Caring for Swimwear and Delicates
It's definitely much easier to throw your delicates in the same loads as your other clothes instead of separating them and washing and drying by hand. But, to get the most wear and longest possible life out of your swimsuits and lingerie, it is important to follow manufacturers' instructions when it comes to washing and drying.
As you may know, swimwear and lingerie both are made of the same delicate fabrics and must be treated gently, so keep this in mind when you feel the urge to toss them in the washer and dryer.
Bathing Suits
It may be obvious that you need to wash your swimsuit every time you go swimming due to the effects sea water, chlorine and sunblocks have on your bathing suit, but did you know that even if you don't swim in your swimsuit, it's still important to wash after each use. For example, even if you are lounging and soaking up the sun, the suntan lotions, sunblocks and perspiration will still affect the life of your bathing suit. This is because all of these things contain elements that will deteriorate the spandex and dyes in your suit if you don't remove them every time it's worn.
So after every single time you wear your swimsuit, the garment should be hand washed. If you don't, then you risk discoloration and deterioration of swimsuit fibers, especially the Spandex. Since laundry detergents are too harsh on the spandex and the color, it's best to use mild hand soap, special lingerie/delicates wash, or dye and fragrance free laundry detergent for sensitive skin. Be sure not to wring the suit to remove excess water-instead lay it flat on a towel and roll the towel up and squeeze very gently. Then, remove it from the towel and lay it flat to dry. Do not hang it to dry as that will stretch out the fibers in the fabric. Do not use washers & dryers because damage can occur due to agitation and excessive heat.
Also, experts recommend to let the suit rest for 24-36 hours between uses. Always remove excess moisture with a towel and lay flat to dry indoors or in the shade— direct sunlight will fade your suit. It is always a great idea to have more than one suit.
Lingerie
Similar tactics to those outlined above apply to taking care of your lingerie. For bras and any lingerie item with underwire, it's especially important to take good care. Follow the lingerie brands' instructions. Never wash these items in the washing machine, and never EVER stick them in the dryer! This can cause serious damage to your unmentionables due to the delicate fabrics used to make lingerie.
Hand wash everything with a gentle soap-specially made lingerie washes are best-then lay on a towel, roll up gently to remove excess water and lay flat in a dry place.
When it comes to bras, you don't need to wash them after every single wear (more like every few wears), but if you swear in them then you should plan towash them.
Now that you know how to care for your delicates, you will make sure that they last as long as possible.
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