Cloth Diaper Swimwear Care: Rinse, Dry and Store It Right
By Squishy Lil' Campers | Published: 2026-10-15
Category: Tips & Care
A simple post-swim routine for cloth swim diapers and reusable swimwear: rinse chlorine and sunscreen fast, dry them fully, and store them so odor and elastic damage never start.
Quick answer
Rinse your cloth swim diaper in cool water within an hour of leaving the pool, then wash it with a small amount of detergent and dry it fully before storing. Chlorine, sunscreen, and pool water break down TPU and stretchy elastics faster than pee does, so the rinse is the step that protects the diaper. If you can't wash right away, a thorough cool rinse and a hang to dry beats leaving it sealed in a wet bag.
Why pool water is harder on swim diapers than regular diaper changes
A swim diaper is built to hold solids, not to absorb pool water, so it comes out of the pool saturated with chlorine, salt, or lake water plus whatever sunscreen washed off your child. That mix sits in the fabric and elastic much longer than urine would. Chlorine is the main concern for TPU linings and stretchy waist and leg elastics, because repeated exposure without rinsing can leave them stiff or brittle. Sunscreen and body oils are the second issue: they coat fibers and give odor-causing bacteria something to cling to, which is why a swim diaper can smell fine at the pool and sour by the next morning.
This is also why swim diaper care looks slightly different from everyday cloth diaper care. You are not managing heavy absorbency, you are managing chemical residue and trapped moisture. The rinse does most of that work, and the dry does the rest.
What you need before the first pool day
Keep a small wet bag or a dedicated swim bag in your pool tote so a wet diaper never sits against dry clothes or towels. A second clean swim diaper lets you rotate, which matters because a diaper that is still damp in the seams should not go back on. For washing, a basic gentle or free-and-clear detergent is enough; fabric softener and dryer sheets leave a coating that traps odor and reduces the stretch of elastics over time.
If your child is between sizes, check the weight range before you buy a second one. Squishy Lil' Campers swim diapers are listed at roughly 15 to 45 lbs, and the cloth trainers are listed at roughly 12 to 50 lbs, so a trainer can bridge the gap for a child who is potty training but not ready to go without a backup.
How to handle a swim diaper when you are away from home
At a public pool or a friend's house, you usually cannot do a full wash. Do the best available rinse in a sink or a shower, wring gently, and put the diaper in a wet bag rather than a sealed plastic bag. A wet bag lets some air move and keeps the rest of your bag dry. When you get home, wash it that day if you can, or at minimum rinse again and hang it to dry.
One common mistake is tossing a chlorine-soaked diaper into the regular diaper pail. It will sit there for days, and the smell will transfer to everything around it. Keep swim diapers separate until they have been rinsed.
Your post-swim care steps
- Rinse within the hour: Take the swim diaper off, shake out any solids into the toilet, and rinse in cool water until the water runs clear. Cool water is the point here: hot water can set chlorine residue and sunscreen into the fibers and is harder on TPU and elastics. Checkpoint: if the water still smells strongly of chlorine, rinse again before washing.
- Wash with a small amount of gentle detergent: Wash swim diapers and trainers on a normal or gentle cycle with a small amount of free-and-clear detergent. Skip fabric softener, dryer sheets, and bleach. If you are washing them with regular cloth diapers, that is fine as long as the load is not overloaded. Common mistake: using too much detergent. It does not rinse out of TPU or bamboo terry easily and becomes the next source of odor.
- Dry fully, then check the seams and openings: Air dry when you can, or use a low-heat dryer setting. Before you fold anything, feel the waistband, leg elastics, the snap area, and the absorbency opening on trainers. Dampness in those spots is what turns into a sour smell in the drawer. Checkpoint: if any part feels cool or damp, give it more time. Storing a slightly damp swim diaper undoes the rinse you just did.
- Store loose, not compressed: Once fully dry, store swim diapers and trainers in a basket or drawer where air can move around them. Do not stack them under heavy towels or pack them into a tight vacuum bag for the season. Elastics last longer when they are not stretched or compressed for months. For off-season storage, keep them clean, dry, and loosely folded, and re-check them before the next pool season.
- Reset odor before it becomes a pattern: If a swim diaper still smells after a normal wash, rinse it again and dry it in direct sun if you have it. Sunlight and fresh air handle odor without adding more detergent. Repeated odor after clean washes usually means residue has built up, so run a wash with no detergent and an extra rinse. Next step: rotate two swim diapers so one is always fully dry and ready, which also cuts down on wear from repeated washing.
Product facts that affect how you care for them
- Fishing Gear-Swimmer: The Fishing Gear-Swimmer is lined with TPU on the outside and layered with AWJ on the inside, with stretchy waist and leg elastics plus snaps. TPU is the layer most affected by chlorine and heat, so rinse promptly and air dry rather than using high heat. The snaps give you a backup for accidents, but they also mean you should check that no water is trapped around the snap openings before storing.
- Grannies-Trainers: Grannies-Trainers are lined with bamboo terry, come pre-padded with 3 layers of bamboo, and have snaps plus an opening to add extra absorbency. Bamboo terry holds moisture longer than a swim lining, so trainers need a full dry before storage. The absorbency opening is a spot where dampness hides, so check it before you fold the trainer away.
