Clearing Mask Question

[pasley]

.... One of the major problems I am having is clearing my mask. It takes 2-3 tries...

First issue is why do you have to clear your mask. I assume we are talking about water in the mask and not that is is fogging up. If there is water in the mask the causes are:
1. Improper fit. When fitting your mask I would suggest taking a regulator along and placing it in the mouth when trying mask on. It does make a difference in how your face is shaped and how the mask fits.
2. Straps are too tight, a common new diver mistake. Mask should be tight enough to stay on, but not tight enough to etch itself on your face before you hit the water. Over tightening will deform the mask. Water pressure will do an excellent job of keeping the mask on if it is just snug, but not tight.
3. Straps improperly placed on head. The straps need to be at the back of the head pulling straight back from the attachment point and not pulling up (strap too high on back of head) or down (strap too low). Watch for twist in the mask strap too.
4. hood or hair under the skirt of the mask (or mustache). Keep everything out from under the skirt of the mask. If you have a mustache, you might want to trim a small line under the nose to allow space for the mask to seal. I use silicone grease in my mustache as well, helps seal things up.
5. Items attached to the mask, such as snorkels in a strong current may pull on the mask and could cause a leak.
6. Some dives Neptune just messes with you and your mask leaks. It happens on one dive and not the next. last week first dive was flawless, second dive mask leaked like a sieve the entire dive.

and then it just fogs up as I am clearing it. ...... I will try all the cleaning advice with toothpaste, mildly abrasive cleaners, etc but, I don't know if any of this will help...?

Fog is caused by water droplets forming around dirt or other irregularities on the surface of the mask.
Steps to stop the mask fogging up
1. You must clean the new mask with toothpaste or other mild abrasive throughly to remove all residue from the manufacturing process. This is critical. Your dive instructor no doubt told you to do this. This is a good lesson in following the instructions of the instructor. They tell you things for a reason.
2. Clean the mask before every dive. This is what anti-fog or defog, or spit or kelp is for. You are cleaning the mask and in the case of the anti-fogs, defog and baby shampoos leaving a slick soap film on the mask. When rinsing off the defog, just dip the mask in water, don't slosh it around vigorously.

I hope this helps. Keep diving.

 

[Colliam7]

I am one open water dive in to completing my OW diving certification. One of the major problems I am having is clearing my mask. It takes 2-3 tries and then it just fogs up as I am clearing it.

So, it sounds like you are not having to frequently clear your mask because of leaking, rather you are having trouble with mastering the mask clearing skill. Right?

Well how do you clear your mask without breathing through your nose?

Yes, you should not routinely breath through your nose while underwater. But, YES, you should exhale through your nose as part of the mask clearing process. So, that is just an exception to the rule.

Also, how do you equalize your mask without breathing through your nose?

You shouldn't actually need to exhale through your nose while equalizing. Although I guess you can do it that way - holding the mask firmly to you face while exhaling through you nose - it is easier to simply pinch your nostrils shut in order to create higher internal pressure, which allows you to equlaize. If air is coming out of you nose while equalizing, you might want to refine your technique.

It is just so frustrating because after clearing or equalizing my mask, I spend the rest of the dive in a fog. I will try all the cleaning advice with toothpaste, mildly abrasive cleaners, etc but, I don't know if any of this will help as long as I have to blow so hard and so many times to clear my mask. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Agree with Jim's suggestion of having an instructor or DM evaluate your technique carefully. This is not a normal occurence - mask fogs after doing the flood and clear skill.

 

[perdidochas]

Hi
I am one open water dive in to completing my OW diving certification. One of the major problems I am having is clearing my mask. It takes 2-3 tries and then it just fogs up as I am clearing it. I don't mind having to clear it so many times, but I hate the fogging. I was reading up on some threads that discussed fogging and one of the things mentioned is don't breathe through your nose. Well how do you clear your mask without breathing through your nose? Also, how do you equalize your mask without breathing through your nose? It is just so frustrating because after clearing or equalizing my mask, I spend the rest of the dive in a fog. I will try all the cleaning advice with toothpaste, mildly abrasive cleaners, etc but, I don't know if any of this will help as long as I have to blow so hard and so many times to clear my mask. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is this a normal occurrence?

Stop the fogging, first by the toothpaste in the mask. That should solve a lot of your fogging problems.

Practice your mask clearing in a pool (with a snorkel).

 

[Pat Mustard]

My wife had similar problems with her first mask even after cleaning with toothpaste.

I gave it a second, more thorough cleaning with toothpaste, and then it was fine after that.

Grab some Crest and go to town!

 

[Sideband]

I don't know if any of this will help as long as I have to blow so hard and so many times to clear my mask. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is this a normal occurrence?

I think I found your problem. Stop blowing so hard. All you need is a small amount of air to clear a mask. Should be able to easily clear 3 or 4 times on a single breath. If you blow too hard the air escapes the mask instead of filling it. Just exhale gently through your nose.

Joe

 

[Sideband]

You shouldn't actually need to exhale through your nose while equalizing.

