What do you use to stop your mask from fogging?

[Dan]

In my first year of diving, I fogged my mask often. Later on I noticed that I exhale some time through my nose without realizing, bringing steam into the mask & fogging up the mask. Once I start paying attention to inhale & exhale only through the mouth & keeping the mask sealed well & dry throughout the dive & staying calm during the dive, I have no more fogging.

Occasionally I have mask leak due to loose strap. A quick slosh the leaking water around the lens & drain the water out of the mask by exhaling through the nose once, the baby shampoo seems to work like a charm as defogger.

I did flamed & burned off the silicon coating out of my new mask once. You can see the molten coating burning away from the center, progressing towards the skirt & leaving black carbon residue on the lens. After brushing off the residue with toothpaste & rinsing the lenses with water once & then applying the baby shampoo before each dive, I have no more problem with mask fogging. I only rinse the excess baby shampoo film by dunking the mask in the mask rise water bucket. I don't touch the lense with my finger after rinsing the excess baby shampoo film off with water. I only use my finger to spread the baby shampoo film evenly on the lens before rinsing the excess baby shampoo film. I get the feeling that by touching the lens with finger after rinsing, the finger prints would rub off the baby shampoo film.

 

[Freewillow]

Interesting. I blow some air from the nose as well. Will pay attention to it

 

[stuartv]

I don't touch the lense with my finger after rinsing the excess baby shampoo film off with water. I only use my finger to spread the baby shampoo film evenly on the lens before rinsing the excess baby shampoo film. I get the feeling that by touching the lens with finger after rinsing, the finger prints would rub off the baby shampoo film.

I also try not to put my mask on my head where the lens will touch my scalp or forehead or hair, for the same reason.

 

[Dan]

I position my mask high enough to put the bottom of nose skirt of the mask against my nose trills to keep the nose sealed against the skirt & to remind myself to not exhaling through the nose.

 

[RainPilot]

Apparently @P Murray has a trick where he licks the inside of the lens if it's fogging underwater. Have yet to try it but seems like it would work.

 

[Charles2]

Apparently @P Murray has a trick where he licks the inside of the lens if it's fogging underwater. Have yet to try it but seems like it would work.

I lick the inside of my lens as well. It works well and I always seem to have a supply of spit.

 

[RainPilot]

I lick the inside of my lens as well. It works well and I always seem to have a supply of spit.

You do this underwater?

 

[Charles2]

You do this underwater?

I don't ever remember licking my mask underwater. Seems a little complicated but doable. I'm not sure, but maybe the spit would get washed off the tongue and be less effective.

I have also found that if the water temperature is below around 72° or so, taking my mask off underwater seems to cool my face and reduce fogging.

 

[Dan]

I don't ever remember licking my mask underwater. Seems a little complicated but doable. I'm not sure, but maybe the spit would get washed off the tongue and be less effective.

I have also found that if the water temperature is below around 72° or so, taking my mask off underwater seems to cool my face and reduce fogging.

That's too much work. You don't need to lick it underwater. Save your spit. Keep your regulator in your mouth. Just take your mask off, cool your face down, put it back on and drain the water out of the mask.

 

[RainPilot]

The problem with the flushing is that it is washing away more of the surfactant each time so you end up fully fogged and or flushing for the whole dive. I heard about the licking thing and made sense as the only way to get spit on a lens underwater.

Haven't tried yet, been meaning to ask @P Murray about it...