Baby shampoo *is* the best defog

[Storker]

What if you just wring the spit out of babies until you get a full bottle? Would that be the Ultimate Defog?

Have you ever had a baby? IME there's no need to wring spit out of them. They provide plenty enough without any encouragement

 

[Doby45]

Have you ever had a baby? IME there's no need to wring spit out of them. They provide plenty enough without any encouragement

Spoken for truth, the harder task would be containing all the normal spit they generate.

 

[Buliwyf]

I use Dawn Powerclean.

I can fog up any anti-fog out there. I just flood my mask a little, look down and splash it around to clear the fog, and then purge. In murky water, sometimes I'm not sure if my mask is clear or fogged, so I flood it the most there, just to make sure that what I'm seeing, is exactly what i should be seeing. Can only do that so many times before the Dawn Powerclean or J&J shampoo wears off.

Rain-X had a really nice anti fog. Might be worth trying.

 

[TMHeimer]

Many like myself swear by the baby shampoo, but there may be another aspect. Considering that people's spit differs in helping anti-fog, perhaps there may be those for whom baby shampoo won't work. Maybe different types of skin could be a factor. Maybe any of these anti-fog methods could vary in effectiveness from person to person. We all need a different amount of sleep. Just a thought.

 

[stuartv]

Can only do that so many times before the Dawn Powerclean or J&J shampoo wears off.

If Dawn leaves something on the inside of the mask lens that can wear off, I would not want water in my mask to cause any of that Dawn to get in my eyes. That is one reason I switched from regular anti-fog to baby shampoo. Every now and then water in my mask would/will mix with a little of the anti-fog and then get in my eye during a dive. Regular anti-fog in the eye stings! At least, it does me. Baby shampoo, well, I never have noticed it. I guess that "No More Tears" thing is for realz.

 

[admikar]

Burned my mask when new and cleaned with dish soap. I always get in water with my mask off to cool my face, spit, rinse and go diving. Even "if" I get some fogging, just let some water in, slosh around and purge, no problem afterwards. Night dive or murky I just do as @Buliwyf does.

The Ritual:

• Dunk mask in the ocean, give it a quick rinse, swish and dump.
• Check wind direction, then spit in mask. Don't be timid, think Leo in "Titanic", it lets everyone on the dive boat know you are the "real deal".
• Rub the natural defogger around with a clean index finger; you do not want dirt or grease on the glass, it will promote fog.
• Dunk mask in ocean quickly, just enough to remove excess spit. You want a very thin "slime layer" to remain.
• Dunk your face in ocean, or splash water on face before putting mask on. This removes sweat and oil, slicks back your hair, and cools off your face, plus it is something Mike Nelson would do. It makes it look like you know your stuff. See below for trying to avoid overheating the air inside the mask.
• If needed, you can "touch up" the defog while waiting on the surface by removing the mask and licking the inside. Divers who see you do this will never, ever ask to borrow your defogger!

Never tried licking, is it a heavy duty spit?

 

[TMHeimer]

I've seen the burning done. Don't want to try it, for the obvious reason. I thought this was supposed to cure all fogging?

 

[Buliwyf]

The Dawn Powerclean has a powerful surfactant that works as the anti-fog.You should rinse all the soap out.

If you don't, it doesn't burn as bad as shampoo or salt water. But the first time you purge your mask, you'll fill your mask with bubbles. Which is kinda embarrassing.

 

[Neilwood]

I've seen the burning done. Don't want to try it, for the obvious reason. I thought this was supposed to cure all fogging?

I was the same - my thoughts were that it would be so easy to damage something so I did my initial clean with toothpaste

 

[admikar]

I was the same - my thoughts were that it would be so easy to damage something so I did my initial clean with toothpaste

You can scratch your glass if you use wrong paste or go crazy with it. Likewise, you can damage mask with flame, but it is easier than it looks, so in both instances go slow.