How to wash a mermaid tail?

Before you go swimming

Chlorine attaches itself to the spandex in your tail, but also to your hair, for example. This is also the reason that your hair often feels dry after swimming. To ensure that this chlorine has less chance of adhering to the spandex or to your hair, it is wise to rinse briefly under a shower before swimming. If there is no shower available, wet your hair and tail under a tap.

On a beautiful summer day it is important to apply well. But do this preferably 15 to 30 minutes before you put on the tail. This way the sunscreen has enough time to absorb into the skin and you prevent the sunburn from pulling too much into the tail.

After swimming

1. Do not wait too long but rinse your tail immediately under a tap or in the shower. Then gently squeeze most of the water out of the tail, be careful not to wring! After this, place the tail on your towel and roll it up.
2. When you get home, rinse the tail again under the tap and leave it in cold soapy water for 30 minutes. Do not use warm water for this as it can affect the colours. Do not use detergent, just clean water. After 30 minutes, turn the tail inside out and rinse once more.
3. When you’re done rinsing, press the excess water out of the tail with a dry towel (don’t wring!). Then let the tail dry flat. Do not hang the tail while it is drying as this will stretch the fibers. And dry preferably in the shade, sunlight and spandex are not the best friends.
4. When your tail is nice and dry again, store it lying down and loosely folded in the closet.

Extra Tips

• Don’t go with your pretty mermaid tail in a jacuzzi. The water is too warm and often contains even more chemicals to keep the jacuzzi clean.
• Spandex has a kind of “memory effect“. After it has been stretched while swimming, it takes about 24 hours to fully return to its original length. If you regularly swim more than once a day, you can choose to purchase a second mermaid tail. This way they both get enough time to dry and you will enjoy a beautiful and well-fitting mermaid tail for longer.
• Take a short break? Then sit on a towel or wear a shawl. This way sharp things like splinters on a chair don’t get a chance to damage your beautiful tail.
• Provide adequate ventilation while drying to prevent mold such as mildew.

We also understand that it is not always possible to take into account all the washing tips above and that is not a bad thing. But try to keep this as much as possible so that you can enjoy your beautiful mermaid tail for a very long time!