine-resistant fabric, pay extra attention to the cleaning process to resist deterioration caused by chlorine.

Swimsuit Care Tips

Getting chlorine out of your swimsuit is an important part of proper care, but it is not the only way to keep your competitive suit in great condition. Learn how to wash your bathing suit with these other helpful tips.

Rinse Off Before You Suit Up

Proper swimwear care begins before you even hop into the pool. Take the time to rinse your suit each time before you swim. You can use a pre-rinse, like Suit Saver, to protect your suit from chlorine. This type of concentrated pre-rinse can also help preserve your suit's bright colors.

Stick With Handwashing for Your Bathing Suit

Tossing your swimsuit in the washing machine probably seems like the most expedient way to get it as clean as possible, but the tumble and rinse cycle of the machine will not do your swimsuit any favors. Instead, opt for a careful handwashing method:

Fill your sink with cold water.
Use a cleaning solution like dechlorinating drops, white vinegar or a mild detergent. A small amount of any cleaning solution will be sufficient.
Make sure your swimsuit is the only item you are washing. Gently wash the swimsuit with your hands.
Turn the swimsuit inside out, and gently pull it through the water.
Leave it to soak.
When you come back — remember, do not let the suit soak for too long — rinse your bathing suit with cold or cool water. Then pull it out of the water.

Use the Right Type of Soap on the Suit

detergent for washing swimsuits

Always opt for a gentle cleaning solution that will not damage the fabric of your swimsuit. That means skip the chlorine bleach or heavy-duty, scented detergents. Use just a tablespoon of mild detergent or white vinegar. If you don't have access to any of those options, you can use a small bit of shampoo to wash the swimsuit.

Do not overuse soap. A small amount is definitely sufficient. Always double check that you get all of the soap out during the rinsing process before you are ready to let the swimsuit dry.

Be Careful During the Swimsuit Drying Process

When your swimsuit is completely cleaned, rinsed and ready for drying, follow a few simple rules to make it last as long as possible:

Take your swimsuit out of the water it is soaking in and gently squeeze the excess water out of it.
Avoid rough wringing of the fabric, and opt for gently patting instead.
When the suit is damp but not dripping, you can spread it out to dry on a towel or hang it in a dry place.
Avoid letting it dry in the sun, which can lead to bleaching. You'll also want to avoid placing it directly on a metal surface, like a shower rod, to dry. This could leave a rust mark on the swimsuit.

Invest in More Than One Swimsuit

extend the life of your swimsuit

Competitive swimsuits can easily be worn out with lots of regular use. Putting the suit on and pulling it off stretches the fabric and introduces the risk of tears, not to mention all of the regular chlorine exposure.

To extend the life of your competitive suit, invest in more than one. This way you can rotate suits. Those two suits will together last longer than one single suit you use every time. While practicing in your competitive suit can be helpful, consider using a less-expensive bathing suit for your practice days. This will keep your competitive suit in peak condition for swim meets and other competitive events.

Keep Your Towel Handy at the Pool

Little snags and tears can quickly lead to extensive damage that renders your competitive swimsuit useless. Keep that in mind, especially when you are out of the water. When you go to sit on the pool deck, keep your towel with you. Place the towel on the ground first so you can avoid any rough surfaces that might snag the fabric of your suit. Those little snags cannot be fixed, so it is best to avoid them if possible.

Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning and Wearing Your Swimsuit

Knowing a few simple things to avoid can help make your swimsuit last much longer. Here are a few cleaning and wearing tips that will keep your competitive swimsuit in top shape.

Using the Washer and Dryer for Your Swimsuit

handwashing your swimsuit

If at all possible, stick with handwashing your swimsuit. Handwashing is far more gentle than machine washing. Of course, sometimes you don't have the time or resources to handwash your suit. Don't fret. You can safely use the washing machine to get your suit clean:

Make sure you have a protective mesh bag for the suit. This will ensure the suit does not get tangled or stretched.
Select the gentlest wash setting on your machine and use a gentle detergent.
When it comes time to dry your suit, take it out of the mesh bag and lay it flat somewhere safe. Avoid leaving it in direct sunlight, and definitely skip the dryer. The dryer will compromise the fabric of the swimsuit and decrease its elasticity.

Skipping Swimsuit Washes

skipping swimsuit washes degrades suit

After a long stretch in the pool, the chore of washing your suit probably isn't high on your list of favorite activities. Try to resist the urge to shed the suit and forget about it. Skipping washes between uses allows for chlorine build up that will degrade the suit over time. Plus, your body's sweat and any sunscreen you use can contribute to damage.

If you can't immediately clean the suit, at least thoroughly rinse it inside and out in the shower and sink before leaving the pool. Make cleaning the suit a part of your routine. Once it becomes a habit, you will hardly have to think about it, and your swimsuit will last much longer.

