Chlorinated pool water is harder on a swim wetsuit than lake or ocean water. It can dry out neoprene, fade the outer jersey, and weaken glued seams over time. The best way to get chlorine out is to rinse the suit in fresh water as soon as you leave the pool, then clean and dry it properly.
Rinse first, inside and out
Run cool or lukewarm tap water through the outside and inside of the suit. Focus on the underarms, neck, and zipper area, where chlorinated water collects. Avoid hot water. Heat breaks down neoprene and can soften the seam glue. A rinse in the pool shower before you drive home is enough to keep chlorine from sitting on the suit.
Soak or wash with a wetsuit-safe cleaner
For regular pool swimmers, add a short soak once or twice a week. Fill a bucket or tub with cool water, submerge the suit, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. For a deeper clean, add a small amount of cleaner made for neoprene wetsuits. Work it into the lining and high-contact areas, then rinse until the water runs clear.
If you do not have a wetsuit cleaner, plain cool-water soaks still help, but a neoprene-specific cleaner lifts more chlorine residue. Do not use laundry detergent, bleach, dish soap, or fabric softener. Those products can strip the neoprene or leave a residue that breaks down the material. Do not wash the suit in a washing machine, even on a gentle cycle. Agitation can stretch seams and tear thin neoprene.
Dry without heat or sun
Turn the suit inside out and hang it on a wide shoulder hanger, or lay it flat on a towel, out of direct sunlight. Once the inside is dry, turn it right side out and let the outside finish drying. Do not wring or twist the suit to force water out. Press gently instead.
Do not put the suit in a dryer, and do not leave it balled up in a swim bag or car trunk. A damp, chlorinated suit in a dark bag keeps the chlorine against the neoprene and can lead to mildew.
How often to rinse and wash
Rinse after every pool swim. Do a full soak or cleaner wash after every few pool sessions, or whenever the suit starts to hold a chlorine smell. A suit that feels stiff or looks faded after cleaning has already absorbed a lot of chlorine. At that point, reduce pool time in your race suit and use a training suit instead.
For frequent pool swimmers
If you train in a chlorinated pool several times a week, use a suit built for that workload. blueseventy's Reaction and Fusion models are designed for frequent use and will handle repeated pool sessions better than a thin race-day suit like the Helix. Keep the Helix for open water race day and let your training suit take the pool work.
If the suit still smells like chlorine
Repeat the cool-water soak with wetsuit cleaner and let it sit a little longer. Do not use hot water to try to remove the smell. After drying, store the suit flat or on a wide hanger in a cool, dry place, not compressed under other gear.
Chlorine damage is cumulative. A two-minute freshwater rinse, a cool soak, and proper drying will keep your blueseventy wetsuit flexible and comfortable for longer. Take care of the suit, and it will keep supporting your body position in the water.
