Summer in Canada doesn’t last long, so most of us try to make the most of it. Patios, cottage weekends, backyard barbecues, and finally some real heat after a long winter. But all that time outside means more sweat, sunscreen, chlorine, and grass stains on your clothes than any other season.
Here at PureFold Laundry, we want to help you keep your summer wardrobe fresh without wrecking it. Here’s a practical guide to wash times, cycles, and how often you should actually be washing your warm-weather pieces.
Why wash times matter for summer clothes
Summer clothing is lighter than winter gear, but that doesn’t mean it’s less demanding on the wash. Sweat, sunscreen, and chlorine break down fabric fibres faster than you’d think, especially with the humidity we get across Ontario and Quebec summers, or the wildfire smoke and dry heat out west in BC and Alberta.
Get it wrong and you risk yellowing, stretched-out elastic, and fabric that wears thin faster than it should. Get it right and your summer wardrobe will hold up season after season.
The golden rule is always the same: check the care label first.
T-shirts and tank tops
Your most-worn summer pieces, and the ones that pick up sweat and body oils fastest.
- How long: A normal cycle of around 30 to 45 minutes works well for most cotton or blend tees.
- How to wash: Turn printed shirts inside out to protect the design. Cold water is usually enough, and it keeps colours from fading.
- How often: Every wear. These sit directly against your skin, so a fresh one each time is worth it.
Swimwear
Whether it’s a lake day at the cottage or laps at the local pool, chlorine and lake water are hard on swimwear fabric.
- How to wash: Rinse in cold water right after wearing, then a gentle hand wash or delicate cycle. Never wring it out, and skip the dryer, since heat breaks down the elastic fast.
- Cycle time: A delicate cycle runs about 15 to 30 minutes.
- How often: After every wear, especially if it’s been in chlorinated pool water. Even a quick rinse helps it last the whole summer.
Activewear and gym clothes
Between running, hiking, and outdoor workouts, summer is peak season for sweaty gear.
- How to wash: Turn inside out and use cold water on a normal or delicate cycle. Skip fabric softener, it clogs the fibres that wick moisture away.
- Cycle time: 30 to 45 minutes on a normal cycle.
- How often: After every wear. Sweat left sitting in synthetic fabric starts to smell, and it happens fast in summer heat.
Linen shirts and dresses
A summer favourite for a reason, but linen wrinkles and holds onto sweat and body odour more than cotton.
- How to wash: Cold water on a gentle cycle. Avoid the dryer if you can, since heat sets in wrinkles that are hard to iron out. Hang to dry instead.
- Cycle time: Around 30 to 40 minutes on a gentle cycle.
- How often: Every 1 to 2 wears, depending on how much you sweated through the day.
Shorts and light pants
Less sweat exposure than a t-shirt, but they still pick up dirt from patios, park benches, and backyard hangouts.
- How to wash: Cold water on a normal cycle is fine for most cotton or blend shorts.
- Cycle time: 30 to 45 minutes.
- How often: Every 2 to 3 wears, unless they’re visibly dirty or you’ve been sitting on the grass.
Hats and sun caps
Worth washing more than people think, especially with sunscreen residue building up around the brim.
- How to wash: Check the label first. Most cotton or straw-blend hats can go in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle in cold water, or a gentle hand wash if the shape needs protecting.
- Cycle time: 15 to 30 minutes on a delicate cycle.
- How often: Every few weeks through the summer, or sooner if it smells like sunscreen.
Quick tips before you start
- Always check the care label
- Rinse swimwear before it goes anywhere near the hamper
- Use cold water to protect colour and elastic
- Treat sunscreen and grass stains before washing, they set fast in the heat
- Air dry where you can, dryer heat wears out summer fabrics quicker
Too much to keep on top of?
Between cottage trips, road trips, and busy summer schedules, laundry is usually the last thing anyone wants to deal with. The PureFold Laundry Canada can help. Our Laundry Partners pick up your clothes, wash, dry, and fold everything, then deliver it back to your door.