While we know many of our readers are avid swimmers who won’t go longer than maybe a few days to a week without hitting the water, we also know some of you do end up mostly packing it in for the late fall and winter when the cold sets it. For you, and for those who might be clearing out a little space in the closet or the dresser drawers, we wanted to share some tips for storing your swimwear.
Properly storing your swimsuits helps preserve their shape and elasticity while they’re packed away and sitting unused. That way, your favorite (and pricey) suits are ready to go when you’re ready to return to the water, with the same comfortable fit and feel you’re counting on.
Swimwear Storage Tips
- Clean your swimsuits thoroughly prior to storage. Use a specially formulated product like Suit Solutions that eliminates chlorine, other pool chemicals and compounds, and particles and debris. Just add the product to cold water as per the package instructions and swish your swimsuits around.
- Don’t wash swimwear in a washing machine. It might seem like the best pre-storage cleaning, but the machine’s agitation and laundry detergents are damaging to the suit’s color and elasticity.
- Air-dry swimsuits completely before packing them away. For the most suit-friendly dry possible, lay them out flat on a towel in a well-ventilated area and turn them over periodically. Make sure they’re totally dry; you definitely don’t want to pack them away with any moisture.
- Avoid damaging the colors, elasticity, or shape of your suits while drying them by not wringing them out, not placing them in direct sunlight, not draping them over a shower rod, and not hanging them. Refrain from using the dryer, too, as its heat and tumbling can be really damaging to the suit fibers and elasticity.
- Lay your swimsuits out flat and put them in fabric garment bags. Don’t use plastic bags, as they allow moisture in and your suits are subject to mildew growth, bad odors, and damage to the material’s fibers.
- Vacuum-seal the fabric garment bag if possible. If it’s not possible, gently press out as much air as you can before sealing it.
- Store the garment bag in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment. Make sure it’s protected from getting smashed, crumpled, stacked on, wet, or otherwise messed with.
For additional information about caring for your swimwear properly to keep it looking and feeling its best for as long as possible, check out our article “15 Swimsuit Care Tips to Extend the Life of Your Swimwear.”
