Rinse after every swim — cold water, no soap.

Rinse your swimsuit in cold water immediately after swimming. That’s 90% of the battle.

Chlorine and saltwater are the main enemies. They break down elastic and fade colors. A quick rinse gets most of it off before it has time to do damage. If you wait until you get home, the chemicals have already been sitting in the fabric for hours.

Don’t wring the suit out after rinsing. That stretches the fibers and ruins the shape. Gently press the water out with a towel, then lay it flat to dry out of direct sunlight. Hot water and machine drying will cook the elastic. Your suit isn’t delicate, but it’s not indestructible either.

Skip the detergent unless it’s really soiled. Most swimsuit care is just rinsing and air drying. Do that, and your nice swimsuit will still look nice next summer.