Gear Care and Repair—Swimsuits

Over time, chlorine and sun will damage the Lycra® fabric in your swimsuit. If you swim regularly, your swimsuit will wear out faster. However, you can take a few steps to extend the life of your swimsuit.

Taking Care of Your Swimsuit

• Rinse—After each swim, rinse the chlorine out of your suit in cold water. This means you should take it off before you hit the showers. Don't use soap, another agent that can cause damage to your suit. Woolite® is the safest detergent for washing your suit.
• Don't Wring—Be kind to your suit and squeeze out the extra water instead of wringing the fabric.
• Dry—Don't wrap your suit in a towel or plastic bag for the trip home. This traps the chlorine in your suit and hastens the fabric's deterioration. Hang your suit upside down and allow it to air dry. With the suit upside down, water will move from the body to the shoulder straps and the suit will dry more quickly. Don't hang your suit in the sun. UV rays can cause the fabric to deteriorate faster.

When to Replace Your Swimsuit

When the fabric starts to wear thin or stretch and the swimsuit that once fit so perfectly now sags, it's time for a new one.

Tip: Don't toss your old swimsuit—it still has some use. When you're training, wear two old suits for extra resistance and drag in the water. You'll have to work a bit harder in practice, but you'll feel faster with a slick new suit in a competition.

Shop REI's selection of men's swimsuits and women's swimsuits.

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