How to Store Bathing Suits to Keep Them in Pristine Condition

You just bought a beautiful new bathing suit and you want to keep it looking that way for as long as possible. We get it! High quality swimsuits are not cheap, and you want to get as many years of use out of them as possible.

Proper storage of bathing suits goes a long way in keeping them looking great. In this article, we'll take a look at how to store bathing suits, organize bathing suits, and care for them to keep your swimwear collection looking its best.

Let's dive in!

The Importance of Storing Your Swimsuits Properly

Swimwear fabrics are durable but they can stretch, fade, and wear out over time. Extreme temperatures, salt water, chlorine, UV rays, and repeated use cause the fibers to break down. Simply tossing your wet swimsuit into a corner and forgetting about it is a surefire way to degrade the suit (plus you could end up with moldy bikinis or swim trunks!)

5 Expert Tips for Storing Your Bathing Suits

Here are some of our top tips for storing your swimsuit collection. Even if you don't follow every step, making a conscious effort to follow just one or two to properly store your bathing suits will extend their life. It's impossible to keep your bathing suits in pristine condition forever, but these tips can help you get more use out of them for years to come.

Wash Your Suit After Use

The most important tip in properly storing your bathing suit is to wash it before you put it away. The bathing suit washing process doesn't have to be time consuming - a quick rinse with cold, fresh water is often enough to get chlorine, salt and other chemicals out of the fabric.

If you want to go the extra mile, hand wash the suit in a sink full of cold water with about a tablespoon of gentle soap for about ten minutes, or put it in the washing machine on the gentle cycle. When it's fully washed, squeeze out the extra water and either hang it on a drying rack or lay it out to dry on a flat surface.

Dry Carefully

Make sure the suit is completely dry before you put it away! Avoid wringing out the suit - this can also damage the fibers - and don't dry it in the sun (the UV rays will break down the fabric.) Avoid using clips to hang the suit - these can also damage the material.

Store Swimsuits in a Cool, Dry Place

It can be tempting to leave your suit balled up in the bottom of your swim bag or tote after a beach trip or pool party, but don't! That's a surefire way to start growing mildew. Once mold starts to grow, you'll need to wash the suit thoroughly to get rid of it - and an intense wash cycle could damage the suit further.

If you can dedicate an entire drawer to your suits, that's great. If not, make sure the space you choose to keep them is dark, dry, cool, and has good airflow. Allowing the suits to breathe will prevent mildew - especially important if they get put away slightly damp.

Organize Bathing Suits

Keeping your swimsuits organized doesn't necessarily help keep them in good condition, but it does make your life easier! There's nothing worse than planning to wear your favorite suit, only to realize you can't find it!

Plus, stuffing all your bathing suits into one drawer where they are balled up, damp, and don't have space to air can lead to wrinkles, damaged fabric, and mold.

A drawer divider in your dresser drawer is a good option for keeping your suits organized and separate from your other clothing. Fabric storage bins or a fabric storage bag are also a great way to store swimsuits, and can double as a beach tote.

We love mesh bags as a way to organize swimsuits - they can be hung on the back of your bathroom door, or can sit in your dresser drawer. Keep like swimsuits together: bikini bottoms in one bag, one piece swimsuits in another, bikini tops in a third! That way, you can easily mix and match by simply reaching into a bag and grabbing a piece at random - it's like swimsuit roulette!

Zip Lock Bags or Plastic Bin

We recommend against keeping your suits in a plastic storage container as this prevents airflow and can lead to mold and mildew. If you must store swimsuits in a plastic bin, consider leaving the drawer cracked or even cutting a small hole somewhere to allow air to flow.

Summing It Up

Taking care of your bathing suits is important if you want those suits to last, and it doesn't take much time or effort to do. After your next pool party, simply rinse with fresh water, squeeze out the excess, lay the suit to dry in a cool, dark place, and presto! You're done.