As part of our life, incidences are bound to occur. No matter how careful we may strive to be, we are bound to encounter one or two unfavorable circumstances that might plague us. The same can be said for our swimwear. Caring for our bathing suit isn’t less tedious as it may seem.
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It requires so much effort that we do not end up having our bathing suits changed from what they are supposed to be due to some embarrassing moments. An example is a white bathing suit that is fading or stained. This is why a lot of bathing suit owners have asked over the years, how do I get my white bathing suit white again?
To restore the whiteness of your bathing suit, pretreat any stains with gentle detergent. Next, soak the suit in a solution of 1 cup each of baking soda and white vinegar in a large bowl of cold water for 1-2 hours. Rinse and hand wash it gently, avoiding wringing. This is just a method, though.
Below, I’ll be showing you four different methods that can be used to get your bathing suit sparkling again.
How to Get Stain Out of White Swimsuit
METHOD 1 – Use baking soda
For this method, all you need are the following;
1. Baking soda
2. Water
Fill a bowl with water. You can use the sink as well. Fill the sink with water that would be enough to cover the bathing suit. Get your baking soda, and measure into the water, half cup(1/2) of baking soda in it. The essence of baking soda is to neutralize the white bathing suit, making the stains much easier to take off.
Or better still, the baking soda will erase the stains and get your white sparkling. You are to leave the mixture for a couple of hours. At least two to four hours would be perfect. You are to leave it for that long so the baking soda does the job it is meant to do.
Once the waiting period is completed, take out the bathing suit and rinse it in clean water. Wash with a mild detergent before taking the bathing suit out to air dry. It is best to wash first before air drying. The baking soda’s scent is erased from the bathing suit by washing.
METHOD 2 – Use a stain remover
For the second method, we will be talking about a popular stain remover. By this, we are referring to one of the Clorox products used to quickly remove stains from bathing suits. You’ll need just;
1. Stain remover
2. Hot water
Get hot water, and pour it into a big bowl. If you can run the hot water in the sink, then kindly do such. Get the stain remover, and pour some amount of it into the water. Stir a little bit. Place the white bathing suit into the bowl or sink with the remover.
Leave for a couple of hours or more before taking it out. Take the white bathing suit out with care. If you have a mild and not harsh detergent, use it to wash the white bathing suit before taking it out to air dry. You can as well rinse the bathing suit directly, rather than washing it first, before air drying. The decision is yours.
A recommended stain remover you can use for this is:
1. Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover for Colors
[affiai asin=”B09LKJH7RC” count=”1″ template=”grid”]The Clorox stain remover is a popular household name because it removes dirt and stains from clothes. With Clorox, you have zero worries about your white bathing suit getting destroyed.
Spray a bit of the Clorox stain remover on your white bathing suit, and wash the magic it does. The Clorox stain remover got you covered no matter how tough the stains may look.
METHOD 3 – Use a bleach
All you need is a can or a bottle of bleach for this method.
Spray directly into the affected parts. That is the parts with stains. Leave for thirty minutes (30) or an hour. Rinse with clean water and wash with a mild detergent. If the stains persist, then you can go over the steps again. However, if it fails to get the white bathing suit again, please try other methods until you get the best method for your suit.
METHOD 4 – Use white vinegar and mild detergent
Method 4 requires only white vinegar, a mild detergent, and a piece of cloth.
Pour a little portion of the vinegar into the piece of cloth. You will need a clean cloth for this purpose. You can start dabbing the cloth soaked with vinegar on the white bathing suit in this step. Please look out for areas with stains only.
The part without stains can be left out. After dabbing, it is time to have your bathing suit rinsed. Run the tap water on the suit and let the affected area be completely soaked in water. The instant you are done rinsing with cold water, take a second look at the white bathing suit.
Get your mild detergent with water, and wash the white bathing suit. It is best to have the suit washed in a bid to have the vinegar removed and to ensure the suit gets cleaned. After which, you should rinse and air dry.
What Causes Changes In A White Bathing Suit?
1. Chlorine
The first on the list is chlorine. White bathing suits are prone to stains due to the chlorine used in the pool, which affects the white bathing suit over time. That being said, chlorine is one of the most known archenemies of the bathing suit.
2. Dirty pools
Did you know that a dirty pool tends to change your white bathing suit into yellowish or greenish colors? Unclean pools, or pools that have been polluted with dirt can break down the suit in a matter of months.
