Lubing my mask

[squidguy]

I was just cleaning my mask and noticed the silicone flange and seal seems a bit "dry" and was picking up fibers from my cleaning cloth. Just wondering if I should use some silicone spray or "armour-all" to lightly freshen it up. Comments anyone?!? :doctor:

 

[Dee]

You have to be careful what you put on your mask skirt. I've heard that there's some ingredient in Armour All™ the breaksdown the silicone.

As long as your mask skirt is cleaned regularly, I wouldn't think you need to do anything to it. Hopefully others will chim in with more accurate info!

 

[solodiver]

After you have cleaned your mask and skirt. spray a little silicon spray on a clean cloth and wipe down the skirt. this should help some and well not harm the silicon skirt of the mask..

 

[VTWarrenG]

Do "silicon spray" and "sandblast" mean the same thing?

- Warren

 

[The Chairman]

Most sprays (including silicone) use a petroleum base which will disolve your mask skirt. If the skirt is starting to deteriorate, it just might be time to find a new mask.

 

[VTWarrenG]

NetDoc is right... Silicone oil is bad for plastic, mmmmkay? Stuff like Armor-All provides symptomatic relief for cracking or faded plastics, but it actually just makes the situation worse over time.

My plastic protectors of choice are Vinylex and Aerospace 303. Vinylex is available from auto-part stores, and Aerospace 303 is available from boating stores. Neither contain silicone oil, and neither degrade plastics. I haven't used either on mask seals, but I've used both on car door and convertible top seals with great success. I'd expect they'd work just as well on mask seals.

- Warren

 

[k4sdi]

Aerospace 303 is the bomb. I have seen dashboards crack after 2 years of Armorall every weekend.

 

[VTWarrenG]

k4sdi,

A303 is great. Vinylex, as best I can, tell is basically the same stuff. I use them interchangeably. ArmorAll is just nasty -- I hate that sticky silicone grease feel it leaves on everything.

- Warren