How to clean and refresh a stinky wetsuit

[SalahY]

Hey everyone

So I bought my wetsuit about a week ago and used it for the past 5 days in Sharm El Sheikh Egypt Red Sea.

The suit did it's excellent job. However soon as I finished the dives and decided to go home. I took the wetsuit out from the bag and hung it in the bathroom and not the sun. I washed it with water and that's it. I didn't put any cleaners or shampoo and it still stinks. So what is the correct way to clean and refresh it ?

I know I don't need to dry it in the sun.

 

[lv2dive]

A cleaner I have used in the past that is strange but has not harmed my wetsuits is fabuloso - the purple kind. Heck of a lot cheaper than any wetsuit-specialty product and I know some commercial op's use it. I'd leave the wetsuit soaking for at least a few hours. I've used a Rubbermaid bin or bathtub to mix the water and Fabuloso and do the soaking.

 

[crabbyfiddler]

Fabulous works. Simple Green does too. I love both smells.

 

[uncfnp]

Baby shampoo wash. Then Sink the Stink. Still there? Dilute Listerine Cool Mint soak. Especially the booties. I let it sit in thoses quite a while. I have also found a few drops of Eucalyptus oil in each boot to store leaves the whole closet smelling wonderful.

 

[pickens_46929]

And once you get everything above done, put it away in a container with a box of Irish Spring - leave it in the cardboard just remove the cellophane, maybe punch a couple holes. That way it stays fresh smelling until you use it the next time.

If your booties still reek, Irish Spring box for each of them

 

[SOFDiver]

I run my suits, boots, hoods, gloves and vest through my front load washer on gentle/delicate cycle with half the detergent for a full load, then hang and air dry. No stink and suits last a long time ( my 7mm is 6 years old and is like new).

 

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I dunk it in a clean trash can filled with water and baby shampoo. For more thorough cleanings I run it through the washing machine as above.

 

[Peter69_56]

The smell is from bacteria. I use a disinfectant called Dettol. Soak the wet suit and booties in a bath of it. I use about 1/2 to one cup Dettol to a half a bathtub of water. Soak for 10 min then hang to dry. Dont rinse. Then turn the wetsuit inside out and dry. Job done.

For the booties I soak then hang upside down to dry in an airy place. Same thing, all clean and no stink smell.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I use and like a $10/gallon cleaner called Odoban. It's sold at Home Depot in a few scents, eucalyptus, lavendar, and citrus, and works well to clean up all sorts of messes around the house. It was being used by a dive shop where I worked, and it doesn't seem to damage the gear, been using it for 6 years.

Works great to get cat pee smell out of stuff as well! Carpets, and drysuits...don't ask

I go through about 2 gallons a year, a little goes a long way, and I use it for everything around the house.

 

[Shotmaster]

I just throw mine in the pool with a weight belt for an hour, then hang it up to dry. 3ppm Chlorine kills the bacteria. No smell ever