How to Get Sunscreen Stains Out of Neon Swimwear

Posted By HiViz Swimwear on March 2026

Sun protection is a must for safe, happy days outside. And with HiViz Swimwear’s neon swimwear, your child already has an extra layer of protection built in. Our fabric is UPF 50+, which blocks 98% of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays, helping protect the areas it covers during long days at the beach, lake, pool, or splash pad.

Of course, even with great coverage, there are still a few places, like the face, hands, and legs, that need sunscreen.

One of the most common stains parents run into with swimwear is sunscreen stains, and on bright neon fabrics, they can sometimes be more visible.

The good news? HiViz’s neon swimwear for kids is made from a durable polyester spandex blend, making it easier to get stains out without damaging the material or fading the color. With a few simple care habits, you can reduce the chances of staining, and if it does happen, there are easy ways to treat it.

Here’s how to protect your HiViz swimwear and keep those colors bright all season long.

Why Sunscreen Stains Neon Swimwear

Sunscreens contain oils, zinc, and titanium dioxide. These ingredients stick to fabric.
Neon colors reflect light in specific ways. When residue stays on the fabric, it alters how the color appears and can make the stains look more prominent, especially when it isn’t rinsed off after use.

Mineral vs Chemical Sunscreens

Mineral sunscreen (zinc or titanium) is thicker, isn’t generally fully absorbed by the skin, and leaves more residue on fabric.
Chemical sunscreens are better absorbed by the skin but often still contain oil-based carriers that can stick to the fibers of your neon swimwear.
Both types of sunblock can leave marks if they haven’t fully dried before the neon swimwear goes on (yeah, right, am I right?) or if you have to apply sunscreen when the kids are already wearing their neon swimwear; more like when they’re running off, and you’re hanging on by a fingertip!

Polyester neon swimwear is more forgiving than nylon. Polyester resists oil absorption better and releases stains more easily. Nylon, on the other hand, tends to hold onto sunscreen and fade faster, even with gentle care.

How to Prevent Damage

In an ideal world, the best way to reduce the transfer of sunscreen is to apply sunscreen and let it absorb for at least 15 minutes before getting the kids dressed in their neon swimwear. Godspeed, we know how hard it is.
Rinse the neon swimwear after every swim, even if it’s only for a short time.
For visible sunscreen residu on your neon swimwear:
- Rinse the suit in warm water as soon as possible after swimming.
- Apply a small amount of mild liquid detergent to the stain.
- Let it sit for about 10 minutes in warm water.
- Rinse thoroughly and proceed with a gentle full wash.
Avoid scrubbing unless it is necessary. Vigorous scrubbing can weaken the fibers and alter pigment structure, so if you do need to scrub the stain, we recommend doing so gently and WITH the grain of the fabric.
For help removing other stains, check out our full blog on removing stains from swimwear.

Avoid using harsh stain removers, detergents, and hot water!

Although you can cover most of your child with our HiViz UPF 50+ neon swimwear, sunscreen is essential in those places you can’t cover, and sometimes that means it will stain your swimwear. No worries, though, with a little attention to the right care routine, your kids’ neon swimsuits can still look amazing. Our polyester neon swimwear is made to handle it all: color, sun, stains, and wear; you know, life!

Teach safety before fun.

Teach Safety First - The water is like the road.

We teach our kids not to go near the road without an adult. Not to chase toys into the road-and they listen. We teach them that it is dangerous. So we can teach our kids that water is the same. You do not go near it without an adult. You never go into it chasing your toys. It is dangerous.

There is plenty of time to teach them how to have fun after we teach them safety.

In-Water Water Safety:

Make sure to engage your children in conversations about appropriate actions when they witness another swimmer in distress.

Things to make sure you let them know:

Do not enter the water themselves, even if it's their sibling
Instead, scream for help, attract the attention of adults
Call emergency services if they are capable.

This knowledge empowers children to take the right actions while staying safe and potentially avoid an even more serious situation.

FAQs

WHY THE SAFEST SWIMSUIT COLOR IS NEON

Neon swimwear has been proven to be the most visible color when submerged, making neon the best swimsuit color for visibility. Dressing your kids in our neon rash guards will make them stand out at the beach, pool, or splash pad! You can rest easy knowing you'll easily be able to keep an eye on them.

WHY HiViZ NEON SWIMWEAR STAYS SO BRIGHT

When we started HiViz and were searching for 'the right' material for our suits we were looking for high-quality material with great colorfastness-that is how well the material retains color. Most swimwear companies use nylon spandex blends, we don't. The way color is bound to polyester fibers is in a much more permanent way than how nylon is dyed. This means that polyester will hold onto the color while nylon swimwear bleeds color every time it gets wet causing recurring colorloss and bleacing out the color. When you're buying swimwear for it's bright neon color, bleeding color and lightening is not what you want-this is why HiViz customer's love our polyester blend!