How to Wash a Wetsuit, Swimsuit, and Swim Gear

Summer in North Idaho means long days on the water — Lake Pend Oreille, Priest Lake, the Clark Fork, or any of the dozens of smaller lakes scattered across Bonner County. If you’re suiting up for paddleboarding, open-water swimming, kayaking, or just spending hours at the beach, your swim gear is working hard in that time.

Here’s the thing most people miss: saltwater gets all the attention when it comes to gear damage, but the UV, body oils, sunscreen, and lake minerals around here do just as much harm. Washing your wetsuit and swimwear correctly — and washing it consistently — is what keeps it lasting season after season.

Wetsuits: Handle with Care

A wetsuit is made of neoprene, a material that is genuinely hostile to most of what we consider “normal” laundry. Heat, agitators, and harsh detergents will break down neoprene fast. Here’s what actually works:

• Rinse immediately after use — plain cold water, inside and out. This is the single most important step. Do it every time, even if you don’t do a full wash.
• Full wash: Use a wetsuit-specific cleaner or a very small amount of mild, non-detergent soap. Baby shampoo works in a pinch.
• Hand wash or front-load on delicate — never use an agitator machine. The mechanical action tears the neoprene and rips seam tape.
• Cold water only. Hot water degrades neoprene quickly.
• Do not wring or twist. Roll it gently and press out excess water.
• Dry inside-out first, then flip — keep it out of direct sunlight. UV light destroys neoprene faster than almost anything else.

Swimsuits: Smaller but Still Fussy

Swimsuits — whether lycra, spandex, polyester, or any of the modern blended performance fabrics — have one main enemy: the washing machine dryer combination that works fine on your jeans.

• Rinse after every swim — chlorine from pools and sunscreen both degrade elastic over time.
• Wash in cold water, delicate cycle — or hand wash if you can.
• Use a mesh laundry bag to protect straps, clasps, and thin fabric from snagging.
• Skip the dryer entirely. Heat kills swimsuit elasticity. Air dry flat or on a hanger away from direct sun.
• Avoid fabric softener — it coats the fibers and reduces the stretch-and-recovery that makes swimwear work.

Swim Caps, Goggles, and Neoprene Gloves

These accessories often get ignored, but they accumulate the same body oils and lake residue as everything else.

• Swim caps: Rinse and air dry after each use. Silicone caps can be gently wiped with a damp cloth if needed. Never machine wash.
• Goggles: Rinse with clean water only — no soap on the lenses, which will strip the anti-fog coating. Let them air dry completely before storing.
• Neoprene gloves and booties: Same rules as a wetsuit. Cold rinse, mild soap occasionally, air dry out of direct sun.

Rash Guards and Board Shorts

These are the forgiving members of your swim kit. Most can handle a regular gentle machine wash, but a few rules still apply:

• Cold water, gentle cycle
• Turn inside-out to protect any graphics or prints
• Low heat in the dryer, or air dry — especially for rash guards with spandex content

When to Come In

If your wetsuit or swim gear has a genuine funk that a quick rinse isn’t handling — maybe it sat damp in a bag too long, or it just smells like two seasons of Pend Oreille — a proper cold-water machine wash at a laundromat with front-loading machines is the right move. Our gentle-cycle front-loaders won’t beat up neoprene the way an agitator machine will.

Got a wetsuit question or a particularly stubborn swim bag situation? Stop in or give us a call. We’re at 477181 US-95 in Ponderay — easy on and off on your way through.

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