3. Sunscreen Or tanning
When stressing about the things that cause changes in a white bathing suit, sunscreen, or tanning of skin can’t be ignored. While sun screening or tanning the skin isn’t bad, studies have shown that such little things contribute to the changes in a bathing suit.
4. Oil
You are risking your white bathing suit for those who love rubbing oil on their bodies to have glowing skin in the sun. If oil comes in contact with a white stain frequently, it’ll result in the suit having some yellowish colors from the application of the oil on the skin.
5. Sweat
Sweating in a white bathing suit can cause the white bathing suit to adopt a different look or color entirely. Not like it’s going to change in split seconds, but profuse sweat over a long time without washing the bathing suit quickly can result in your white suit getting ruined.
6. Storage
How you store your white bathing suit matters a lot. If you store it in a place where there is dirt, dust, or rust, your white bathing suit will certainly be in a sorry state.
How To Care For A White Bathing Suit
To care for and protect a white bathing suit from changing colors and to prevent future occurrences, kindly follow these;
1. Wash bathing suit instantly
Do not wait for hours before hitting the sink with your white bathing suit to have it washed. The more time it takes, the more the white bathing suit is getting soaked up in dirt and chlorine.
The moment you are out of the water, locate the nearest washroom and run the suit under the tap water. By doing so, you have partially taken off more than half of the dirt and chlorine from the white bathing suit.
2. Wear your white bathing suit less
Some people are fond of continuously rocking their white bathing suits to the pool or the beach. Constant usage of an item or wear can lead to it wearing down much quicker than expected.
Mix your bathing suits and have them rotated at different time intervals. Try not to repeat the white suit so often. It is more appropriate to have other colors of suits worn repeatedly than the former. Unlike the rest of the units, the white bathing suit is more likely to get stained.
3. Avoid sunscreen, oil, or tanning when wearing a white bathing suit
If you can, avoid or minimize the use of sunscreen, oil, or tanning cream when you are in a white bathing suit. Since using these elements leads to stains on the bathing suit, it would be nice to avoid them for the sake of your white suit or minimize them.
Whichever you choose to go for, let it be a way to protect your bathing suit from being ruined by any of these.
4. Storage
Another way to care for your white bathing suit is to store them properly. And how do you do that? By getting a swimming suit bag.
How to Clean a White Bathing Suit that Turns Yellow
- Preparation: First, make sure your bathing suit is okay to be cleaned with bleach. Some suits are not suitable for bleach, so check the label before proceeding.
- Soak in vinegar: Fill a basin or sink with 1 part white vinegar solution to 4 parts water. Fully submerge your white bathing suit and let it soak for 30 minutes. The vinegar can help dissolve body oils and sunscreen, possibly contributing to yellowing.
- Bleaching: If your bathing suit is bleach-safe, prepare a bleach soak. Mix 1 part bleach with 5 parts cold water in a basin or sink. Always add the bleach to the water (not water to bleach) to prevent splashing. Add the bathing suit and let it soak for 15-30 minutes.
- Gentle cleaning: After soaking, gently hand wash the bathing suit in cold water with a small amount of gentle laundry detergent. Wash it thoroughly to make sure all the bleach and detergent are gone.
- Rinse and dry: Rinse your bathing suit thoroughly with cold water until no soap remains. Gently squeeze out any excess water (don’t wring it out, as this can damage the fibers). Lay it flat to dry in a well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight.
Always remember to rinse your bathing suit immediately after swimming to prevent chlorine and salt from causing further yellowing. If the yellowing persists after one wash, repeat the process. Avoid drying your bathing suit in the sun, as this can cause discoloration.
FAQS
Will lake water stain white swimsuits?
Yes, lake water can stain white swimsuits depending on the specific content of the lake's water (like minerals, algae, etc.), some discoloration could potentially occur over time.
How to wash a white bathing suit?
Soak it in a solution of gentle detergent and cold water for about 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly until no soap remains. Avoid wringing it out as this can damage the material, instead gently squeeze out excess water. Lay it flat to dry in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight.
Conclusion
Getting your whites to become white again doesn’t require much. Kindly follow the methods and instructions needed to whiter your white suit all day. Stipulated alongside these methods and precautions are links to purchasing some of the requirements for keeping the white bathing suit white again.
