Sand in your swimsuit: how to completely remove beach sand from your swimwear

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If summer means trips to the beach, then then it also means having to get the sand off ourselves and our swimming costumes when/before we get home. But removing sand stuck in the fibers of beachwear and swimwear can be very challenging, even when using a washing machine. So how can sand be effectively removed from swimsuits? Well, let's check out some useful tips together:

Removing sand from your swimsuit: a step-by-step guide

Mission impossible? Not at all! Just follow these steps:

• Shake out your swimsuit thoroughly and vigorously: it's best to do this before getting into the car or getting home - do it while still at the beach. Before leaving the beach, change into other clothes you're sure won't get sandy, and let your swimsuit dry out completely. Then, when you shake out your dry swimsuit, you're sure to remove a lot more sand than if the swimsuit is still damp;
• Don't soak your swimsuit (at this stage) - hold it under running water to flush away the sand: it's not necessary to wash your swimsuit with laundry detergent each time you wear it, but you certainly don't want to feel sand on you when you put it back on again. Hold your swimsuit under cold, running water and pay attention to flushing the "difficult spots" (linings and seams in particular), maybe even using a toothbrush to help with this. Once you've done this, you can soak your swimsuit for a bit in fresh water, and then rinse out thoroughly;
• After allowing the swimsuit to dry out thoroughly (lay out flat on a clothes horse), shake it out vigorously again, and if necessary, use a brush or toothbrush to remove any remaining grains of sand. To speed up drying, you can use a hair dryer set to cold (which is especially useful to dry out the aforementioned "difficult spots").  

Washing swimsuits

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When you do eventually wash your swimsuit (in the washing machine or by hand), ensure it stays in pristine condition by observing the following tips:

• Set a delicate cycle on the washing machine (or hand-wash);
• Use only cold or, at the most, lukewarm water;
• Lay your swimsuit out flat when drying;
• Soak the swimsuit in water and two tablespoons of baking soda before washing it: this will help to remove any greasy stains left by sunscreen, deodorants and other lotions you use at the beach;
• If you wash your swimsuit by hand, squeeze/compress it gently to remove excess water (rather wringing it out).

With the right care, your swimsuit will last a lot longer than just one season!