How Do I Know When My Mask Is Prepped???

[RobPNW]

Okay, I'm prepping 2 new masks doing the soap and water thing and the toothpaste thing several times. After each iteration I wipe them down with a clean towel and do a quick breath test. On both of them, the fog dissipates immediately. After a period of continuing to air dry further, when I do a breath test, they fog up again and it takes a while to dissipate. The only thing I can think of is right after rinsing them, they are still warm from the warm water and that is what helps the fog dissipate quickly on initial breath test. But after air drying a while, the mask cools off and the fog is more persistent. So the question is, how do I know when I am finished? Do I just keep going until the fog goes away quickly after drying and cooling off? If so, this is going to take like 20+ iterations.

 

[boulderjohn]

We had a recent thread which contained something that was news to me. It seems some mask makers (at least) are saying that their masks do not need any preparation at all and do not suggest that the traditional steps be done. My most recent mask purchase, a TUSA, was 3 years ago. I used it for the first time with barely any attempt at preparing it. It has never fogged in three years of diving.

I suggest you stop messing with it and try it as it is now.

 

[inquis]

I rinse, then breath on it immediately (without drying it with a towel). Scrub the spots that fog. Lots of threads about mask prep (burn and toothpaste for me, baby shampoo/water mix before diving).

Edit: you want the water to "sheet" when you dump it out.

 

[Subcooled]

Okay, I'm prepping 2 new masks doing the soap and water thing and the toothpaste thing several times. After each iteration I wipe them down with a clean towel and do a quick breath test. On both of them, the fog dissipates immediately. After a period of continuing to air dry further, when I do a breath test, they fog up again and it takes a while to dissipate. The only thing I can think of is right after rinsing them, they are still warm from the warm water and that is what helps the fog dissipate quickly on initial breath test. But after air drying a while, the mask cools off and the fog is more persistent. So the question is, how do I know when I am finished? Do I just keep going until the fog goes away quickly after drying and cooling off? If so, this is going to take like 20+ iterations.

It's a fair question, but...
Perhaps you should just dive.
Too much worry for a very small annoyance.
If your mask gets fogged up, you can flood it and clear it in about three seconds.
Yeah, it's annoying. Those dives do happen, and you do clear your mask a lot then.

OK, do try to make it as good as possible, but it is not the end of the world, if you can't reach perfection. There are more important things to worry about, such as breathing air or the need to pee (esp. for drysuit divers).