How to Make Your Swimwear Last Longer: A Complete Care Guide
Chlorine, heat, and sunscreen are quietly destroying your togs. Here's the complete care routine that keeps TYR swimwear lasting season after season.
Whether you're in the pool every morning or squeezing in a few sessions each week, your swimwear takes a beating — chlorine, saltwater, sunscreen, heat, and constant stretch. The good news is that a few simple habits make a significant difference in how long your togs last.
If you've ever wondered why your swimsuit loses shape, fades, or goes see-through faster than expected, this guide has the answers — and the fixes.
Why Swimwear Wears Out Faster Than It Should
Swimwear is engineered to be tight, flexible, and hydrodynamic. That same construction makes it more vulnerable to damage than regular clothing.
The four main culprits are chlorine, which breaks down fabric elasticity over time; saltwater, which is drying and mildly abrasive; heat, which weakens fibres whether it's from a dryer, direct sun, or hot water; and oils and sunscreen, which degrade synthetic materials and cause discolouration.
The frustrating part is that most swimwear damage is invisible until it's too late — the suit feels fine, then one session later it's gone baggy or transparent. Preventing that comes down to what you do in the minutes after you get out of the water, not the wash you give it days later.
Step 1: Rinse Immediately After Every Swim
This is the single most effective thing you can do, and it costs nothing.
The moment you finish swimming, rinse your togs in cold, fresh water. This removes chlorine, salt, and sunscreen before they have time to work their way into the fabric. Even a 30-second shower rinse is meaningfully better than packing a wet suit into your bag and dealing with it at home.
Cold water matters here — hot water opens the fabric fibres and allows chemicals to penetrate deeper rather than washing off.
If you swim at a pool without a shower, rinse at home as soon as you're through the door. The longer chlorine sits on the fabric, the more damage it does.
Step 2: Wash Gently — By Hand Where Possible
Swimwear is not designed for a regular washing machine cycle. The agitation, heat, and detergent load of a standard wash degrades the fibres and elastic far faster than hand washing.
The right approach is to hand wash in cool water with a small amount of mild detergent — or simply in water alone if the suit has been rinsed straight after swimming. Work it gently through the fabric rather than scrubbing or wringing. Avoid fabric softeners entirely; they coat the fibres and actually reduce the suit's elasticity and chlorine resistance over time.
If you genuinely need to use a washing machine — high training volume means multiple suits in rotation — place the suit in a mesh laundry bag and use the delicate cycle with cold water. But hand washing will always extend the life of your swimwear further.
One thing that catches people out: never wash swimwear with other clothing in a regular load. Zips, velcro, and the general tumbling of a full machine load snags and stretches swimwear fibres.
Step 3: Dry Properly — Flat, in the Shade
How you dry your swimsuit matters almost as much as how you wash it.
First, never wring or twist the suit to remove water. This stretches the fibres and distorts the shape. Instead, gently press the suit between your palms to squeeze out excess water, then lay it flat on a clean towel and roll the towel up to absorb the moisture.
Then lay the suit flat to air dry in the shade. Direct sunlight degrades elastic and fades colour faster than almost anything else — UV exposure on wet lycra is particularly damaging. A shaded spot with airflow is ideal.
Two more things to avoid: the tumble dryer, which uses heat that destroys elasticity, and hanging the suit by its straps, which causes them to stretch under the weight of the wet fabric.
Step 4: Rotate Your Suits
If you train frequently, rotating between two or more suits is one of the most practical things you can do to extend the life of each one.
Lycra and elastane need time to recover their shape after being stretched and saturated. Swimming in the same suit every day doesn't give the fabric time to fully recover — the elastic is still fatigued from the previous session when you put it on again. A two-suit rotation effectively doubles the recovery time each suit gets, which translates directly into longer lifespan.
This is also why training suits and race suits should be kept separate. A race suit used in training every day will lose its performance properties quickly. Keep it for race day and use a dedicated training suit for daily sessions.
Step 5: Store It Correctly
Once your suit is dry, store it flat or loosely folded — not balled up or crushed under other gear. Storing swimwear compressed for extended periods can deform the shape.
Keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources. A drawer or swim bag with airflow is ideal. If you're packing wet kit after a session, use the mesh compartment of a swim bag rather than a sealed plastic bag — the latter traps moisture and promotes mildew, which damages fabric and creates odour that's difficult to remove.
Does It Matter What Fabric Your Suit Is Made From?
Yes — significantly. Not all swimwear is built to the same standard, and fabric construction affects both how the suit performs and how long it lasts under regular chlorine exposure.
TYR's Durafast Elite fabric is engineered specifically for high-volume training. It's chlorine-resistant, holds its shape through repeated use, and maintains colour for longer than standard polyester blends. If you're swimming more than twice a week, a suit made from a training-grade fabric will outlast a fashion or leisure suit by a significant margin — even with identical care.
Shop Durafast Elite training swimwear →
For beach and leisure use where chlorine exposure is minimal, a standard suit is fine. But if you're clocking serious pool kilometres, fabric quality is the most important variable in how long your togs last — more than care habits alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I wash my swimsuit?
Rinse in cold water after every single swim. A gentle hand wash with mild detergent is fine every few sessions, or whenever the suit has been exposed to sunscreen, body oils, or particularly heavy chlorine.
Can I put my swimsuit in the washing machine?
Occasionally, yes — use a mesh bag and a cold delicate cycle. But regular machine washing shortens the life of swimwear considerably compared to hand washing. If longevity matters, hand wash.
Why has my swimsuit gone see-through?
This is almost always caused by a combination of heat damage and chlorine degradation of the fabric fibres. Tumble drying, drying in direct sun, or washing in hot water are the most common causes. A training-grade fabric like Durafast Elite is significantly more resistant to this.
How long should a good training swimsuit last?
With proper care and rotation, a quality training suit should last 6–12 months of regular pool use. Without it — particularly if you're machine washing and tumble drying — that can drop to 6–8 weeks.
Why does my swimsuit smell even after washing?
Usually caused by mildew from being stored damp, or by sunscreen and body oil residue that hasn't been fully removed. A soak in cool water with a small amount of white vinegar can help neutralise odour. Make sure the suit is fully dry before storing.
Does sunscreen damage swimwear?
Yes. Sunscreen — particularly chemical sunscreens — reacts with synthetic swimwear fabrics and causes discolouration and degradation over time. Rinse it off as part of your post-swim routine. Mineral sunscreens are generally less damaging to fabric than chemical ones.
