It’s time to make the somewhat reluctant seasonal shift from Summer to Autumn. And as the hot days and balmy nights become crisp mornings and windy weather, wardrobes begin to transition in unison with the changing days.
As you start moving your swimsuits out and your sweaters and trackies in, it can seem simpler to just throw them in a box for the next six months, but we recommend you don’t - your future self will thank you.
Incorrectly storing swimwear can affect the shape, colour and elasticity of your bathers, and you can run the risk of unintentionally creating the ideal climate for bad odours and bacteria to thrive.
Here are a few easy steps to make sure when you go to put your bathers on next year, they smell like heaven and look as bright as the blue ocean you’re about to wade into.
The best way to wash and store your swimwear:
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Put your swimwear into a delicate wash bag. Separating them into their own wash bag will ensure that any latches, hooks and loose straps don’t get tangled and snagged with other garments.
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Add 2 pumps of Advanced Wash (up to 5 if you’ve got a full load).
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Select a cold, delicate cycle. The cooler temperature is key to protecting the elastic in your swimwear, helping to keep its shape.
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Make sure your bathers are bone dry before putting them away. Choose a moisture-free, well-ventilated spot. To keep them in shape, never dry in a dryer.
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Store them in a cool, dry space with as much airflow as possible.
If you’re big into details (and we assume if you’ve read this far you are), you might notice that our advice does read differently from what your label says.
These key differences include;
Use a delicate detergent.
This is a good idea too! It will stop enzymes from eating away at the elastic, and it will ensure that dye colour doesn’t run across your items. BUT - so will dosing your laundry detergent correctly, and washing in cool water - so it’s not strictly necessary.
Wash separately or cool hand wash.
This is all about the frills and latches. They are grabby little details that might get ruined or help ruin your bathers if they catch other items in the wash, or each other. This is where a delicate cycle (ie slower spins and softer transitions), and a wash bag come in hand).
Dry lying flat in a cool dark place.
We love this one. Because we know not a single person that has a huge, dark, well ventilated area that they can use to slowly dry clothes. What this instruction is really telling you is that direct sunlight will cause fading (as will wearing bathers in the sun), and that wet bathers will carry extra weight, which will cause the fabric to stretch a little.
We would counter this recommendation with ‘don’t use a dryer’, and dry your bathers in the shade. It’ll limit exposure to the sun. And we really don't think there’s enough water weight in bathers to do any more stretching damage than wearing them on your body.