Molly's SudsOur Favorite Alternate Uses for SWIM™ -

SWIM™ Cleaner is more than just a pool-side pro. It offers quite a few valuable uses in your laundry room for gentle, delicate clothing clean-up. We recommend choosing SWIM™ just about anytime you’re working with a delicate fabric or intimate item.

Why? Because SWIM™ is a pro at getting rid of something we all generate — sweat and oil. It’s gentle on even the most delicate fabrics while packing an active enzyme load that’s perfect for laundering those items that lay closest to our skin.

Delicates

Is it finally time to launder that favorite cocktail dress or your classiest blouse? For delicate items, it’s usually best to launder by hand with a gentle detergent. Most of these garments don’t get very dirty, but sweat accumulation and oil from our skin should be regularly removed.

We recommend handwashing delicates with SWIM™. Fill your sink or clean bucket with cool water. Add one squirt of SWIM™ for each delicate item you’re washing and swish it with your hands to mix throughout the water. Add your item to the water and gently massage the fabric. Let it soak for up to 30 minutes, swishing the water gently to help the cleaner reach deep into the fibers. Rinse well in cool water. Most delicate garments should air dry.

Remember, follow garment care instructions. If it says dry clean only, off to the dry cleaners you go!

Stain Removal on Delicate Garments

Horrified that you’ve gotten a stain on your favorite lace top? Reach for SWIM™ again! It’s gentle on very delicate fabrics, but great for stains.

Here’s the deal — too many people ruin delicate garments by choosing a stain remover that’s too harsh for the fine fibers. The structure of the garment can be compromised and, before you know it, the fabric breaks down and you’re saying ‘Sianara!’ to your favorite camisole.

Use SWIM™ just like you would another stain treatment — massage it in with your fingers, rinse in cool water, and air dry. SWIM™ works well for wine, food and oil stains, deodorant, sunscreen, and even makeup stains.

Lingerie

How to go about washing bras is an area of some debate. Many women choose to throw their bras in the washer and dryer, rather than go to the trouble of washing them separately. If you have bras that you don’t particularly care about, then this method works well — just realize that this treatment will significantly shorten the lifespan of the garment.

This is because bras are actually made of pretty delicate stuff. Memory foam, underwire, elastic, lace, lycra — these are fabrics easily degraded by heat and stretching. If you want to keep your bras around as long as possible, handwashing with a gentle detergent is advised.

We’d suggest cool water in a clean sink or tub, with one squirt of SWIM™ for every bra you add, whether regular daily bra or sports bra. Place each item in the water and swish, before allowing to soak for 30 minutes. Rinse in cool water and air dry. For super stinky sports bras, you may want to swap out All Sport Athletic Laundry Detergent for SWIM™.

Special Piece Lingerie

Have a favorite piece of lingerie that shouldn’t be submerged? Check garment label instructions first! Most special piece lingerie will have suggested care guidelines. For many, the following methods will work well.

If it is an item that should not be submerged, you can mix a solution of 1 squirt SWIM™ with one full spray bottle of cool water. Shake it to mix, then spray it on an inconspicuous corner of the garment to ensure compatibility. Then, spray the solution over the garment, before wiping it away with a clean dry towel. For extra dirty areas, allow the solution to sit before spraying with cool, clean water and soaking up with a clean, dry towel.

Ties

When it comes to caring for neckties, there are two golden rules. Never put a tie in the washing machine and never put a tie in a dryer. This is the quickest way to irrevocably ruin a tie!

Instead, when your tie absolutely needs a wash (which should not be often!), do it by hand with SWIM™. This detergent is specifically tailored to be extra gentle on these extra special garments.

Fill a sink or tub with lukewarm water. Add a small squirt of SWIM™ per tie and swish the water. Add the tie and swirl before allowing to sit for 30 minutes. Rinse in cool water and PRESS out excess water using a clean towel. Do NOT wring or twist a tie to remove water! Hang up to dry.

(Most silk and wool ties will be dry clean only.)

Silk Scarves

A classic, vintage Hermes scarf? Yes, please! A fabulous silk scarf will always be timeless — and with proper care, silk scarves, pocket handkerchiefs, and gloves can be kept around for decades.

First, check care tag instructions. If it says dry clean only, stop now! For most silk scarves and similar items, you can hand wash using a very gentle detergent — like SWIM™! Follow the same steps for other delicates. NEVER place silk in a dryer.

Hosiery

It’s all too easy to throw tights and pantyhose into the washer along with another load. We’d argue that handwashing those items is also easy — and a good way to keep them around a lot longer. Simply fill your sink, a bowl, or bucket with cool water and a small amount of SWIM™. Add your hosiery and mix them into the solution. Let them soak for a few minutes before rinsing clean and air drying.

Suggested Schedule for Washing Your Delicates

For most items, you can usually get in quite a few wears before your delicates will need a wash. Here are our recommendations.

Delicate blouses and camisoles: Wash as needed, or every 6-8 wears.
Delicate dresses: Wash as needed, or every 6-8 wears.
Hosiery: After each wear — and ALWAYS wash by hand!
Bras: We recommend washing after every 3-4 wears. Wash more often if you’re prone to sweating or live in a hot climate.
Sports Bras: For high-impact workouts that have you breaking a sweat, wash every 1-2 wears. For low-impact exercise, such a gentle forms of yoga, we’d wash every 3-4 wears.
Special Piece Lingerie: Wash every 4-5 wears or as needed.
Swimming Suits: Wash after every use.

Our Favorite Alternate Uses for SWIM™