Home-made defog or suit cleaners?

[tbriscoe]

I'd like to speak to a HELOISE-type who can advise re fundamental chores that can be accomplished without the expense of always deferring to one's local dive shop (not that that's a bad thing) such as cleaning BC/wet suits?

-Tex in Lubbock

 

[japan-diver]

Wetsuit cleaners can be any mild detergent - no bleach as that doesn't like the neoprene.

Defog- diluted baby shampoo, no more tears variety, works great.

 

[Bob3]

I'd recommend plain old white vinegar, about a gallon in a big tub.
It'll also dissolve salts, kill mold & fungus, and is an extremely effective deororizer.
Even works on skunk pee.
Best of all, its cheap. Be sure to rinse well after soaking, all the vinegar smell will come out w/no problems.

 

[Genesis]

in your tub (NOT a big hottub!) Listerine works great on wetsuits.

Fill with warm water, put in a few capfulls of Listerine, turn on the Jacuzzi for about 15-20 minutes.

The amount of crud that will come off the suit and line the tub will amaze you. That's the biological material that is causing the stink! Rinse, dry, and you're all set.

For defog baby shampoo works well. Just don't use too much. A little goes a long way.

 

[scuba-punk]

I use the time tested J&J brand... I tried using ass-brand baby shampoo and wouldn't ya' know it, I found myself at 60 feet in a 1.5 knot current with a mask full of bubbles and my eyes were burning. What to do? Play it cool. Wifey got a little concerned though, when I wrapped my legs around the railing of the wreck, ripped off my mask, and started scrubbing and blinking like crazy. Wish I had a video of that one

As far as the exposure suit stuff goes, I've even used the dog's shampoo - hey, if it can wash out dog stink, it should work on a wetsuit, right? Just use something gentle.

-Frank =-)

 

[ScubaToneDog]

I like to rinse all the big crud off my suit with plain old water, then I soak it in the tub with a couple capfulls of Woolite. Takes teh funky smell out and leaves the nylon outer shell of my suit nice and soft. I do the same with my BC, but I rinse the inside of the bladder with a few squirts of Simple Green and water. Disinfects with out attacking the lining.

As far as defog...Im a spitter. No bottle to lose and is easy to apply even in the water.

 

[mech]

Ditto on the spit.
I've tried numerous products and have at least two of them in my dive tool bag but I do just fine with spit.
When I used products I sometimes actually had to keep a little water in the mask to do a quick clean by moving my head side to side.
Since I went back to spit my problems have deminished.
Your milage may vary.
Andy

 

[Charlie99]

A really good fresh water rinse removes the need for much more cleaning.

J&J baby shampoo seems to do a pretty good job of cleaning my wetsuit and BC at the end of a trip.

J&J baby shampoo in a 50/50 mix with rubbing alcohol makes a great cleaner/defog solution, although the alcohol vapors bother some people.

As others have noted, a touch or mouthwash such as Listerine helps to keep down the mold, fungus and slime growth in the BC bladder. First I cleanout the bladder with first fresh water, then water plus baby shampoo.

For really, really bad booty smell while in the middle of a trip, I'll go scoop up some highly chlorinated hotel spa water and dump it inside my booties. Diluted bleach should work also. I wear holes in booties long before the neoprene degrades, so I'm not concerned about destroying the neoprene by being a bit agressive with chemicals.

If you don't like the smell of sink-the-stink, MiraZyme, distributed by McNett Corporation is a good alternative.

If you forgot to rinse gear and salt crystals have formed, putting some vinegar in a warm water rinse will help dissolve the crystals.