OP was talking about equalizing his mask, not his ears at that point. You HAVE to exhale a bit for that. It takes so little air though that it should not be a consideration in fogging.
Joe

 

[Air On]

I have moustach hair that does allow the bottom of my mask to leak a little bit, even with shaving it back a little and using the mask sealer that looks like vasoline in a chapstick tube. So I pretty much have to breath out through my nose on each exhale to keep the water out and positive pressure on the mask. This makes a pretty humid mask that wants to fog up a lot.

I tend to be able to fog up the windows in a car on a sunny day, so if this can keep my mask clear I think it should work for you.

Fogging up, as said a few times now, Get some white toothpaste (gels don't work). If its a new mask... put some toothpase in with a few drops of water and just start scrubbing away on the entire lense. Probably a few minutes worth of scrubbing. Then rinse clear, use a toothbrush, q-tip, or toothpick to get all the toothpaste out at the edges. You don't want it comming loose in the mask and getting in your eyes. Repeat the first time cleaning probably 5-6 times like this (its a pain but it pays off later. Some mask manuf also apply a film to the glass when its made and you want it all off.

When your mask is in its box being stored it also get a film from any plastics its around. Sort of like the film your windshield in your car gets from the plastic of your dashboard. So give it a white toothpaste scrub one time if its been sitting for any time... just to make sure it clean.

Anti-fog: Comercial drops, baby shampoo, spit... all work to one degree or another. Basicaly your just breaking the surface tension of the water vapor on the glass. It allows the moisture to basicaly constantly sheet off and not bead up. Anything you use will wash out though... so you need to re-apply. Fully flood your mask and it rinses the antifog out. If your taking a class and constantly flooding and doing mask removal your not going to be able to keep anti fog in it very long.

Some people like to keep a little water in the bottom of their mask so they can look down and swish it around to clear the lense.

Personal, I will get in the water with a nontreated mask. While I wait for my dive buddy(s) to get in the water, I get the bottle of anti fog out of my BC pocket, put some in the mask with a tinny bit of water and rub it around the lense. Dip it in the water ONCE, pour it out, and put it on.

Pop in you snorkle and do a slow 360 and see whats around you and your mask should stay clear. If you sit their floating and waiting with your mask on but not in the water, it will fog up even with anti-fog in it. If your buddies take too long, just keep snorkeling and looking around until they are ready to dive.... Just make sure you change back to your reg before you dive...lol

You can clear your mask at depth with just water by lifting the top seal just enough to let a trickle of water in to clear the glass, not fully flood... You should be able to 1/2 flood your mask even doing this. Then do a standard clear.

After repeated use with toothpaste cleaning and antifog treament the glass seems to get better at remaining clear with less fuss for longer periods of time.



PS: Baby shampoo works and is cheap to use. Any soap works but the baby shampoo uses a numbing agent so it doesn't sting your eyes when it gets in them. Recycle your commercial antifog bottle by refilling with baby shampoo and a bit of water to thin it down.

 

[Jim Kerr]

Hi
I am one open water dive in to completing my OW diving certification. One of the major problems I am having is clearing my mask. It takes 2-3 tries and then it just fogs up as I am clearing it.

You're probably blowing too hard/too forceful. Try blowing gently, it will clear your mask easily with one try. I had the same problem until I learned this.

On the fogging, make sure you really scrub the heck out of both sides of the lenses with toothpaste or the marketed stuff they sell in the dive shops. If you don't get the protective film scrubed off the lenses, you'll never get it to stay defogged no matter what you use. Good Luck!

 

[H2odiving]

Thanks for all the replies. I will try all the good advice for preparing my mask. A couple of people have suggested to not blow so hard to clear the mask. Perhaps I am blowing to hard. I thought though I tried blowing softly and it didn't work, but I have tried so many different ways to clear my mask I may be wrong about that.

Tomorrow is the big day as I will be doing 2 more dives tomorrow and then 1 on Sunday. To be honest I had no idea what I was getting in to when I started this course. All I wanted to do was to swim with the pretty fish in the clear blue Caribbean ocean and what I got was an introduction to what can be a pretty extreme sport. Although I am slim, I am not athletic at all. I guess you could say I am sort of a girly girl. I am not a quitter though and hope to be successful with the certification. Please tell me that this is all worth it and that diving can be fun for people who are not in it for adrenaline rushes and near death escapes. So far I have not had much fun. Is this normal to feel during certification?

 

[Colliam7]

OP was talking about equalizing his mask, not his ears at that point. You HAVE to exhale a bit for that.

Good catch. Re-read the original post and she clearly says, 'Equalize my mask.'

To be honest I had no idea what I was getting in to when I started this course. All I wanted to do was to swim with the pretty fish in the clear blue Caribbean ocean and what I got was an introduction to what can be a pretty extreme sport. ... Please tell me that this is all worth it and that diving can be fun for people who are not in it for adrenaline rushes and near death escapes. So far I have not had much fun. Is this normal to feel during certification?

Well, I wouldn't say it is normal to feel that way during certification, but I can tell you it will be worth it. Diving is about having fun relaxing under the water, floating in a realm not natural to humans, and seeing how other creatrues live and play. It may be an adrenaline rush for some, but there is no reason for it to be a matter of near death escapes, and in the end diving should be for enjoyment.