It's not always simple to find a bikini you love. When you find a swimsuit you adore, it is crucial to properly care for it. It may be cleaned by putting it in the washer with the rest of your garments and repeatedly putting it in the dryer, but doing so will stretch it out and hasten the fading of the color.
Additionally, you will forfeit whatever SPF advantages the swimsuit may have had. When caring for your swimsuit, keep in mind the sun's rays, the sand from the beach, the chlorine from the pool, and the oily components in sunscreen. Here's how to take care of your plus-size swimwear so you may wear it all summer long while keeping those factors in mind.
Give It a Quick Rinse Before Anything Else
It's frequently simpler to simply throw the swimsuit into your beach bag for subsequent washing or toss it out to dry after finishing your laps or enjoying the sun. After all, it's challenging to shift our brains from "workout" or "playing in the sun" mode to "time to do laundry" mode. However, it's crucial to rinse your swimsuit as soon as possible. Consider it more of a short step to ensuring that your swimwear looks great swim after swim than a daunting process.
Your swimsuit will spend less time in contact with damaging substances like sunscreen, sand, salt, chlorine, and perspiration by simply being rinsed after use. Additionally, it reduces the possibility of unwelcome scents remaining on the suit. Rinse your swimsuit as soon as you return home or back to your hotel room if you don't have access to clean water to do so.
It's Time for a Quick Wash After Rinsing
Swimwear maintenance goes beyond simple rinsing. You must still wash it. However, avoid washing it in the washing machine. It must be completed manually. Why? because the process of agitating the fabric in a washing machine cleans it. Even if you use the gentle cycle, swimsuits shouldn't be subjected to agitation. Additionally, if you wear plus-size underwire swimwear, you run the chance of the underwire catching on anything or deforming when tossed around in the washing machine.
In light of that, you should use a mild soap or hand soap—make sure it doesn't contain any moisturizers—and fill the sink with water. Be careful that many common washing detergents might fade the colors of swimsuits and are too strong for use on them. In case you were wondering, bleach is not recommended, not even on white bikinis. One of the toughest detergents available, bleach, will damage the cloth.
Check for Sunscreen Stains on the Swimsuit
Before or after washing, you should check your swimming suit for any stains that might have been caused by sunscreen or suntan lotion. You should be able to remove them with vinegar and baking soda, two widely used techniques.
If baking soda is what you choose to use, simply sprinkle a generous amount on the stain, covering it all, and allow it to sit for at least an hour. After that, gently hand-wash it with a light soap. If you're using vinegar, you may either immediately apply it to the stain and rub it in gently before washing it, or you can let it soak in a sink that has a 25% vinegar/75% water solution. In the future, you can avoid sunscreen stains by ensuring that your sunscreen is fully absorbed into the skin before putting on your swimsuit.
Don't Put Your Swimsuit in the Dryer After Washing It
You might be tempted to dry your swimwear right away after washing it. Don't! It will stretch out and lose fibers due to the heat and tumble. Don't even try to squeeze and twist the water out of it. Instead, acquire a dry towel, spread it out, and then roll it up over the swimsuit.
Use a different towel for each component of your two-piece bathing suit if it is plus-size. After that, you can give it a light squeeze and press it. The swimsuit should then be taken off, the towel unrolled, and laid flat to dry. If you hang it out to dry, the water will collect at the bottom and stretch out the swimsuit.
If cleaning by hand isn't practical, try storing your swimsuit in a mesh bag to prevent the straps from tangling with other items of clothing and becoming stretched out. However, if you try to wash it by hand the majority of the time and abide by the other recommendations made here, your plus-size swimwear will continue to look beautiful season after season.