Wringing the Bathing Suit Out

Wringing wet fabric is the most efficient way to get rid of excess water, but this treatment is rough on swimsuit fabric. Wringing will stretch and damage the fabric, leading to sagging. Sagging is not visually appealing, and it also affects the performance of your competitive suit.

Instead of wringing the swimsuit, flatten it out on top of a dry towel. Roll the towel up to soak out excess water before laying the swimsuit out to dry completely. This gentle treatment will preserve the integrity of the swimsuit fabric for much longer.

Attacking Stains on the Suit

Stains can happen. Maybe you dropped food or drink on your suit during a post-race snack. Maybe the suit has gradual staining from sunscreen. Of course, you don't want the stain to ruin the appearance of the suit, but you'll want to be careful about how you go about removing it.

You can use oxygen-based bleach on the area in question. Gently rub the spot during the handwashing process, but do not get too rough with the material. Vigorously rubbing or scratching the stain will affect the material and permanently alter the color of the area. If you are stuck with a stubborn stain, you can try soaking the suit with water and oxygen-based bleach for a few hours. If you are at your last resort, take the suit to a dry cleaner.

Soaking in the Hot Tub in Your Swimsuit

A soak in the hot tub can feel great, particularly after a strenuous workout. Think twice before soaking in the hot water if you are wearing your competitive swimsuit. The chemicals in the hot tub and the hot water can damage your suit by causing fading and stretching. If you do want to soak in the hot tub, think about setting aside a less-expensive swimsuit you can wear for those occasions.

Overusing Your Bathing Suit

The more you use anything, the sooner it will wear out, and this is certainly true of your competitive swimsuit. To avoid overuse, try to wait 24 hours between each use. This allows the suit time to be properly cleaned and dried. Plus, it provides the fabric a break from all the pulling and stretching it takes to get the suit on your body.

Give the suit a rest so it will retain its shape for a longer period of time. If you can't give your suit that much of a break, think about investing in more than one so you can rotate them. Between uses, store your competitive swimsuits properly. Hang them in a protective plastic bag somewhere dry. The next time you are ready to suit up and jump in the pool, you can be confident the suit hasn't lost its shape or elasticity like it could if it were left crumpled in your swim bag.

Why Correctly Cleaning Your Swimsuit Matters

enahnce performance with swimwear

Keeping your swimsuit clean can seem like a hassle, but it is worth it. Proper cleaning has a ton of benefits, including:

Swimsuit performance: Competitive swimwear is specifically designed to enhance your performance in the water. The tight material compresses your body, trapping air and making it easier to move smoothly through the water. The suits reduce your drag and help you shave valuable time off of your race. The fabric also repels water, meaning it won't soak up the pool and weigh you down while you zip up and down the lanes. Proper cleaning helps competitive swimsuits retain these features by protecting against tearing.
Stretching: Stretching makes your swimsuit baggier, which will slow you down in the water. Stretches are irreparable and will only get bigger, which naturally degrades your swimsuit's performance. Taking the time and care to clean your swimsuit properly will keep you feeling confident in your performance each time you dive into the pool.
Shape: Your competitive swimsuit's shape is one of its primary features. Tossing a suit into the dryer, vigorously wringing it out, leaving it wet between washes and regularly soaking in the hot tub all affect the shape of your suit. The proper shape of a competitive swimsuit is not only visually appealing, but it is also a big component of the suit's function. Committing to proper cleaning and wearing guidelines will help your suit retain that sleek, streamlined shape that fits your body like a second skin.
Coloring: The color of your competitive swimsuit is not vital to its performance, but it is a part of what you pay for when you invest in swimwear. If you allow chlorine, sweat and sunscreen to build up in the fabric of the suit, the color will quickly become compromised by fading and stains. You can easily avoid this pitfall by regularly cleaning your competitive swimsuits. Handwash your suits with gentle soaps — no harsh chemicals — and allow them to air dry.
Confidence: If you stick to the right cleaning steps, your competitive swimsuit will appear as vibrant as the day you bought it, and you can be confident it looks great from the moment you step onto the starting blocks to that last split second of the race. Believing your suit will perform the way you intend it to can help you feel faster and stronger mentally.
Longevity: Chlorine and repeated use of your competitive swimsuit will eventually lead to enough wear and tear that you'll need to replace it. Proper washing delays the inevitable. When you invest in an expensive piece of sports gear like a competitive swimsuit, you want it to last as long as possible. Top brands are so expensive because they are made to last, but you still need to play your part. Treat your swimsuit with the same care you would show any other investment. Proper cleaning will help make that investment worthwhile.

proper competitive swimwear care

Proper care will make your competitive swimsuit last as long as possible, but your suit does not have an unlimited lifespan. If you find you are ready to replace your competitive suit or you need a new one to add to your rotation, check out the wide array of brands, styles and colors at The Lifeguard Store's online swim shop. Find the right suit and dive back into the pool to hit your next personal best time.