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

[Couv]

Well thank goodness you are here to set us straight!

 

[lowviz]

FWIW here is a video from a dive gear manufacturer

Thanks Couv! That can easily be tested.
Below is my most abused, soaked, chemically treated, and heated mask. I cooled it to room temp and 'flamed off the silicone fog'. Yep mine looks just the same as the experts' mask, it is water fog. Period.



Looking back, I consider this to be one of the most important posts in this endless thread: Anti-Fogging Treatments for New Masks. (a comparison of techniques)

I'm getting close to writing this up. NO, I have no interest whatsoever in a 260$ mask. Seriously??? That kind of stuff is just for posturing on the boat. I'll put my ammonia treated $39.95 low-volume mask up against anything else for fit and fog.

The careful reader might ask, "So why did my mask (se above pic) fog?".

A critically clean surface has enormous surface energy and will crap up in very short order. However, the altered glass surface (I'll explain shortly) is rather easily re-cleaned in a dishwasher.

I'll go so far as to say that a properly 'seasoned' and prepared mask has a chemically modified water-loving surface (ammonia treatment), is properly cleaned (dishwasher), and has some form of antifog (spit) that is coating the interior of the lenses.

 

[stuartv]

I'm getting close to writing this up. NO, I have no interest whatsoever in a 260$ mask. Seriously??? That kind of stuff is just for posturing on the boat. I'll put my ammonia treated $39.95 low-volume mask up against anything else for fit and fog.

I do not resemble this remark. I have tried 15 masks - at least - and not found one yet that never leaks on me. If I find a $260 mask that fits me and doesn't leak, it will be well worth the money to buy two.

I'll go so far as to say that a properly 'seasoned' and prepared mask has a chemically modified water-loving surface (ammonia treatment), is properly cleaned (dishwasher), and has some form of antifog (spit) that is coating the interior of the lenses.

So, before diving a brand new mask, what are the steps?

Dishwasher, then ammonia?
Dishwasher, ammonia, dishwasher again?
Ammonia, then dishwasher?

Does the order even matter as long as it gets one bath in the dishwasher and one bath in ammonia?

Then spit'n'dive, obviously.

 

[АлександрД]

some days ago I`d cleaned glass tea cups. Old ones. It was with thick layer of oil-like something.
Just taken Baking soda (NaHCO3), small cotton rug from old t-shirt, and water.
I had found that after well and long rubbing of the glass by cotton rug with soda - we have cleanest glass surface, but most important - water do not collecting in to the drops, but placed on the surface with thin layer!
It was the same, as after mentioned above ammonia usage.

So, after one month I will have ability to test this method on the my daughter mask
I found for her small old mask, not used for years, and will pass it over full comparison of different methods
First will try to stay as it is, than will check it with potatoes, next will try baking soda.
Than finnaly will try latest old school method - cricket lighter
Will see...

 

[lowviz]

Does the order even matter as long as it gets one bath in the dishwasher and one bath in ammonia?

I doubt it, but order wasn't tested so I can't say for sure.

So to answer you, the order was:

Dishwasher, brand new mask
Clear aqueous ammonia (minimum of 3 day soak, longer does not appear to be significantly better.)
Dishwasher again after periods of non-use
Spit

 

[lowviz]

some days ago I`d cleaned glass tea cups. Old ones. It was with thick layer of oil-like something.
Just taken Baking soda (NaHCO3), small cotton rug from old t-shirt, and water.
I had found that after well and long rubbing of the glass by cotton rug with soda - we have cleanest glass surface, but most important - water do not collecting in to the drops, but placed on the surface with thin layer!
It was the same, as after mentioned above ammonia usage.

Interesting!

You can turn your baking soda into sodium carbonate (even more alkaline):
Maybe try sodium carbonate too?

 

[Couv]

@lowviz is a regular Mr. Wizard, isn't he?

This one: https://www.youtube.com/user/mrwizardstudios

Not this one:

 

[lowviz]

Jeez! My roots are showing, yes, I'm all science.

I love this stuff! Especially when it is participatory. So many here have offered so much by way of information/suggestions/questions...

 

[АлександрД]

Interesting!
You can turn your baking soda into sodium carbonate (even more alkaline): Maybe try sodium carbonate too?

Nice idea. May be wiil to try. But one urgent thing - Sodium carbonate could be dangerous for eyes, and mask should be cleaned well after, may be with light solution of citric acid or vinegar.

 

[lowviz]

@Hoyden, much respect! I know of your 'public aquarium'.

You confirmed the 3-day soak (close enough to 2.8) as being effective. In light of this, I've pulled the fully submerged ammonia soaked Mako masks at ~5.6 days rather than four weeks as originally stated. It is a logarithmic thing: f-number - Wikipedia

I see it as less informative to ruin masks with a massively overlong treatment just to confirm hard plastic failure. We are all interested in lenses. You did 3 days, I'll follow up with 5.6 in the interest of science. Let me know, you get one too...

PM's asking for return shipping info are being sent to those who have either donated masks or the person who won the 'you get one too' lottery.