Reg disinfection

[Meng_Tze]

Same as always, however the thought of using someone else's mouthpiece for a minute during an emergency ascent somehow seems less disgusting than using it for an hour.

Terry

'seems' being the operative word here... if there are coonies to be had, using a reg for 1 minute is equally enough as would one hour? To me it is all in the mind.... we all swim in all sorts of stuff..... yet we crinch at using a mouthpiece someone else has used before.

But each to their own. I am not knocking it... just trying to understand and see it from that side.

 

[MSilvia]

Would you share a condom with a buddy

I don't know where you stick your mouthpiece, but in my experience the two things are very different.

 

[tc_rain]

Are you kidding me? What can and has been seriously transmitted by using the same mouthpiece? When you rent gear, do you put on a new mouthpiece?

It think things can be drawn too far and too much in the cleanliness areas.... this being one of them. Have you thought about where you use this equipment in? Analyze the pool water and the sea water..... I bet you they are FAR dirtier than the mouthpiece...

How about a cold? It is nothing serious but it can ruin a couple days of diving. When I first started diving we stayed at an all-inclusive resort that included diving. They had dive boats going out every couple of hours and when you were done with the equipment, you just tossed it on a table for the next group. Well after about the 5th day I ended up getting a cold and was unable to dive the rest of the trip. Not to mention feeling terrible the last few days at the resort. I would suggest if you don’t have your own equipment, bring a small 4oz spray bottle with a water/bleach solution to spray the mouth piece off.

 

[Web Monkey]

'seems' being the operative word here... if there are coonies to be had, using a reg for 1 minute is equally enough as would one hour? To me it is all in the mind.... we all swim in all sorts of stuff..... yet we crinch at using a mouthpiece someone else has used before.

But each to their own. I am not knocking it... just trying to understand and see it from that side.

On the other side, would you rather use a mouthpiece that 200 people had used, or one that was used by a single person?

Terry

 

[diverdan214]

Poor kids in sex ed now just get sat down for an hour and told not to do it...

I got in the habit of disinfecting my regs and mask after living in a colder climate where you're more likely to have colds/sinus infections...its amazing some of the things that diving clears out of your head but they end up in your mask/regs and if you dont disinfect properly then stick something in storage for a while you can come back and find thing better left to petri-dishes.

Now I figure, its not gunna hurt and is not difficult so...

 

[pilot fish]

It's hard to believe but I still see divers rinsing their regs in the rinse tanks aong with other divers wetsuits. You have to wonder, how many of those divers peed in their wetsuits? That is what you are putting back in your mouth on the next dive. Hello?.

I think getting a cold is the least of your worries.

 

[muddiver]

Urine is sterile. You can't catch anything from it. It just tastes gross.

 

[spectrum]

Are you kidding me? What can and has been seriously transmitted by using the same mouthpiece?

I wouldn't discount the concern under the right conditions and I certainly can't begin to prove a negative on this one. There is some scary stuff going on and when someone needs to dive public gear who knows where it was last used.

When you rent gear, do you put on a new mouthpiece?

I know of instruction programs that do just that. Each student has a mouthpiece and they install theirs for the session. I think it's probably a great way to sell mouthpieces and give a false sense of security. I'd be just as concerned about crud in the 2nd stage body, that's where it can hide.

As far as my own gear is concerned a good freshwater soak when I get home an they get hung where they can dry expediently.

Pete

 

[bluesbro1982]

On the same note, I bought a used reg from a fairly heavy smoker, and listerine, etc doesn't seem to be getting the odor completely out. Anyone have any tips?

 

[pilot fish]

On the same note, I bought a used reg from a fairly heavy smoker, and listerine, etc doesn't seem to be getting the odor completely out. Anyone have any tips?

Get your money back, then buy a new reg.