Six Best Ways to Care for Your Wetsuit
One of the first purchases a new diver makes is her first wetsuit. It feels great to get out of the rental, find something that fits and never have to worry about a stranger’s lingering pee! A Sea Gods wetsuit gives you the chance to leave a lasting impression – designed to fit your body perfectly and customized to show your true colors.
However, caring for a wetsuit can be daunting. Many beginner divers do not really understand what to do to prolong its life. Most wetsuits are made primarily from neoprene, and thus require different care from daily clothing or fabric.
Wetsuits are used in saltwater, if you’re lucky, and pool water if you’re not! Just kidding, all diving is great diving, right? According to surfer.com, there are 6 ways to care for your wetsuit to keep it in its prime condition. Let’s have a look…
- After diving, always rinse your wetsuit in freshwater. Make sure you rinse both the inside and outside of the suit. You can use running water or dunk it in a tub. Don’t squeeze or wring the suit after your rinse it. Just make sure you get the saltwater or chlorine off the suit.
- You can occasionally wash the wetsuit using a gentle shampoo or gentle detergent. Many wetsuit suppliers like Sea Gods also supply special wetsuit detergent. Baby shampoo is a good alternative if you can’t find a special wetsuit wash. These gentle shampoos or detergents will also help keep your zippers rust-free and running smooth. You don’t need to wash your suit with a gentle detergent after every dive, but it is a good idea to make sure it is properly cleaned and dry before storing it.
- After rinsing your wetsuit using freshwater, hang it using a simple hanger. The best hanger for your wetsuit is thick wood or plastic. Avoid using a steel or metal hanger since it can stretch your wetsuit if it gets hot and could rust leaving unsightly rust stains on the suit. Avoid drying the wetsuit directly in the sun as this will quickly fade the colors.
- When drying your suit, you will want to invert it after the outside has dried to ensure that both the inner and outer layers are fully dry before you store it. A moldy suit is not only smelly, it also leads to the material deteriorating! Yuck.
- Peeing in your suit is a VERY personal choice, but if you do, you have one more worry. Make sure you thoroughly wash your suit (a long soak is highly recommended) and dry it properly to keep it smelling fresh!
- Finally, one of the easiest ways to keep your wetsuit in good condition is to put it on and take it off slowly and gently. The more you struggle, the more you stretch, the more you push your suit to its limits and strain the seams. Although neoprene is a very strong material, it can still tear from overstretching.
Last but not least, choose the best wetsuit made from the best materials. Treat your wetsuit well and it will keep you warm and toasty on every dive. Sea Gods wetsuits fit like a dream!
