Has anyone had good luck with a swimsuit brand that doesn't fall apart from the chlorine after less than one season? My last two suits didn't even make it through one season (and it's a short season here in MN). I've purchased two Miracle suits and several Land's End suits, including one that was supposed to be "resistant" to chlorine. They all lose support and elastic in the top. I am willing to pay for a high quality suit, but am very frustrated that what I thought was high quality hasn't performed well. I am a 34D so I need support and I like the suits that are sized by bra size, but it doesn't need to be. I like tankinis, but am open to a one piece also. I need a new suit for spring break! I wash them on the "hand wash" cycle in my front loader with liquid HE detergent after each use and let them drip dry. Is there something different I should be doing with the care of my suits?
I found a couple of Speedo tankinis on line that look promising and I'm going to look for the Ultra Swim shampoo. This reminded me that I do have better luck with my competitive style suits that I usually reserve for swimming laps. I'm going to keep in mind the hot tub/sauna information too, but I do love a good hot tub or sauna! Thanks! (The reason I buy the higher priced suits is for the support I need on top. I'd love to find an inexpensive suit from Target or somewhere, but I've never found one that offerd the support I need. It's not flattering, practical or comfortable if I'm not supported in my suit.)
As a former competetive swimmer and lifeguard, I never "washed" my suits. I normally rinsed them off in the shower and then again in cold water and let them drip dry. If I felt they had to be washed I washed them in the sink with cold water and my swimmers' shampoo. My suits lasted at least a couple of years.
I love TYR, Speedo and Nike suits made for swimmers - think racer backs. They have a more resiliant structure, from my experience - and I think they are sized by bust (34, 38, etc)
To help your suits, try not to put them in the washer at all. Use Ultra Swim shampoo to hand wash them - the ultra swim helps neutralize chlorine in hair and as six years as a swim teacher/water aerobics/lifeguard I learned this is THE BEST to keep suits looking new and those pesky elasic saggs from occuring.
Hang dry. Be sure to use the ultra swim right after swimming if possible, if not, right when you get home.
Hope this helps you out for 2012!
I haven't had that problem but one thing you may want to look for is in the care label, make sure it doesn't say don't use chlorine bleach. Swear to god I bought a suit that did and of course the first time in the pool it was ruined. Why would you make a swimsuit that you can't go in a pool with?
Once you change get the suit rinsed as soon as possible to remove pool water this includes chlorine and any other chemicals like hair products and laundry detergents left behind by other swimmers. Wash them when you get home with cool water and gentle detergent by hand and lay on a towel to dry. Never put one in the dryer. If you hot tub or sauna the suits simply won't last as long due to extreme heat exposure.
my kids do swim team year round. Ibuy most of their suits at swimoutlet.com great suits and prices (good adult suits too and easy returns too).. the thing that saves the swim suits after each practices I fill the sink with cold water and soak the suits with cholrine removal cleaner.. let them soak half hour or so.. then rinse and hang dry... what a difference on the life of the suit it makesno more dryer or washer ever.. I even do this on vaction with the suits ect.. works great on sand and salt water residue. The swim suit cleaner I buy is from swim outlet it is 3.95 a bottle works great. I am even able to pass the suit down to my younger DD.
My suits tend to last a long time and I get them from Lands' End and a few other places.
After you are finished swimming for the day, just rinse your suit out with plain water.
I tend to rinse mine as I shower, then I let them drip dry on the shower stall wall.
I've never put one in a wash machine, so they don't come into contact with detergent or hot water.
I second never, ever putting them in the washing machine. Just hand wash and hang dry. I just rinse mine in the bathroom sink to get the chlorine out and hang to dry over my shower curtain rod but the chlorine neutralizer that another responder recommended sounds like a good idea. I swim year round and usually get at least one year out of a good suit.
I second christy J's response, as someone who was on a swim team those suits are great, and the washing instruction are correct.
Thanks for asking this question. I have only one thing to add - kid's swimsuits seem to be different than adults, at least in my experience. My daughter's swimsuits (from children's place and the like) all say machine wash tumble dry. And I do and they are fine. Mine all say hand wash hang dry, and I do and they lose shape.
I also have noticed that the suits I've bought in the last couple of years have disintegrated much faster than previous suits. I used to get 2-3 good years of swimming almost every day in summer out of a suit, now I am lucky if I make it through a summer. And I think I'm doing the same thing, which is hand wash with gentle detergent right after swimming and hang dry. Maybe I'll try the swimmer's shampoo.
I got one last year from Old Navy of all places. I went to the pool OFTEN with the kids all summer and all throughout this winter too. So far it is just like new. Go figure! It was really affordable too. I just throw it in the wash with all the other clothes (no gentle cycle) and I hang it on a door knob to dry. I don't know if I lucked out or what.
For me this problem went away when I switched up where I go swimming - so it may be that the pool you are going to has too much chlorine in it.
You know what, I have no idea what you are talking about. We buy our swim suits at Walmart and use them year after year after year. My granddaughter is the 3rd child to use the swim suits she used this past summer. Of course something used that much is going to look a bit faded from all the time in the sun but I don't know anything about chlorine damage, that is new to me.
Perhaps the high priced brands are made so they wear out sooner so you have to spend more money buying them over and over...I don't know.
