How to wash swimsuits en 2026

By Maria Camila Giraldo · Updated January 2026 · 8 min read

A few months ago, a client in Aruba reached out after her favorite swimsuit — a mid-range two-piece she’d worn all season — started pilling and losing its elastic. Her question was simple: “Was it the saltwater, the sunscreen, or the way I was washing it?” After going through her routine, the answer was pretty clear: all three, but the washing method was doing the most damage.

That conversation pushed me to put together a proper, honest comparison of the main approaches people use to wash swimsuits in 2026. In my experience working with families and tourists living on the island, swimsuit care is one of those things everyone thinks they know — until the fabric gives out two months into the season.

This guide breaks down the two dominant methods, compares them head-to-head, and gives you a clear recommendation depending on your situation. I’ll also bring in Tender fabric softener, which has become a go-to product here in Aruba for swimsuit care, and explain exactly where it fits in the process.

What “How to Wash Swimsuits” Actually Means

The basics and why they matter more than you think

Washing a swimsuit isn’t complicated — until you realize that chlorine, saltwater, sunscreen, and repeated machine cycles all degrade elastane (the stretchy fiber that makes swimwear functional). According to textile care research published by the American Cleaning Institute in 2026, swimwear fabrics lose up to 40% of their original elasticity within just 20 improper wash cycles. That’s less than one full season for a regular beach-goer in Aruba.

The two methods people debate most are hand washing and machine washing. Both are widely used, both have real trade-offs, and neither is universally better in every situation. What matters is matching the method to your fabric, your schedule, and how often you’re in the water.

Why Aruba specifically changes the equation

Living or vacationing in Aruba means your swimsuit is in rotation constantly. You’re not pulling it out twice a summer — you’re wearing it three, four, sometimes five times a week. The combination of salt, reef sunscreen (which locals here apply heavily), and high UV exposure creates a particularly aggressive environment for fabric. This is why I personally recommend a more deliberate washing routine than what you’d follow in a temperate climate.

If you’re also dealing with sunscreen marks on white swimwear, the guide on the best ways to remove sunscreen stains from white clothes in 2026 is worth reading alongside this one — the stain removal steps happen before washing, not during.

The Two Main Options: Hand Washing vs. Machine Washing

Option 1: Hand Washing (the gentler path)

Hand washing is the gold standard for swimsuit care. That’s not just my opinion — most premium swimwear brands, from Speedo to La Blanca, explicitly recommend it on their care labels. The process is straightforward: cold water, a small amount of gentle detergent or fabric softener, a gentle squeeze (never wringing), and air-drying flat away from direct sunlight.

What makes hand washing work is control. You regulate the water temperature, the pressure on the fabric, and the soaking time. For delicate fabrics like ribbed lycra or reversible bikini material, this matters a lot. I’ve seen clients with $80–$120 swimsuits extend their lifespan by two full seasons just by switching from machine to hand wash.

The honest downside? Time. If you’re washing multiple pieces after a beach day — which is common in Aruba families — hand washing every item adds up. It’s also not realistic when you’re traveling light with limited drying space.

Option 2: Machine Washing (convenient, but requires caution)

Machine washing is faster and more practical for households dealing with high laundry volume. Done correctly — cold cycle, delicate setting, mesh laundry bag — it won’t destroy your swimsuit immediately. The problem is that most people don’t do it correctly. They use hot water, skip the mesh bag, and pile swimsuits in with towels or jeans. That’s where the real damage happens.

Even on the gentlest cycle, washing machine agitation creates friction that degrades elastane faster than hand washing. Over time, the result is a swimsuit that loses its shape, develops pilling, or starts to sag. For everyday budget swimwear, this might be acceptable. For anything with fine detailing, underwire, or high-quality construction, I’d be hesitant.

That said — and I want to be honest here — machine washing is the realistic choice for a lot of people in Aruba, especially during peak tourism months when laundry piles up fast. If that’s your situation, using a product like Tender in the rinse cycle can help counteract some of the stiffness and friction damage that machine cycles cause.

Side-by-Side Comparison

How to Compare and Choose the Right Method for You

Criterion 1: How often are you washing it?

This is the most practical starting point. If you’re in Aruba on vacation for a week, hand washing makes complete sense — you have one or two swimsuits, minimal volume, and the time to do it right. If you’re a local family with three kids doing beach sports multiple times a week, machine washing on the delicate cycle with a mesh bag is the more sustainable choice. Both work. The key is doing the method correctly, not picking the “correct” one in theory.

What I’ve seen with clients who push back on hand washing is that they almost always relent once they see how quick the soak-and-rinse method actually is. We’re talking 12 minutes, not 40.

Criterion 2: What’s the fabric construction?

Check the label. If you see 80% nylon / 20% elastane or any mention of Lycra or spandex — and most quality swimsuits do — you’re working with a fabric that genuinely benefits from hand washing. Heavier, more utility-focused swimwear (rash guards, training suits) can generally tolerate machine washing better because the construction is more durable.

Also, if your swimsuit has padding, underwire, or ruched detailing, machine washing increases the risk of distortion even on gentle cycles. In those cases, the extra 10 minutes of hand washing is worth it every time.

Criterion 3: What product are you using?

The detergent or softener you use matters more than most people realize. Standard laundry detergents — even mild ones — are formulated for cotton and heavier fabrics. They can leave residue on swimwear that attracts chlorine and accelerates breakdown. What you want for swimsuits is something pH-neutral, free of bleach or brighteners, and gentle enough for elastane.

This is where Tender fabric softener stands out in my experience. It’s widely available in Aruba, the formula is gentle enough for swimwear, and I’ve consistently recommended it to clients who want to maintain fabric softness through a high-frequency washing routine. It won’t strip color, it doesn’t leave heavy residue, and it works well in both the soak method and the machine rinse cycle. That versatility is genuinely useful here.

For general household cleaning context — including products that are equally safe and effective for other surfaces — the comparison of the best speed cleaning tips for Aruba homes in 2026 covers a lot of practical ground for island living.

Final Recommendation: When to Choose Each Method

Here’s my honest take, based on working with real clients in Aruba across different lifestyles and swimwear budgets.

Choose hand washing if: you have one to three swimsuits, they’re made from delicate or structured fabrics, you wear them frequently, or they cost more than $50 and you want them to last. This is the method that consistently produces better long-term results. Pair it with Tender in the soak for best results.

Choose machine washing if: you’re managing high laundry volume (families, rental properties, group trips), your swimsuits are more utilitarian in construction, and you’re diligent about using a mesh bag and cold/delicate settings. Even here, adding Tender in the rinse cycle helps protect the fabric and extend the swimsuit’s practical life.

I personally recommend building a habit around hand washing for any swimsuit you actually care about. It takes almost no time once it’s routine. The clients I’ve seen stick with it consistently are the ones who tell me, two years later, that their swimsuits still look new. That’s not a coincidence.

One last thing: whatever method you use, rinse your swimsuit in cold fresh water immediately after getting out of the pool or ocean. That one step — before you even think about detergent — removes the bulk of chlorine and salt that causes long-term damage. The washing afterward is just finishing the job.

About the author: Maria Camila Giraldo is a fabric care and home cleaning specialist based in Aruba, with over eight years of experience advising households and hospitality clients on sustainable textile maintenance in tropical environments.