Swimwear Care · College Swimming · 4 min read
Key takeaways
- Rinse in cold fresh water after every single practice, this is the most important step for pool swimmers
- Hand wash only, washing machines and dryers will damage the fabric and PBT lining
- Always dry in the shade, direct sunlight fades color and weakens fibers over time
- Rotate between two to three suits if you're training daily, fabric needs 24 hours to recover its shape
- Store flat or folded in a cool dry place, never leave a damp suit in a closed swim bag
College and club swimmers put their training suits through more chlorine exposure in one season than most casual swimmers see in years. From fall practice through conference championships, that's six months of near-daily pool sessions, sometimes twice a day. Most suits don't survive that without the right care routine behind them.
JAYD suits are built with premium Italian fabric and a 100% PBT lining, materials specifically engineered for longevity in high-volume pool environments. But even the best fabric degrades faster than it should without the right habits between sessions. Here's exactly what to do.
Why does care matter more for competitive swimmers?
The math is simple. A swimmer training five days a week puts their suit through roughly 20 to 25 pool sessions a month. Over a six-month NCAA season that's 120 to 150 sessions of chlorine exposure per suit. Standard fashion swimwear typically shows significant degradation, fading color, sagging lining, loss of compression within the first four to six weeks of that kind of load.
The difference between a suit that still performs in March and one that's faded and shapeless by October almost always comes down to what happens after you get out of the water.
The four essential care habits for pool swimmers
1. Rinse after every single practice
This is the single most impactful thing you can do, especially for pool swimmers. Chlorine doesn't stop breaking down fabric fibers the moment you get out of the water. It keeps working until it's rinsed out. A cold fresh water rinse within minutes of finishing practice removes chlorine, salt, sunscreen, and sweat before they cause lasting damage.
This matters even more during two-a-days when your suit is going straight back in the water. Rinse between sessions if you can, even a quick one makes a difference over the course of fall season.
2. Hand wash with a gentle detergent
Keep your JAYD suit out of the washing machine and away from the dryer entirely. The agitation of a machine wash and the heat of a dryer are two of the fastest ways to break down performance swimwear fabric, and they're irreversible. Hand wash in cold water with a gentle swim-specific detergent like TRISWIM when needed.
Avoid bleach, harsh detergents, and fabric softener. These strip color, degrade fibers, and reduce the stretch recovery that keeps your suit compressive and supportive through heavy training blocks.
3. Dry with care
After rinsing, gently press out excess water, never wring or twist the fabric. Lay your suit flat to dry, or hang it from the body rather than the straps. Always dry in the shade. UV exposure continues to fade and weaken fabric even when your suit isn't in the water, and direct sunlight accelerates color loss faster than almost anything else.
Never dry on a heated towel rack, radiator, or in a dryer. Heat causes irreversible damage to elastane and PBT fibers, the same damage that makes suits go see-through and lose compression mid-season.
4. Rotate between suits, especially during doubles
For swimmers training five or more times a week, rotating between at least two suits is one of the most effective ways to extend the life of both. Fabric needs 24 hours to fully dry and recover its elasticity after each session. Wearing the same suit to back-to-back practices, especially during doubles weeks, doesn't give the fibers time to bounce back, which accelerates wear significantly across a long season.
Swimmers doing two-a-days should have three suits in rotation minimum. It's also a very good excuse to add another color to the collection.
What to avoid, quick reference
| What | Avoid | Do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Washing | ✗ Machine wash | ✓ Hand wash in cold water |
| Drying | ✗ Dryer or direct sunlight | ✓ Flat in the shade |
| Detergent | ✗ Bleach or fabric softener | ✓ Gentle swim-specific detergent |
| Wringing | ✗ Twist or wring fabric | ✓ Gently press out excess water |
| Storage | ✗ Damp in a closed swim bag | ✓ Flat in a cool dry place |
| Surfaces | ✗ Sitting on rough pool deck or concrete | ✓ Always sit on a towel |
Care across the college season, what to focus on and when
Fall practice (September – November)
Heaviest yardage of the season. Rinse religiously after every session, rotate suits daily, and never let a damp suit sit in your bag overnight. This phase does the most damage to suits that aren't being cared for.
Mid-season (November – January)
Training volume stays high. This is when cheap suits start visibly degrading, sagging lining, fading color, loss of compression. Consistent care habits from fall mean your JAYD suit should still be performing well.
Taper and championships (February – March)
You want your suit feeling its best right now. A suit that has been rinsed, rotated, and cared for properly since August should still have good compression and color at this point in the season.
Off-season
Hand wash thoroughly, dry completely, and store flat in a cool dry place. A suit stored properly in the off-season comes back in far better condition for the following fall.
Extra habits worth building
Protect from rough surfaces
Concrete pool decks, rough starting block surfaces, and coarse sand all cause abrasive wear on swimwear fabric. Sit on a towel at meets and on deck rather than directly on your suit wherever possible.
Put it on gently
When putting your suit on or taking it off, avoid yanking or pulling at the fabric. Overstretching stresses the fibers in ways they aren't designed to handle and can permanently alter the fit, which matters a lot when fit is the reason you chose a performance suit in the first place.
Rinse before you swim
Rinsing your suit in fresh water before getting in the pool causes the fabric to absorb fresh water first, reducing the amount of chlorine the suit takes on during your session. It's a small habit that compounds meaningfully over a full season of daily training.
Why your JAYD suit is built for the long season
JAYD Swimwear is an Australian performance swimwear brand built for women who train and compete in the water. Every suit is made with premium Italian fabric and a 100% PBT lining, materials engineered specifically for long-term durability under the chlorine load of a full NCAA season.
The right care routine is what makes sure it stays that way. A well cared-for JAYD suit lasts multiple seasons of regular training, significantly longer than standard fashion swimwear used under the same conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you wash a JAYD swimsuit after pool training?
Rinse in cold fresh water immediately after every practice to remove chlorine before it sets into the fabric. Hand wash gently in cold water with a mild swim-specific detergent like TRISWIM when needed, rinse thoroughly, and lay flat to dry in the shade. Avoid hot water, bleach, fabric softener, wringing, and machine drying.
Can I put my training suit in the washing machine?
No — machine washing causes agitation that damages performance swimwear fabric and degrades the PBT lining over time. For college swimmers putting their suits through daily pool sessions, this damage accumulates fast. Hand washing in cold water takes very little effort and preserves the suit significantly longer.
How many training suits do I need for a full college season?
At least two suits if you're training five times per week, and three if you're doing doubles. Rotating suits gives the fabric 24 hours to dry and recover its compression between sessions — wearing the same suit every day accelerates wear significantly across a six-month NCAA season.
How long should a JAYD training suit last for a competitive swimmer?
With proper care, a JAYD suit is built to last multiple seasons of regular training. The combination of premium Italian Carvico fabric and a full 100% PBT lining means the suit maintains its shape, color, and compression far longer than standard fashion swimwear — especially with consistent care habits from fall practice through championships.
How do I store my training suit between practices?
Never leave a damp suit packed in your closed swim bag — this encourages mold and mildew that permanently damages fabric. After rinsing and air drying, store your suit flat or folded in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. Make sure it is fully dry before it goes back into storage.
For more on what makes JAYD swimwear built for serious training, read our guide on why chlorine-resistant swimwear matters, or browse the full JAYD training suit range.