Cold rinse after every swim is your best bet.

Yes — rinse your swimsuit in cold water as soon as you get out of the pool or ocean. That single step removes the salt and chlorine that eat away at the fabric and color.

UV light is the other killer, and wet fabric fades faster than dry fabric. So after rinsing, hang it in the shade. The sun will still dry it, just not fry the color out of it. Also don’t wring it out — that breaks fibers and makes fading look worse.

Avoid hot water, bleach, and dryers like the plague. Hand wash with a mild soap if you can be bothered. Otherwise just the cold rinse covers 90% of the problem.

Your swimsuit will thank you for the extra 30 seconds.