Taking Care of Your Bikini

Bikini care is mostly a matter of common sense.

We think about it, and then blow it off. Your bikinis are worth caring for. The questions are, what to do and how to do it? With proper care, you can extend the life of your swimwear investment dramatically.

Here are a few tips to remember:

1. It starts at the beach. Use a towel when sitting on rocks or rough surfaces. We’ve probably all had a bikini that got ruined by poor okole placement! The same goes for around the pool; those rough textured pool decks are murder on soft fabrics.

2. Avoid chemical sunscreens. They wreak havoc on fabrics and elastics (see my post on Sunscreen).

3. Rinse off after going in salt water, chlorinated pools, or hot tubs whenever possible. The same goes for after yoga classes.

4. Bikinis should be rinsed in fresh water or hand washed with a mild soap in cold water. If you're a surfer, machine washing on the delicate or lingerie setting with a mild soap will help get the wax off.

5. Do not hang dry in the sun- it fades the color and damages the fabric over time. If you have to hang them in the sun, turn them inside out. For best results, hang them in a well-ventilated, shady spot.

Mahalo for being a Pualani Hawai'i Mermaid!