Chlorine, salt, sun and heat are hard on swim kit, and most damage happens after the swim, not during it. A suit left balled up in a wet towel overnight, goggles thrown loose into a bag or a cap dried on a radiator all wear out far sooner than they should. This guide covers how to care for every piece of kit in your bag, and it's the hub for our Kit Care & Repair posts.

How should you wash swimwear?

Rinse it in cool fresh water as soon as you can after every swim, ideally in the changing room shower. That gets chlorine or salt out of the fabric before it has time to do damage. At home, hand wash occasionally with a small amount of mild detergent or a swimwear wash, then rinse thoroughly.

Never wring a swimsuit. Squeeze the water out gently, or roll it in a towel and press. Avoid washing machines where you can, and never use fabric conditioner or bleach, both of which break down the elastic fibres that give swimwear its stretch.

How should you dry swimwear?

Naturally, away from heat and direct sunlight. Lay suits flat on a towel or hang them over a rail in the shade. Radiators and tumble dryers damage elastane fibres and make suits go baggy, while strong sunlight fades colours. Our post on how to dry and store swimwear goes into more detail.

How do you look after goggles?

Rinse them in fresh water after every swim and let them air dry. The most important rule is never to wipe the inside of the lenses, which strips the anti-fog coating. Store them in a case so the lenses don't get scratched in your bag.

Our guide on how to stop swimming goggles fogging explains how anti-fog coatings work and how to make them last. Spare straps and cases are in our goggle cases and spares.

How do you care for swim caps?

Rinse silicone and latex caps inside and out after swimming and let them dry fully. Latex caps benefit from a light dusting of talc before storage so they don't stick together. Keep caps away from heat and sharp objects, and take care with long nails when putting them on.

How do you care for a race suit?

Race suits need extra care because their fabric is thin and compressive. Wear yours only for racing, cover up between races, put it on slowly with the pads of your fingers, rinse it in cool fresh water and dry it flat. Our post on race suit care, lifespan and repair covers this in detail.

How do you look after a wetsuit?

Rinse it inside and out in fresh water after every swim, especially after the sea. Dry it inside out first, then the right way out, on a wide hanger in the shade. Never leave it in direct sun or folded while wet, and store it hanging or loosely rolled rather than creased.

How do you stop a swim bag smelling?

Empty it as soon as you get home, hang wet kit up to dry and let the bag air out with its pockets open. A mesh bag for wet kit stops damp spreading to everything else. Wash the bag occasionally according to its care label. Our mesh swim bags let wet kit breathe on the way home.

THREE HABITS THAT DO MOST OF THE WORK

When should you repair or replace swim kit?

Replace swimwear when the fabric goes thin or see-through, the seat goes baggy or the elastic loses its grip. Those are signs of chlorine damage that can't be reversed, and our post on signs your swimsuit needs replacing explains what to look for.

Goggles with worn straps often just need a new strap. Race suits with small tears or seam damage can often be repaired, and our race suit repair service is one of the few in the UK. Stop wearing a damaged race suit straight away so the damage doesn't spread.

Written by a swimwear specialist at Allens Swimwear, 50 years of expert fitting. Updated 5 October 2026.