Summer is coming! And the time is now to get your suitcase out of the loft and dig out (or order) your favourite swimwear.
We all love to look and feel good on holiday. But the perfect bikini, swimsuit, or swim shorts are often very difficult to find, and aren’t always the cheapest, either.
So if you’ve finally found swimwear that you absolutely love, then it’s so important to look after it and make sure it can last you more than just the one trip to the seaside!
If you've taken a bikini on holiday before and then decided it's not fit to use next summer, you may inadvertently be doing things to shorten the lifespan of your swimwear. Find out more below.
Rinse In Clean Water After Every Use
As soon as you get out of the pool, it’s important to give your swimwear from Elle Mer Swim a quick rinse in clean water as soon as possible.
Sun cream and body oils can stain your swimwear, particularly if it’s white. And chlorine can have very damaging effects on the delicate fabrics of swimwear.
Always Hand Wash in Cool Water
Most swimwear is made from synthetic fabrics which can’t handle going through a washing machine, particularly on a hot wash and definitely not with fabric conditioner.
Once you’ve given it a quick rinse to remove most of the chlorine, simply give it a more thorough hand wash at home with cool water and some soap or even baby shampoo from Just My Look.
Rotate Your Swimwear Regularly
To help swimwear keep its shape, it’s important to rotate it regularly. And let's be honest, we all always get carried away and overpack when it comes to swimwear!
Always ensure you take more than 1 swimsuit or bikini on holiday with you. That’s right, pick up a couple of swimsuits from a store like ASOS, get a couple so you can rotate them, and you may even find a deal on.
That way, you’re able to allow 24 hours for each swimwear item to be washed, dried, and bounce back to its original shape before subjecting it to chlorine again. And you'll help avoid any of those unsavoury tan lines, too!
Don’t Leave to Dry In Direct Sunlight
It may seem like the best idea because that's what we're used to doing at home (when we ever have any sun!). Getting back to your apartment or hotel room, it’s only natural to take off your favourite swimwear from New Look and want to hang it on the balcony so that it’s dry for the next day.
Leaving your swimwear in direct sunlight may help it dry quickly, but it will also cause the fibres to disintegrate and will fade even the brightest of colours very quickly. Hanging your swimwear to dry with pegs can also cause it to stretch and sag in places, so it’s always best to lay it down to dry in a shaded area instead.
Rinse Before Going In the Pool
Do you know those signs around the side of the pool at your hotel on holiday that ask you to shower before getting in the pool? Well, there is a good reason for those!
Not only is it much more hygienic for other guests and for the cleanliness of the pool, but it can actually also preserve your favourite swimwear bikini set from Etsy.
As we’ve mentioned above, chlorine can be very damaging to your swimwear. By showering beforehand and saturating your swimwear in natural water, it then won’t absorb as much chlorine from the pool.
Don’t Wring the Water Out
Is there anything more annoying than a saggy bikini bottom?!
Did you know that wringing the water out of your bikini or swimsuit to help it dry more quickly will, unfortunately, cause exactly that?
The tension that this causes by squeezing the material can damage the elasticity of your garment and will make it completely lose its shape. So next time you're thinking of wringing out that swimming costume you love from Boohoo, just picture walking around with a saggy bottom!
Be Careful Where You Sit
Everyone knows that swimwear is extremely vulnerable to getting those pesky little bobbles. And bikini bottoms can become very thin and snag easily.
It’s a good idea to grab a unique or personalised towel from Light In The Box and take it with you everywhere to sit on such as around the pool, on the beach, or on a bench for example. This will protect it from any hard, hot, or rough surfaces.
