Being that it’s summer, and being that many of you rely upon the swimsuit as an integral wardrobe component during such a season, I have decided that it would naturally be appropriate to delve further into this topic of swimsuits, specifically, how to care for one.

Men are considerably less fussy with their suits, as they are with most things, but those of the fairer sex will understand the great trial and tribulations that can sometimes go into finding a suit suited for her particular physique. After such a strenuous and stressful search, it is necessary to treat the selected suit well in order to ensure its longevity. Need I remind you- the longer your suit lasts, the longer you can go until you must find a new one.

With that in mind, we shall now review the bathing suit basics.

– Welcome a spanking new suit into your life by soaking it for around 30 minutes in a mixture of white vinegar (1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 quart water). This will prevent your suit from fading and bleeding.

– Rinse the suit in cold water immediately following immersion in chlorinated or salt water.

– Avoid placing your suit into the washing machine, which will speed up the wear down process and encourage pilling. Instead, wash the suit by hand using a gentle detergent or a special swimsuit cleaner such the Speedo Swimsuit Cleaner, Solmar Suit Saver, or the garment washes by Forever New.

Kill two birds with one stone by taking your suit into the shower with you and doing the deed whilst in there. However, don’t make the mistake of just using plain old soap on your suit. Or your body for that matter.

– Squeeze the water from your suit gently after washing (read: do not wring).

– Allow the suit to air dry by hanging it up or laying it flat.

* A note on white suits: to keep your white suit white, try soaking it in a tub of white vinegar and cold water for around an hour. Then wash as instructed above. You can also try using a non-bleach whitener such as RIT Whitener & Brightener.

Now that you’ve got your swim trunks handled, all you’ll need are your flippy floppies. Happy Thursday!

Image credits: Lime Ricki, The Golden Diamonds, Anthropologie Bikini Top, The Laundress Swimwear Care, The Container Store Clothes Pins, Howell Conant