A parent's guide to pool hygiene and baby swimwear

Pool hygiene isn't just about protecting your little one, though that is important, it's about keeping the pool clean for everyone, and making your swimming sessions stress-free rather than panic-inducing. The good news? With the right preparation and a few simple practices, you can navigate baby swimming with confidence, knowing you're doing everything right for your baby, other swimmers, and those brilliant swim teachers who put up with chaos every week.

Skip the moisturisers before swimming

Here's something many parents don't realise: moisturisers and oils create a film on baby's skin that ends up in the pool water. Before your swimming session, avoid applying lotions, moisturisers, or oils to your baby's skin. If you're joining them in the water (and let's face it, most of us are), try to remove your makeup and moisturisers too if possible. It's a small change that makes a real difference to water quality.

That said, some babies genuinely need barrier creams, especially little ones with eczema or sensitive skin who react to chlorine. If your baby falls into this category, Splash About's Warm In One wetsuits are designed with snug cuffs around the wrists and ankles that help keep barrier creams in place.

Change immediately if there's an accident

This is the golden rule that bears repeating: if your baby does a poo during swimming, change them immediately. Don't wait until the end of the session, don't convince yourself you can squeeze in five more minutes, just get out, change them, and you can return to swimming afterwards.

And here's the part nobody wants to think about but everyone needs to know: if there's a leak, always inform the pool staff. Yes, it's embarrassing. Yes, you'll want the ground to swallow you up. But pool operators need to know so they can take appropriate action. Faecal leaks can cause nasty tummy bugs, and responsible hygiene protects everyone's children, including yours. 

Caring for your swim nappies properly

Right, you've invested in quality reusable swim nappies, now let's make them last. After every swim session, rinse your Happy Nappy™ immediately in cool water to remove chlorine or saltwater buildup. This quick rinse prevents stains and keeps the fabric fresh.

Here's the brilliant bit: you don't always need to wash them. If they haven't been soiled and you've given them a good rinse in cool, clean water, they're absolutely fine to dry and use again. This saves you time, energy, and extends the life of your products.

When washing is needed, either because they're soiled or you simply fancy a proper clean, use a gentle non-biological detergent. Absolutely avoid fabric softeners (they reduce the fabric's effectiveness) and bleach (harsh on the material and potentially irritating for baby's skin). Hand washing in cool water is ideal, but machine washing at 30°C on a gentle cycle works perfectly fine when needed, especially for dealing with soiled nappies.

For drying, air dry away from direct sunlight. Pop them on a washing line in the shade or hang them indoors in a well-ventilated spot. Never tumble dry them, the heat can cause shrinkage and damage the specialist rib fabric that creates those crucial seals.