How to Wash Your Competition Suit

1 Apr

Why You Need to Care for Your Competition Suit

Let’s be real here, the cost of bikinis are NO JOKE. Whether you’ve spent a little or a lot on it, these are a BIG investment for us girls. So the last thing you want is to wash it the wrong way and end up with a stretched-out, faded, or damaged suit.

The first thing to point out is your suit is SUPER delicate, and needs extra care when handling it on show day and when washing it too. So let’s dive into the best ways to wash, dry, and store your suit so it stays in show-ready shape!

Step 1: Hand-Wash Only, Please!

Trust me on this: hand-washing your competition suit is the ONLY way. The fabric, glue and crystals combined are super delicate, so a machine wash will ruin its structure and elasticity, and those embellishments/rhinestones.

Here’s what I recommend:

Fill a basin with cool or lukewarm water. You don’t want it to be too hot as that can make the glue polymers weaker when holding your crystals in place.
Add a SMALL AMOUNT of gentle, mild detergent — I personally use a tiny amount of Fairy Liquid or hand soap. But avoid using bleach or anything that is too harsh as it’s just not needed.
Gently swirl the water around, lightly massaging the bikini suit (including connectors) and then let your suit soak for a minute or so. Don’t scrub or twist the fabric too much!
After soaking, gently press the fabric to release any tan, dirt or oils. You will shocked how much tan can get sucked into your suit. But again, be careful not to stretch or tug at the fabric.

Step 2: Rinse Thoroughly

Once you’ve done step 1, it’s time to rinse it. Make sure to rinse with clean cool or lukewarm water to get all the detergent out — we don’t want any soap residue left behind that could irritate your skin.

Gently press the suit in the water to help release the soap, but don’t wring or twist it.

Step 3: Drying Your Suit the Right Way

Now comes the hardest part — drying! I know how tempting it is to throw your suit in the dryer to get it ready for the next round of practice, but please, never use heat on your competition suit. The heat can damage the fabric, the rhinestones, and the elasticity of your suit, leaving you with a sad, stretched-out bikini.

Instead, follow these steps for drying:

Gently press a clean towel into your suit.
THEN hang your suit on two coat hangers, one for the top, and one for the bottom.
I personally hang mine in the shower to let the water drip down. But make sure you keep your suit away from direct sunlight, as this can cause the colours and sparkle to fade quicker.
Once it’s close to drying (after the first day), I tend to move my suits into any room thats outside of direct sunlight.

This whole drying process takes 1-2 dqys depending on warm your house is. The first time always seems a little daunting, but once you’ve done this process once, you’ll be SO glad you’ve done it!

Step 4: Store It Properly

Once your suit is dry, you want to store it the right way to keep it in top shape for the next show.

Here’s how to store it:

Either the original box your bikini suit came in from your chosen designer, or a bikini case will protect it from dust etc!
Some people prefer using a padded coat hanger inside a protective bag.
But either way, place your bikini in a cool dry place (think closet or somewhere away from heat and humidity).

And Your Ready For The Next Show!

We get asked a lot how often you should do this process. And being totally honest, if I’m doing back to back shows and prep brain is hitting me hard, I won’t wash in between these back to back shows. If I know I’ve been in a backstage area where there isn’t much ventilation, I’ve had to wear my suit in the tanning area, then I know I will definitely need to wash my competition suit ASAP rocky.

Bikini suits are a big part of your success on stage, so giving it the proper care will help it lasting through your competing season and more.

If you ever find yourself needing the perfect accessories to complement your suit or looking for the best skin prep or tanning products to enhance your stage glow, KOMPAK has got everything covered! And as always, if you have any questions feel free to contact us via Instagram @kompakwomen or directly via our website.

Until then, good luck! And you’ve totally got this. Jasmin x