Rinse your swimsuit before you even dry off.

Yes. The single most effective thing you can do is rinse it in cold, fresh water immediately after swimming—while you’re still in the shower or at the beach spigot. Don’t let chlorine or saltwater dry into the fabric.

Sun and chlorine are a brutal tag team. Chlorine breaks down the elastane and dyes; UV light bleaches what’s left. A quick rinse removes most of the chemicals before they can do their damage. If you wait until you get home, the damage is already happening.

Use a mild detergent (no fabric softener) and hand wash if you can. Never wring or twist—press the water out gently. And for the love of good swimwear, dry it in the shade, not on a radiator or in direct sun. Heat is just as bad as light.

That’s basically it. The cheap suits will still fade eventually, but you can double their life with a thirty-second rinse.