Any tips on making my suit last longer?

[skinnykid]

Hello everyone,

For some reason, my suits don't seem to last very long. My Speedo brand ones last much longer but the Slazenger briefs from Torchwatch are already faded out. I always hand wash my suits in the public shower right after I swim.
Any tips on making my suit last longer?
Maybe just use Speedo products.

[Byron]

Yes, if Slazenger I fear it's a case of "you gets what you pays for".
There are factors worth considering however.
Is your regular pool water heavily chlorinated?
(it is amazing the varied degrees to which managements of sports establishments
add the chemicals in what they think is the "right" proportion).
Is the shower water running very hot when you come to wash them?
Are they simply rinsed with the water or do you add a detergent ?

[skinnykid]

Yeah I think it's heavily chlorinated. Everytime I swim I smell like chlorine. I also use cold water and I use a little bit of detergent.
I guess I'm doing everything in my power to make my suite last as long as possible.

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

As a fellow swimmer, I know what you mean. It seems that some suits just fall apart or fade out real fast. However, I have been ale to keep many of mine going for quite a while.

First, not sure how you rinse in the shower, but if you leave them on, suggest you take them off and really rinse them well in the shower. Make sure you do the inside and outside.

Second, always make sure they can dry out. Lots of my swim buds throw their suits in their bags or their lockers and they never get dry. Even a little chloring residue on a wet suit can continue to eat away at the material.

Third, I avoid washing them in the wash machine. I figure the chlorinated pool kills anything and a good shwoer rinse is all they need. I only wash them if I wear them at the beach or for other recreation activities. When I do wash, I only wash them alone, with nothing else, but for maybe running shorts.

Good luck.

[Byron]

You seem to be doing most things right but I suggest no detergent - this on top of chlorine is a double whammy against the fabric and printing inks.
Also not to be rolled up wet within a towel all day - they should be out of there asap (perfect breeding ground for mould bacteria)
and allowed a space at home to dry flat.

[kumu]

I dry mine on a towel in the shade on the idea that sun destroys the fabric and the elasticity. That, after a fresh water rinse and soak.

[skinnykid]

Is just regular soap okay? Whenever I just use only water, I can still smell the chlorine when its dry but if I use soap, the chlorine is almost gone. Which one is better?

[shaulis]

I use detergent made for delicates something like Woolite. My suits have lasted a long time. The pool I go to is heavy on chorline

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

If you can smell the chlorine the chlorine is still there. The best way to get the chlorine out is a longer rinse in fresh water. If I wash them, I am like Shaulis, a small amount of mild detergent.

[kumu]

Out of curiosity, could you maybe toss in a little vinegar when rinsing a speedo to neutralize the acidic chlorine?

[Lap Counter]

I've had a few favorite suits last for years, following these rules
- Be prepared to sacrifice any suit you wear to the beach. Sand can destroy a Speedo in one day.
- Never expose them to hot water. That includes hot tubs and showers.
- Rinse in cold water. Leaving the suit in the sink for awhile leaches out the pool water.
- Don't machine wash, even in cold water. The agitator beats up the Lycra.
- If there's a hint of chlorine smell, use a swimsuit protective product (available from most swim stores). Alternatively, a very mild soap like shampoo.
- It's OK to blot the suit with a towel to speed drying, but don't stretch it or leave it rolled in the towel.
- Air dry but not in the sun.

(When I say I've had suits last for years, that means they are in the rotation of the 10 or 20 suits I wear lap swimming. I like to buy new suits, so sometimes a suit gets sacrificed in a hot tub just to keep the inventory manageable.)

[Lap Counter]

Any discussion of cleaning swim suits raises the issue of what to use, soap or detergent? Both have their advocates, so I'll just link to this discussion of their various features and benefits:

http://www.french-handlaundry.com/orvus_vs_soap.htm

[Byron]

My first reaction to using vinegar against chlorine was no as it is itself an acid but the launderers' advice above does suggest a little white vinegar in a rinse to remove a final soap residue. That interesting summary is quite an education but I do note that it is all about cleaning articles of natural fibers and not man-made ones.