If you wear a swim cap, you know how quickly you can go through caps if you don’t care for them properly — especially latex caps. Latex caps are thinner and usually cheaper than other caps, such as silicone. They are also more prone to tearing and stretching.
Check out our tips to care for your latex swim caps! Doing so will save money and make your caps last longer.
Rinse Your Cap with Fresh Water
Always rinse your latex swim cap with fresh water after your swim. Whether you swim in a chlorinated pool, a salt water pool, lake or ocean, the minerals found in water can break down your swim cap.
Related: How to Protect Your Hair from Chlorine
Store Your Caps Dry
Be sure to dry the inside and outside of your swim cap before storing it in your bag. Sprinkle baby powder or talcum powder inside the cap to keep it from sticking to itself. You can also store the cap with a small towel inside it. Pulling a sticky latex cap apart can cause premature tearing!
Related: Why You Should Wear a Swim Cap
Keep Swim Caps Away From Heat
If your latex caps are stuffed into your swim bag, they can melt together when the temperature heats up. Avoid leaving your bag — or individual swim caps — in hot, direct sunlight.
Avoid Sharp Objects
Store your swim caps in their own special compartment in your bag to ensure they don’t come into contact with other swim gear that could puncture them.
Switch Between a Few Different Caps
It’s best to rotate between 2 or 3 latex caps to extend their life. Simply wear a different cap at each workout to reduce stretching!
Always Have a New Cap on Hand
It’s a good idea to keep a brand new latex cap in your bag just in case. Even if you care for your caps properly, accidents happen! Keep this cap in its original packaging to ensure it stays fresh when you need it.
Do you have other tips for keeping your latex swim caps fresh? Let us know in the comments! Check out our favorite swim gear here.