Chlorine and the various other chemicals in the pool can be harmful to your sport swim wear. If you do not take proper care of your suit, you could shorten its life significantly. If you are a competitive swimmer, you probably go to great lengths to find the perfect suit that will allow you to swim fast and perform well. The material used to construct these suits is fragile. Manufacturers use these specially woven fabrics to increase speed by decreasing drag and increasing compression. The fragile material requires special care to lengthen the life of your competitive swim suit.

Rinse Your Swim Suit

This might seem like a waste of time, but the simple act of rinsing your swim suit right after getting out of the pool can add more use to your suit. This will remove the chlorine from your suit right away rather than sitting on the suit, causing damage while it waits to be laundered.

Washing the Chlorine Out

While rinsing is helpful, it does not get rid of all the chlorine. You should carefully wash your competitive swim suit as soon as possible. Washing it by hand is best because it allows for a gentle wash to preserve the fragile fabric of your suit. Simply add a few drops of mild laundry detergent to a sink full of water, turn your suit inside out and gently wash it. All it takes is a few gentle glides back and forth in the water to thoroughly wash it. Never use abrasive or harsh cleaners and avoid bleach at all costs.

Drying Your Suit

You will want to get rid of the excess water on your suit, but you must do this carefully. Excessive wringing can cause more damage to your suit than putting it through the washing machine. Simply give your suit a few gentle squeezes to get the excess water out. Once the excess water is out, lay your swim wear flat on a towel to allow it to dry. Never use the dryer because it will cause fading and shrinking.

If you follow these simple steps with your competitive swim suit, you will not only prolong the length of time you can use it, but you will also keep the specific features of each suit intact. This will allow you to increase your performance when you wear your sport swim wear.