Okay, so technically, swimming pool owners don’t need special kinds of swimwear; we get that. But the fact is, just as you’ll stand to enjoy the many health benefits of swimming far more than your non-pool-owner peers, you’ll also put quite a few more miles on your swimwear! That makes it even more important for you to both select and handle your swimwear carefully.
While repeated exposure to chlorinated swimming pool water certainly contributes to the shortening the lifespan of any swimsuit, some fabrics are more impervious than others. And in addition to choosing chemical-resistant swimwear, there are steps you can take to increase the lifespan of virtually any swimwear — and, by extension, the amount of time and money you need to use looking for another swim suit. And we all know what that means: more time and money to use for enjoying your backyard swimming pool!
Swimmer-Friendly Swimwear
What makes swimwear particularly well-suited for swimmers? (See what we did there?) Swimmer-friendly swimwear is made from fabric that’s especially designed to resist damage from chlorine, enabling it to last longer than most other swimwear. Short of purchasing this kind of specialty swimwear, though, you can help increase the likelihood that your suit of choice will last through the pool season by taking a peek at the tag and staying away from natural fibers; a swimsuit made of 100% polyester will stand a much better chance than one that includes any amount of cotton.
Letting Your Swimwear Rest
Competitive swimmers know this trick well, but it can apply to anyone who gets into a pool, day after day: It’s a good idea to give your swimwear a day off between uses. If you don’t go to the pool often, that’s not a difficult task; however, if you have your own pool, you’re probably in it multiple days in a row. So in order to give each suit a 24-hour break between uses, you’ll need to get a second swimsuit. (There ya go — permission to go shopping, just like you wanted!) While you’re planning your wardrobe of swimwear, you should also know that if you have a hot tub or Jacuzzi, the warmer water is tougher on swimsuits than cooler-temperature pools; so you may want to purchase a less expensive suit especially for that use.
Benefits of a Salt Water Chlorine Generator
When it comes to helping swimwear last longer (as well as reducing damage to skin and hair), one option to consider is a salt water chlorine generator. Even though people often use the term “salt water pool,” the truth is that any pool can be transformed into a salt water pool with this upgrade — which costs under $5,000. While a salt water pool still uses chlorine, the chlorine in it is a gentler type, which causes less damage to swimwear among other things. When you consider swimwear costs, this upgrade may take a while to “pay for itself,” but depending on your tolerances to pool chemicals, the switch may be worthwhile.
Continue reading with Part 2.
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