How to Care for Your Swimwear So It Lasts More Than One Season

Quick answer

Rinse your swimwear in cool water within 30 minutes of swimming, hand wash it with a drop of mild soap, and dry it flat in the shade. Skip the washing machine, the dryer, and hot water. That short routine is what keeps elastic, color, and shape intact for more than one season—chlorine and sunscreen are the main things that age a bikini fast.

A bikini that still fits in August is not luck. It is usually the result of a five-minute rinse after every swim. Chlorine, salt, sunscreen, and body oils all sit in the fabric and slowly break down the elastane that gives swimwear its stretch. The longer those residues stay, the faster a top loses support and a bottom loses its shape.

The good news is that swimwear care is simple and does not require special products. You need cool water, a mild soap, and a flat place to dry. This guide walks through the full routine in order, from the moment you leave the water to how you store pieces between seasons, and flags the common mistakes that shorten a swimsuit's life.

Why swimwear ages faster than other clothes

Swim fabric is built around elastane, the fiber that lets a bikini stretch and recover. Chlorine, salt, and sunscreen break that fiber down over time, and heat speeds up the damage. That is why a suit worn in a chlorinated pool three times a week can feel looser by mid-summer than one worn occasionally at the beach.

Fit and coverage also depend on the cut and construction. A low-rise bottom with soft edges, like the Core Low Bikini Bottom, sits close to the skin and relies on the fabric's recovery to stay put. When elastane weakens, the edges stop hugging and the fit changes even if the size has not.

• Rinse sooner rather than later; residue left overnight does more damage than a quick rinse.
• Avoid hot tubs and heated pools when you want a suit to last; heat is hard on stretch.
• Keep a dedicated swim bag so a wet suit is not crushed against towels for hours.

How to wash swimwear by hand

Fill a basin or sink with cool water and add a small amount of mild liquid soap or swimwear wash. Submerge the suit and gently squeeze the water through the fabric for about a minute. Do not scrub, wring, or twist; those motions stretch the fibers and can pull seams out of shape.

Pay attention to the areas that collect the most residue: under the bust band, along the straps, and around the leg openings. Rinse with cool running water until no soap remains. If you are washing a set, check the care guidance for each piece, since tops and bottoms can have different hardware, ties, or linings.

• Use cool water only; warm or hot water dulls color and weakens stretch.
• Never leave swimwear soaking for hours; a short wash is enough.
• If a suit has ties or gold details, like the Chia Triangle Bikini Set, support them in your hand while rinsing so they do not snag.

Swimwear drying tips that protect shape

After rinsing, press the suit between a clean towel to remove excess water. Do not wring it. Lay it flat in the shade, reshaping cups, straps, and ties as they were when dry. Direct sun fades color over time, and hanging a wet suit by its straps can stretch them out.

If you need it dry quickly, lay it on a towel in a well-ventilated spot and turn it once. Avoid radiators, hair dryers, and car dashboards. Heat is the fastest way to make a bikini feel loose, and it is entirely avoidable.

• Dry flat, not hanging, to keep straps and bands from stretching.
• Turn bikinis inside out for drying to protect the outer color.
• Never put swimwear in a dryer, even on low.

Chlorine and salt: the two residues to rinse first

Chlorine is the most aggressive common residue for swimwear. Rinse immediately after leaving the pool, even if you plan a proper wash later. A quick rinse removes most of the chlorine before it can sit in the fibers. Salt water is less harsh but still leaves crystals that can abrade fabric, so rinse after the ocean too.

If you swim often, keep a small bottle of fresh water in your bag for a quick rinse on the way home. For pool swimmers, a dedicated swimsuit rotation helps: two suits worn alternately get a full dry and rest between wears, which slows wear noticeably.

• Rinse within 30 minutes of leaving chlorinated water when possible.
• Do not use bleach or chlorine-removing products designed for hard surfaces.
• Rotate two suits if you swim several times a week.

Storing swimwear between wears and seasons

Make sure the suit is completely dry before it goes into a drawer or bag. Storing damp swimwear encourages odor and can damage the fabric. Fold it loosely rather than compressing it, and keep it away from rough zippers, hooks, and velcro that can snag the surface.

For seasonal storage, a breathable cotton bag or a clean drawer works better than a sealed plastic container. If a suit has structured details, like the Nova Bikini Top with its underbust band and crossed back, lay it flat so the band does not crease permanently.

• Store only fully dry swimwear.
• Keep swimwear away from rough hardware and sharp edges.
• Use a breathable bag rather than sealed plastic for long storage.

Your step-by-step swimwear care routine

1. Rinse immediately after swimming: Use cool fresh water to rinse chlorine, salt, and sunscreen out of the fabric before they settle in. This takes under a minute and does most of the work. Checkpoint: rinse within 30 minutes of leaving the water, especially after a chlorinated pool.
2. Hand wash with mild soap: Fill a basin with cool water, add a drop of mild soap, and gently squeeze the water through the suit for about a minute. Do not scrub, wring, or twist. Common mistake: using regular detergent or hot water, which strips color and weakens stretch.
3. Rinse until the water runs clear: Hold the suit under cool running water and press gently until no soap remains. Pay extra attention to bands, straps, and leg openings where residue collects. Checkpoint: if the water still feels slippery, keep rinsing.
4. Press out water in a towel: Lay the suit on a clean towel and press down to absorb excess water. Never wring it out, as twisting damages fibers and seams. Common mistake: wringing or twisting to speed drying, which stretches the suit out of shape.
5. Dry flat in the shade: Reshape cups, straps, and ties, then lay the suit flat out of direct sun. Turn it once if needed. Avoid dryers, radiators, and hair dryers. Checkpoint: if the suit still feels damp at the seams, give it more time before storing.
6. Store fully dry and loosely folded: Once completely dry, fold the suit loosely and keep it away from rough hardware. For seasonal storage, use a breathable bag rather than sealed plastic. Common mistake: storing a damp suit in a sealed bag, which traps odor and can damage the fabric.

Product details that affect how you care for a suit

• Core Low Bikini Bottom: Low-rise bikini bottom with soft edges, made from recycled nylon, produced responsibly in Berlin and Poland with sustainable materials. Soft-edged, low-rise bottoms rely on fabric recovery to stay in place, so a gentle hand wash and flat drying protect the fit more than they would on a structured piece.
• Nova Bikini Top: Triangle bikini top with an underbust band for support and a lace-up back that adjusts for fit, produced responsibly in Berlin with sustainable materials. The underbust band and ties are the parts most affected by heat and wringing; reshape them flat while drying so the band keeps its support.
• Chia Triangle Bikini Set: Classic triangle set with minimal coverage, gold details at the front and cord ends, and a high-leg bottom, produced responsibly in Poland with sustainable materials. Gold hardware and cord ends can snag or tarnish, so rinse them gently and avoid scrubbing or leaving the set to soak.

A swimsuit that gets rinsed, hand washed, and dried flat after every wear will hold its fit and color far longer than one that sits in a damp bag. Build the rinse into your routine the moment you leave the water, and the rest of the care takes only a few minutes. Treat the fabric well and it will keep its shape for more than one season.