Anti-Fogging Treatments for New Masks. (a comparison of techniques)

[lv2dive]

My procedure is below. Very close to Dan_T’s except for slight variations on the pre-dive routine.

New mask: flame to remove coating
Pre-dive: spray with baby shampoo & water mix, leave in sun, dip once to rinse, wear

After messing around with all kinds of defogging methods for 14 years, what works for me is flaming the inside lens once when it is a brand new mask (to burn off the silicone mold release agent coating), then apply baby shampoo before diving without rinsing (let the water leak into the mask during entry to flush the excess baby shampoo) and don’t exhale from the nose during the dive (which would introduce steam on the lens, stripping the baby shampoo coating off the lens), get a good habit to exhale though the regulator.

 

[lowviz]

I am most happy to report that several posters are offering new masks for testing. This definitely increases the significance of any testing. It now appears that there will be several Mako Minimus masks as a statistically significant 'reference' test group and several other masks as individual comparisons. I will not personally benefit from this test, I will send all test masks back to their owners at my expense. Small price to pay for good science.

 

[Dan]

Me.

Fit is not a variable in this test. Your objections are most welcome at this time.

Since you are the tester, please tell us your experience with mask fogging.

What is the testing procedure? Are you going to promote a repeatable fogging procedure, such as intentionally exhale through your nose into the mask at the same amount of time & number?

What would be the water temperature? Since fogging is due to condensation of steam onto a cold surface, the rate and amount of steam condensing should be consistent from one mask to the next., i.e., not only your rate of breathing, but also how cold the glass surface should be the same.

 

[lowviz]

Since you are the tester, please tell us your experience with mask fogging. ...//...

Every new mask I ever bought was a pain until it became 'seasoned' by various means.

...//... What is the testing procedure? ...

Glad you asked! Nice intro to the next part of this test.

I'm now organizing all the suggestions for treatments that I have received along with a few of my own that I want to try. I'll share the list early next week in this thread and see if we can get some sort of agreement as to WHAT is to be tried, exactly HOW it is to be carried out, and again find some agreement as to the exact way to measure/rate/score fogging. I'll start with some of my suggestions and see where we end up.

So I can't answer your question right now as I just don't know yet...

 

[Couv]

What is the testing procedure? Are you going to promote a repeatable fogging procedure, such as intentionally exhale through your nose into the mask at the same amount of time & number?

New Mask treatment and defogging procedure.

As it happens, I have a new mask, but not the same make/model as those in the experiment. Besides, I’ll need it for an upcoming trip. (Sorry @lowvis) However, what I may be able to contribute to this thread are data points. (Skip to the bottom or suffer through a rehash of material already covered by others.)

Like @Dan_T and and @lv2dive , my go-to treatment has been a thorough cleaning, including the mask skirt and strap, followed by a flame treatment of the lens. This has stood the test of time with every MFH (Mask From Hell Toothpaste Vs Flame Trick for mask? ) I’ve encountered over the years. I differ slightly with the defogging procedure. I was given to understand, perhaps incorrectly, that saliva/soap/anti-fog products were effective as they leave a small film of surfactant on the lens that does not allow water vapor to bead up on the glass. When the surfactant film is gone it has to be re-treated. I rub a couple of drop of baby shampoo onto the lens, let it dry, and then buff it out with a paper towel. At this point, the lens is perfectly clear and needs no rinsing and is good for a couple of hours. If I’m dealing with a wet mask and no time to dry, simply a shampoo and water solution and rinse does the trick.

@lowvis For a repeatable testing procedure I propose a cold soak of the treated mask in a bucket of ice water, and then subject the lens to the vapor of a boiling tea kettle. Of course, the final test would be to dive the mask; but the cold soak and steam will simulate worst case scenarios.

Now the data point I can offer. I’ll clean my new mask and flame treat only one side. Then, subject it to the above test and report back shortly. I’ll “dive test” the mask in the week of March-first week of April.

Cheers,

Couv

Edit: I'll flame treat one side and treat the other side with whatever treatment @lowvis suggest for the experiment.

 

[Akimbo]

It might be useful to check with companies that install prescription lenses in masks to see how they clean the glass. The adhesive they use is probably proprietary information but they might be willing to share cleaning method.

 

[lowviz]

@lowvis...//... For a repeatable testing procedure I propose a cold soak of the treated mask in a bucket of ice water, and then subject the lens to the vapor of a boiling tea kettle. Of course, the final test would be to dive the mask; but the cold soak and steam will simulate worst case scenarios. ...//...

This might be a good time to thrash out the fogging test details.

I happen to have some seriously clean water left over from a past life. J. T. Baker 4218-03. Limited resource (freaking expensive), let's decide how to best use 4 liters of the stuff.

Cold water/ice dip of masks then subject to condensing steam. I would favor a large (critically cleaned) covered stockpot for the steam atmosphere over a tea kettle. I believe that I could be more reproducible using that procedure.

So:

(1) All masks (untreated) equilibrate to 34 degrees F in their containers. Then removed to ambient temp and relative humidity. Compare fogging (pix).

(2) couv's suggested test: Ice water and condensing steam.

(3) equilibrate all masks to room temperature and again a timed dip into the stockpot atmosphere.

Treat masks (by methods as yet unknown) and repeat fogging tests.

 

[Couv]

Edit: Oooops I got ahead of the group leader and started playing. I do not have super clean water, but I do have a whole house water softening system. However, what follows can be used as data points.

.........................................................................................................................................................

OK back from the la-bore-a-tory (kitchen.)

Ice bucket, and kettle ready to go.

First a test before any cleaning, flaming, or anti-fogging. Out of the ice-over the kettle. One thing to remember is to wipe the outside of the lens just before taking pictures.

As expected, before any treatment it's pretty well fogged up.

Next, after cleaning with dish washing soap (washing up liquid for my limey friends) it's still fogging up.

Finally, after the right side is flamed and both sides are de-fogged with baby shampoo. Both sides are clearly improved, but the flamed side is noticeably better.

 

[lowviz]

Edit: Oooops I got ahead of the group leader and started playing.

@couv: SWEET!!

Thanks for putting that experiment up for consideration. Nothing beats pix!!!

 

[Couv]

No problem Sensei.

About halfway through the experiment two things came to mind. One, the humidity here in Houston may be enough to eliminate the need for the kettle. Two, a couple of minutes in the freezer and warm moist breath may be all that's required for this test. It would probably save the hassle of drying the front of the faceplate and be a little less messy too.