Getting chlorine smell out of bathing suits??

[Twoboos]

DDs just started swim lessons, at an indoor pool. As soon as we get home, I throw the bathing suits and towels into the washer on cold w/All Free detergent, double rinse, and air-dry the suits.

The bathing suits still reek of chlorine! I smell it as soon as I walk into the laundry room. Any tips on getting the smell out? Should I try vinegar next time - or will this have some reaction w/the chlorine?

thanks for any advice!

[trales]

Rinse immediatly, you can wash in the sink with chlorine shampoo. Free and Clear does nothing for chlorine. Use a reg detergent like Tide. The swimsuits won't last if you wash everytime. I swim 4 times per week and only wash every few weeks. I rinse really well and hang in the shower. I don't seem to have a problem with smell.

[tylersmama]

I use a rinse that Swim n' Sport sells. A capful in a sink of cold water, swish it around, and the chlorine is gone. I only occasionally wash my suits and between that and using the rinse, they last much longer.

[spanannie]

Per the advice of The Queen of Clean's book, I soak in a sink with water and fabric softener for 15 minutes. Then I wash on the hand washable cycle with a clean-rinsing gentle detergent like Dreft or Ivory Snow. No problem with the chlorine smell, as long as I soak in the fabric softener. The fabric softener is supposed to extend the life of the elastic/spandex (or whatever it is) in the swimsuit.

[Twoboos]

Wow! I did not know any of this. I obviously haven't been around a pool in a loooooonnnnnnng time. :) I will quit washing and start rinsing/soaking, and look into some shampoo.

Off to resoak again... thanks!!

[bubbaray]

Just wondering why there is a need to get the chlorine smell out? I don't usually wash my pool bathing suits at all, just rinse immediately at the pool and use the spin-dryer there, then hang them up to dry once at home.

Is there a reason to need to get the chlorine smell out? Just wondering....

[mudder17]

Just wondering why there is a need to get the chlorine smell out? I don't usually wash my pool bathing suits at all, just rinse immediately at the pool and use the spin-dryer there, then hang them up to dry once at home.

Is there a reason to need to get the chlorine smell out? Just wondering....

For me personally, I'm very sensitive to chlorine, so the smell will make me gag if I have to go into a room that smells like it all the time (like the bathroom). I also imagine that if you leave the chlorine in the suit for long periods of time, the chlorine will slowly degrade the material that much sooner.

[tylersmama]

Yeah, it's not so much the smell (unless you're sensitive to it), it's the effect of the chemical on the fibers of the fabric. The chlorine really breaks down the fibers, so if you can remove the chemical, the suit will last longer. Both my speedo "workout" suit and my regular bikini were expensive enough that I really want to take care of them so I can get as much use as possible out of them!

[bubbaray]

Yeah, it's not so much the smell (unless you're sensitive to it), it's the effect of the chemical on the fibers of the fabric. The chlorine really breaks down the fibers, so if you can remove the chemical, the suit will last longer. Both my speedo "workout" suit and my regular bikini were expensive enough that I really want to take care of them so I can get as much use as possible out of them!


Hmmm, OK, I get the smell thing. I thought that all you needed to do was rinse the suit well afterwards. Do you have to wash polyester/endurance suits?