Why Your Swimsuit Still Smells Like the Pool After You Wash It
To get the chlorine smell out of a swimsuit, rinse it in cool fresh water as soon as you get out of the pool, squeeze the water out without wringing, and hand wash it in cool water with a mild, swimwear-safe cleanser. If the smell keeps coming back, the cause is usually not the wash itself. It is the hours the suit spends wet in a closed bag before it gets washed. The fix is to stop the smell at the pool, before it has time to settle in.
Why your swimsuit still smells like the pool after you wash it
You wash it, it dries, you pull it out of the drawer, and it still smells like the pool. Three things are going on.
The smell is not really chlorine
The sharp "pool smell" mostly comes from chloramines. They form when pool chlorine reacts with sweat, skin oils, lotions and everything else people bring into the water. Public health agencies such as the CDC note that a strong chlorine smell usually signals more chloramines in the water. Swimsuit fabric soaks them up, and a quick rinse does not pull all of them back out.
Residue builds up over many swims
Each swim leaves a little more behind: chloramines, sweat, body oils, sunscreen. A suit that only gets rinsed, or only gets washed once in a while, holds a growing layer of residue. That layer is what you smell when the suit warms up against your skin.
The bag does the rest
A wet suit in a closed bag stays damp and warm for hours. That is when the pool smell turns sour or musty. A suit that smelled fine on the pool deck can smell much worse the next morning. If you only fix one habit, fix this one. More on that in what happens when you leave a wet swimsuit in your bag.
How to get chlorine smell out of a swimsuit, step by step
At the pool
- Rinse inside and out. Cool fresh water for 20 to 30 seconds. Turn the suit inside out for the second half.
- Squeeze gently. Press the water out or use the pool's suit dryer. Do not wring.
- Freshen it. Mist the suit before it goes in your bag (more below).
- Pack it loose. A mesh pocket or separate bag beats a sealed plastic bag.
At home
- Unpack right away. Hang the suit in a shaded spot with airflow.
- Hand wash weekly. Fill a sink with cool water and a small amount of mild, swimwear-safe cleanser. Swish for a minute or two, let it soak for about 15 minutes, then rinse until the water runs clear.
- Dry flat or hanging. No dryer, no direct sun, no radiator.
What about vinegar or baking soda?
A lot of home remedies suggest soaking a smelly suit in diluted white vinegar or baking soda. Some swimmers like them. If you try one, keep it mild and cool, rinse well afterward, and do not use either on a suit too often, since harsh or frequent soaks can be tough on stretch fabric and colors. And none of them fix the real cause, which is the time the suit spends wet in a bag.
What not to do
- Do not cover it with fabric softener. Softener coats fibers and can trap residue.
- Do not use bleach. It strips color and weakens stretch fibers.
- Do not put it in the dryer. Heat speeds up fabric breakdown and does not remove the smell.
- Do not leave it for "later." Every hour wet in a bag makes the smell harder to remove.
Stop the smell before it reaches your bag
This is the job TRIHARD's Fresh & Clean Swimwear Spray was made for. It is the first and only swimwear spray, built for the minute between the pool shower and your bag. Rinse, squeeze or use the suit dryer, give the suit about 4 sprays, let it sit for about 30 seconds, and pack it. It neutralizes pool and chlorine odor before the smell has hours to settle in. It is for every swimmer and made for swimwear, from lap suits to bikinis and swim trunks. It does not replace a wash: rinse and spray after every swim, hand wash when you have time. Stop bringing the pool home.
Want the whole post-swim routine in one go? The Post-Swim Reset Kit pairs the spray with our Chlorine Removal Shampoo and Body Wash. The Head-to-Suit Kit adds the Chlorine Protection Conditioner: hair, skin and suit, sorted after every swim.
Not sure if, or what you actually need?
Tell us how chlorine shows up in your life and we'll point you to the right fit.
Not sure you're actually affected?
If you still smell like chlorine, check your skin and hair
Sometimes the suit is clean and the smell is you. Chlorine smell clings to hair and skin and often survives a shower with regular soap. Our guides on how to get rid of chlorine smell on your skin and hair and why hair still smells like chlorine after washing cover that side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get the chlorine smell out of a swimsuit?
Rinse it in cool fresh water right after swimming, squeeze it gently, and hand wash it in cool water with a mild, swimwear-safe cleanser. Then dry it in the shade. The biggest change is not leaving it wet in a closed bag.
Why does my swimsuit still smell after washing?
Pool odor comes mostly from chloramines, which soak into fabric along with sweat and skin oils. If the suit sat wet in a bag before washing, or if residue has built up over many swims, one wash may not be enough. Rinsing right after every swim keeps it from building up.
Can I put my swimsuit in the washing machine to remove the smell?
It is not recommended. Agitation, spin and heat are hard on stretch fabric. Hand washing in cool water is gentler and just as effective for odor.
How long does chlorine smell stay in a swimsuit?
Without a rinse, it can stay until the next proper wash, and it usually gets stronger while the suit sits damp. A fresh-water rinse right after the swim removes most of the loose pool water before it settles.
Does a swimwear spray remove chlorine from my suit?
No. A swimwear spray is made to neutralize pool and chlorine odor, not to remove chlorine. A fresh-water rinse is what flushes pool water out of the suit, and a hand wash does the deep clean.
