I swim everyday and alternate between three different costumes. I realised this morning that I don’t ever put them in the washing machine.
After I swim i rinse them out in the sink and then half dry them in a Swimmate. I hoped this would get rid of the chlorine, and its not as if costumes become dirty in the swimming pool…or do they?
Do swimming costumes need to be washed properly?
I’m not an expert, I can only tell you what I’ve been told and do:
rinse swim suit thoroughly to get rid of the chlorine
dry hanging
They have a small label with the usual washing instructions, but I never put them into the washing machine, either, because I don’t see how they would get dirty in the pool. You’re not wearing them for a whole day sweating into them; the chlorine in the pool itself would kill normal bacteria; and the hot shower is already close (30 C) to a normal washing machine (40 C). The only thing missing is the special soap.
However, my old swimming suits seem to simply tire out and be stressed by the chlorine, so I don’t see how additional moving and detergents in the washing machine would help prevent the fabric wearing thin.
Unless there’s a special detergent that removes chlorine better than simply washing under the hot shower does.
I was a competitive swimmer for years and years, and I never did anything but hang the suit up to dry.
love
yams!!
Yay less washing for me then!
Yeah, not much need to wash them. Even if you rinse them well, as you have been doing, the chlorine exposure from the time you spend swimming in them will eventually eat them though. I never had a suit last longer than a year even when rotating between a couple of different ones. Some guys used to wear a couple of layers; usually the holes didn’t match up and you could eke out some extra life from the suits that way.
I’d think rinsing them out thoroughly (to get the excess chlorine out) is necessary. But actually putting them through the washing machine? Rarely, if ever.
I’ve been swimming now for the last 8 years as an adult. I would say in the past 4-5 years I’ve bought maybe 3-4 suits, and two of those would have been competition suits. Your best bet is to get a polyester suit and not one made of Lycra. The Lycra suits tend to stretch and rip easily after a few months. Ones made of polyester tend to last years, and the worst they do is fade.
As for washing them. I’ve washed my newest one once, and I think that was the first time I’ve ever washed one. I usually just wear it in the shower, get some water on it and then ring it out. If I swim in the mornings, which is usually the case, I’ll leave it rolled up in a towel, in my car. I then hang my suits up when I get home. Polyester is the way to go.
Detergent designed for dark clothes contain chlorine inhibiting chemicals.