Last reviewed: 6 October 2026
The Clothesline Store - Our Quick Answer
Rinse your swimwear in cold fresh water as soon as you're out of the pool or surf. Hand wash it in cool water with a mild liquid detergent, press the water out in a towel and dry it flat in the shade on a drying rack or portable clothesline. Never wring, tumble dry or iron bathers.
Your bathers deal with a lot: sun, sweat, sunscreen, chlorine, salt water and sand. Most swimwear is made from nylon or polyester blended with elastane (also sold as Lycra or spandex), and elastane is the first fibre to break down. Once it goes, bathers sag, go thin and lose their shape.
The good news is that three simple habits do most of the work: rinse straight after swimming, wash gently in cool water and dry out of direct sun. This guide walks through each step, plus how to dry, store and machine wash swimwear if you need to.
Swimwear Care at a Glance
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Do: rinse in cold fresh water after every swim, hand wash in cool water with mild liquid detergent, press water out with a towel and dry in the shade.
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Don't: use hot water, bleach, powdered detergent or fabric softener, wring the fabric, dry in direct sun or a dryer, or leave wet bathers rolled up in a bag.
What You'll Need
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Tools: a sink or basin, a clean towel and a drying rack or portable clothesline.
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Materials: mild liquid detergent or a swimwear wash, baking soda for stains and white vinegar for pool smell.
How to Wash Swimwear: Step by Step
1. Rinse Straight After Swimming
Rinse your bathers in cold fresh water as soon as you can after the pool, beach or a session in sunscreen. Chlorine and salt keep working on the fabric while it sits wet, so a quick rinse under the shower or a tap does most of the work.
2. Soak After a Big Day
After heavy use, soak your bathers in a sink of cool water for 15 to 30 minutes to loosen sand, salt and sunscreen. For lingering pool smell, add a splash of white vinegar to the soak.
3. Spot-Treat Stains
Make a paste of baking soda and a little water. Work it gently into sunscreen, fake tan or deodorant marks with a soft toothbrush, then rinse. Avoid any stain remover that contains chlorine bleach.
4. Hand Wash in Cool Water
Turn your swimsuit inside out. Fill a sink with cool water and add about a teaspoon of mild liquid detergent. Swish the bathers gently for a minute or two, then rinse until the water runs clear.
5. Press Out the Water, Don't Wring
Lay your bathers flat on a clean towel, roll the towel up and press gently. Wringing or twisting stretches the fibres and can distort cups and seams.
6. Dry Flat in the Shade
Dry swimwear flat or draped over a rack in a shaded, airy spot. Direct Aussie sun fades colour and speeds up elastane breakdown, so keep bathers out of full sun and away from heaters.
How to Dry Swimwear Without Damaging It
Air drying in the shade is the gentlest way to dry swimwear. A flat surface or rack spreads the weight of the water so it doesn't drag on straps and seams.
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Wall-mounted drying rack: the Urbanite Living Space Saving Drying Rack folds out in a laundry, bathroom or under a patio, out of the sun, and folds flat when you're done.
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Portable clothesline: a Hills Portable 170 or Daytek A-Frame can be moved into the shade or brought inside.
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Over-door rack: the Brabantia Over-Door Drying Rack hangs on a bathroom door so wet swimmers aren't left on the floor.
Chlorine, Salt Water and Sunscreen: What Each One Does
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Pool chlorine: breaks down elastane and fades colour. Rinse within the hour, and consider chlorine-resistant swimwear if you swim laps regularly.
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Salt water: dries out fibres and leaves a crusty residue. Rinse in fresh water and soak after a long beach day.
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Sunscreen: can leave yellow or white marks. Spot-treat with baking soda paste, then hand wash.
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Sand: wears the fabric and snags fibres. Shake out once dry, then soak to loosen any grains caught in the lining.
Can You Put Swimwear in the Washing Machine?
Hand washing is best, but you can machine wash most bathers if you have to. Turn them inside out, put them in a mesh laundry bag and use a cold, delicate cycle with mild liquid detergent. Skip the spin cycle if you can, and never put swimwear in the dryer.
Should You Wash a New Swimsuit Before Wearing It?
Yes. Hand wash new bathers once in cold water with mild detergent before the first wear. This removes manufacturing residue and any excess dye, then dry them as above.
How to Store and Repair Swimwear
Make sure bathers are completely dry, then store them flat in a drawer or a breathable fabric bag. Avoid plastic bags and never pack them away damp, which leads to mildew and odour.
A broken strap or small snag can be fixed with a needle and polyester thread. To prevent snags, sit on a towel rather than rough pool edges or concrete.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I wash my swimwear?
Rinse your swimwear in fresh water after every swim. Give it a full hand wash with mild detergent every few wears, or after every wear if you swim in a chlorinated pool.
How do I get the chlorine smell out of my bathers?
Soak them for 15 to 30 minutes in cool water with a splash of white vinegar, then hand wash and rinse well.
Can I dry swimwear in the sun?
It's best not to. Direct sun fades colour and weakens elastane. Dry bathers in the shade or indoors on a rack.
Can I use fabric softener on swimwear?
No. Fabric softener coats the fibres and can reduce stretch and water resistance.
How long does swimwear last?
It depends on how often you swim and where. Bathers worn for regular pool laps may only last a few months, while well-cared-for beach swimwear can last several seasons.
How do I get sand out of my swimsuit?
Let the bathers dry, shake out loose sand, then soak them in cool water and rinse. Turning them inside out helps release sand trapped in linings.
For more laundry help, read our guides on how to dry clothes fast, using vinegar and baking soda in your wash and how to wash jeans.
Why Choose The Clothesline Store?
Our team can help you choose a drying rack or clothesline that suits your home and laundry. Before you order, we explain the size, hanging space and mounting options so you know it will fit.
As Australia's largest private stockholder of clotheslines and accessories, The Clothesline Store ships in-stock items the same or next business day from our own national warehouse, with a 4.9 out of 5 star customer rating.
Keep Your Bathers Looking Their Best
Rinse straight after swimming, wash gently in cool water and dry in the shade. Those three habits do more for your swimwear than any special product. If you need somewhere shady to dry your swimmers, browse our drying racks and portable clotheslines.
