How to Read the Washing Label of a Swimsuit

So, it’s time to wash your swimsuit. Crafted from a blend of polyester, spandex, and nylon, swimsuits are not just any other garment. Their delicate fabric requires a little extra care which can leave us scratching our heads, asking …

How Can I Wash my Swimsuit?

When confusion arises, that’s when you reach for your swimsuit’s washing label. There you’ll find all the washing instructions you need to ensure your swimsuit stays in tip-top condition while enjoying the best clean possible. But next, there’s the question of:

How do I Read the Washing Label of my Swimsuit?

There are three main types of washing labels:

• Machine wash.
• Hand wash only.
• Dry clean only.

As we’ll see, most swimsuits fall into the top two categories, with very few, if not none, being dry clean only.

Once you locate your swimsuit’s washing label – usually sewn into the interior of the swimsuit’s lower half – you’ll be met with a lineup of symbols. Each represents a specific washing process such as drying, bleaching, dry cleaning, etc. Depending on how they vary by design is your swimsuit’s washing instructions. And, knowing how to read them is easier than you think:

Your Guide to Your Swimsuit’s Washing Label

Understanding the Washing Instructions on your Swimsuit label

This group of washing symbols lets you know if your swimsuit is safe to be washed in the washing machine, alongside which setting and what temperature you should use. More often than not, you’ll find that your swimsuit is either machine or hand washable.

What each washing symbol means

• A clear bucket filled with water – swimsuit is machine washable. 
• Bucket with stretched hand inside – swimsuit should be washed by hand.
• Water-filled bucket with 30° – keep water cold (30C)
• Water-filled bucket with 40° – keep water warm (40C)
• Water-filled bucket with 60° – keep water hot (60C)
• Bucket with one line underneath – wash your swimsuit using a synthetic cycle (very common for swimsuits due to their synthetic material.)
• Bucket with two lines underneath – represents the gentle or wool wash cycle.
• Bucket with cross – do not wash your swimsuit. 

What if both the hand wash and washing machine-appropriate symbols are on the washing label?

Consider yourself lucky! Your swimsuit can benefit from a gentle handwash as much as it can withstand the barrel of a washing machine.

To guarantee the best outcome, be sure to read up on how to machine wash a swimsuit beforehand. Or, take a look into what cleaning products or water temperatures are ideal for hand washing your swimsuit.

Drying Guidelines on Swimsuit Washing Labels

Once you’ve perfected the washing part of cleaning your swimsuit, you’ll want to get drying right as well. These symbols show how to effectively dry your swimsuit without risking faded colors, shrinking, or warping.

The symbol you’re most likely to see is ‘hang to dry,” designed as a box with a drooping line that bears a resemblance to a typical washing line. Or similarly, you might see the ‘drip dry’ symbol, designed as a box with three vertical lines. While not common, some swimsuit labels also have the ‘dry flat’ symbol, which is a box with a horizontal line contained within.

If you see a circle within a box that has a cross through it, your swimsuit should not be tumble dried.

What About Swimsuit Washing Label Ironing Symbols?

You may be wondering why there’s any need for ironing symbols on the washing tag at all. 

“Can you iron your swimsuit?” we hear you ask. The simple answer: surprisingly, yes. Even if you avoid bundling up your swimsuit, crinkles and wrinkles can still happen.

And, if you’d like to keep your swimsuit looking polished – you’ll need to know how it prefers to be ironed.

Locating iron instructions on a swimsuit washing label

Fortunately, the ironing instructions are relatively intuitive. First, look for the iron icon that should be shaped like an almost halved semi-oval with a handle.

Next, it’s time to decipher what it means.

Getting to know your swimsuit label’s ironing symbol:

• Iron with no dots – feel free to iron your swimsuit at any temperature.
• Iron with one dot – keep heat low (below 110C)
• Iron with two dots – as the most common ironing symbol for synthetics, this is typically the best option for swimsuits. Keep heat medium (above 110C – below 150C.)
• Iron with three dots – While rarely seen on swimsuit labels, this symbol advises you to keep heat high (above 150C – below 200C.)
• Iron with a cross – do not iron your swimsuit.
• Iron with a cross below – do not steam your swimsuit.

Note: If your swimsuit’s washing label does not include ironing symbols/instructions, it’s best to keep heat medium (above 110C – below 150C.)

Can I Dryclean my Swimsuit?

You may have noticed that we’ve left out one key component of the traditional washing label: dry cleaning options. And we have a good excuse. The cleaning processes used during dry cleaning are not good for the delicate makeup of swimsuits.

Drycleaning symbol on swimsuit washing label:

Look out for a clear circle, usually towards the end of the lineup of other washing symbols.

• Circle with a cross – do not dry clean.
• Clear circle – dryclean only.
• Circle with an A – dry clean with any solvent.
• Circle with a P – dry clean with any solvent except trichloroethylene.
• Circle with an F – Dryclean with petroleum solvent only.

Can I Bleach My Swimsuit?

Much like drycleaning, bleaching your swimsuit is generally not recommended. Typically, you wouldn’t bleach a swimsuit due to the stress it puts on delicate materials and fibers. In fact, as you study your swimsuit’s washing label, you’re likely to find “DO NOT USE CHLORINE BLEACH” marked across its surface. 

While swimming pools contain chlorine, the strength is more akin to diluted bleach than concentrated bleach. And, as fibers weaken, it’s easier for the body’s natural oils to penetrate the material, leading to pesky stains.

So, more likely than not, expect to see a triangle – the bleach symbol – with a cross through it. However, on the off-chance, you see a clear triangle, which means your swimsuit is washable with bleach. Or, if your swimsuit washing label has a triangle with two diagonal lines through it, this denotes you can wash your swimsuit using non-chlorine bleach.

This brings us to the best way to wash your swimsuit …

Best Swimsuit Washing Practices

• Rinse your swimsuit in cold, fresh water once taken off to wash away chlorine, sunscreen, salt water, or any other residues.
• Avoid folding or rolling up if possible.
• Hang the swimsuit out to dry out of the way of direct sunlight (UV light can bleach the color of swimsuits.)
• Once it’s time to wash, read your swimsuit’s washing label using the instructions above and follow them accordingly.

Swimsuit washing wrapup

Washing your swimsuit doesn’t have to be a headache. However, knowing the right cleaning procedure is necessary if you want to keep your swimsuit looking good as new.

Fortunately, your swimsuit’s washing label tells you everything you need to know about how to treat it right. All that’s left to do is learn its language! By following the guide above, you can ensure your swimsuit stays looking great and lasts as long as possible!

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