Care for a Wetsuit

Now that you have purchased a wetsuit, it is essential to take care of it properly. If you do, you will extend the life of your wetsuit and stay warm for many dives to come.

Steps

  1. Rinse. When you've finished diving for the day, rinse your suit in fresh water as soon as possible. Most dive operators have a rinse tank. Salt water can cause neoprene to lose its flexibility, and an non-rinsed wetsuit smells bad.
  2. Soak. As soon as you are able, soak your wetsuit in clean, warm water for about 15 minutes. You also should wash your suit occasionally using wetsuit shampoo or baby shampoo.
  3. Hang to dry. Use a special wetsuit hanger if you have one; if not, use a plastic hanger. Never use a thin wire hanger. The metal will cause the neoprene to degrade. Do not hang it to dry in the sun, the neoprene can crack, find a nice windy spot in the shadow,like under a tree. Let the wetsuit dry thoroughly before storing it to keep it looking and smelling good.
  4. Inspect for damage. Before you store your wetsuit, check for any rips or tears. It's easy to get them fixed when they are small.
  5. Store properly. Store your wetsuit flat or hung as described above. Do not fold it or shove it in a drawer. The wetsuit will crease and lose some of its insulating effectiveness.



Tips

  • Diving stores sell special wetsuit shampoo for washing your suit.

Warnings

  • Do not store or dry your wetsuit in direct sunlight.
  • Do not put a wetsuit in the dryer. Although this sounds obvious, people have done it anyway. You've been warned.
  • Do not expose your wetsuit to aerosol spray or car exhaust. Both will degrade the neoprene.
  • Do not store wetsuit in car trunk

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

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