Rinse your rash guard in cool fresh water after every paddle, then hand wash or run a cold gentle cycle with a little mild detergent and hang it to dry in the shade. Keep it away from hot water, bleach, fabric softener, and the dryer, and it will hold its stretch and sun protection for years.
A rash guard is a stretchy synthetic layer, not a cotton tee, so it asks for slightly different care. The same heat and harsh chemicals that break down its four-way stretch also wear out the fabric's sun protection, so gentle and cool is the whole game.
Rinse first, every time
The single habit that matters most is a quick freshwater rinse right after you paddle. Salt water and pool chlorine both sit in the fabric and slowly degrade the fibers, and salt left to dry gets stiff and scratchy. A minute under a tap or a hose after each session does more for the life of the shirt than any deep wash.
When it needs a real wash
For a proper clean, turn it inside out and either hand wash it in cool water with a small amount of mild detergent, or use a cold, gentle machine cycle. Skip the fabric softener: it coats the fibers and kills the quick-dry wicking that makes a rash guard comfortable in the first place. Bleach is the other thing to avoid, since it attacks both the stretch and the sun-protective treatment.
Then air dry it. Hang or lay it flat in the shade rather than putting it in the dryer, because dryer heat is what breaks down the elastane over time, and direct sun can fade the color. It dries fast on its own, which is part of the point of the fabric.
The layer this care keeps in shape
Gentle washing pays off most on a rash guard built to perform. The NIXY Men's Rash Guard is a four-way-stretch, quick-dry layer with flatlock seams and UPF 50+ sun protection, and cool washing plus air drying is exactly what keeps that stretch and sun coverage intact.
The NIXY Men's Rash Guard UPF 50+ comes in men's and women's fits, and you can see the full range on the NIXY rash guards collection page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you machine wash a rash guard? Yes. Use a cold, gentle cycle with mild detergent, ideally with the rash guard turned inside out. Avoid hot water, which breaks down the stretch, and skip fabric softener, which coats the fibers and reduces its quick-dry wicking.
Can you put a rash guard in the dryer? Skip it. Dryer heat is the fastest way to wear out the elastane that gives a rash guard its stretch. Hang or lay it flat to dry in the shade instead. It dries quickly on its own, so you lose almost no time.
How do you get the chlorine or salt smell out of a rash guard? Rinse it in cool fresh water as soon as you can after swimming or paddling, then wash it gently with mild detergent. For a stubborn smell, soak it for a while in cool water with a splash of white vinegar before washing, then air dry.
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