What's that smell??

[seaangel]

I am fighting to rid the musty smell that my BC has since I returned home from my vacation. I shipped my gear back to the mainland from Maui, it took it from 06/29 until 07/10 to get to me. I did rinse it and air dry it prior to packing it for shipment, but man oh man does it stink. I have washed the BC last night in "sink the stink" and use my BC conditioner. This am it still smelled. Tonight I have it in a tub soaking in "sink the stink". Any other suggestions out there? Cindy

 

[Mverick]

Buy a new BC.........
I've bought stuff with less of a reason.......

 

[TexasMike]

From Rodale's ScubaDiving.com:

• BC Care: What to do after every dive
  
  [red]Inspect it.[/red] Look for small tears and punctures, stressed fasteners and loose stitching. Make repairs now, before small problems become big ones.
  
  [red]Wash it. [/red]Soaking in a tub is much better than splashing with a hose. Use warm fresh water. You may add a mild detergent. Work both the oral inflation button and the power inflation button while they are submerged. Wash the inside, too: Partially fill the BC with water, then fill it with air. Slosh it around and drain the water from both the oral inflate valve and the remote exhaust while squeezing the BC.
  
  [red]Dry it. [/red]Hang the BC or prop it up in the shade while partially inflated. Position it with the hose downward to collect drips from inside. After drying for a while, operate the oral deflate button to drain it.
  
  [red]Fold carefully. [/red]Avoid undue strains. Be careful not to stress the connection between the hose and the body of the BC.
  
  [red]Store it. [/red]Store your BC partially inflated. Protect it from sunlight, ozone, car exhaust, fumes from solvents, etc. If your BC has to live in the garage, it may be best to seal it in a heavy-duty trash bag.
  
  [red]Test the valves. [/red]Work the oral inflation button and the power inflation button to make sure they move freely. Stickiness may indicate sand or salt inside, but if washing doesn't cure it, you may have a more serious problem.
  
  [red]Scrub it. [/red]Use a small brush such as a toothbrush to scrub the Velcro to get sand out.
  
  [red]Check for leaks. [/red]Pressurize the BC using the oral or power inflator and submerge it to look for leaks. Rotate it in all directions to give small bubbles a chance to escape.

To see this story with the photos click this link: http://www.scubadiving.com/training/DLAP/oct00.shtml

 

[TexasMike]

Also from Scubadiving.com on caring for your wetsuit...

• [red]Inspect for damage.[/red] Look for tears, especially along seams, and check knees and elbows for scuffing and torn nylon. Because neoprene stretches but zippers do not, the seam between them is highly stressed: Inspect the stitching, and while you're at it, examine the zipper for broken teeth.
  
  [red]Wash out the salt.[/red] Soak your wetsuit in a mild solution of baking soda or wetsuit shampoo and warm fresh water, if you can. Otherwise, hose very thoroughly inside and out. Scrub zippers and Velcro with a small brush like a toothbrush. Run the zippers back and forth while soaking.
  
  [red]Protect it.[/red] Protect your suit from light, heat, oil, ozone and carbon monoxide. If your wetsuit has to live in the garage, seal it in a large plastic bag.
  
  [red]Lube the zippers.[/red] Use candle wax or beeswax.
  
  [red]Hang it to dry. [/red] Use a fat hanger to avoid putting creases in the shoulders. Turn the suit inside-out to dry both sides thoroughly.
  
  [red]Store it right. [/red] Store the suit stretched out flat, or folded with crumpled newspaper or old T-shirts inside to give it some form, or hanging from a fat hanger. Do not allow your wetsuit to be crunched or crushed. Do not allow heavy objects like weights or tanks to lie on top of it. Dents may be permanent, and mean lost insulation.

The link for this is: http://www.scubadiving.com/training/DLAP/novdec00.shtml

 

[TexasMike]

Sea Angel...

If you haven't already, be sure to rince out the inside of your bladder as described above. And you might add a bit of baking soda to your warm tub water.

 

[Iguana Don]

Put approx. 1 cup of Listerene in the bladder with the same amount of water. Shake vigorously and drain. This will keep the fungus from forming and thriving in the dampness of the bladder.

ID

 

[Rick Murchison]

Since no one has mentioned this possibility... double check every nook and cranny, especially the pockets, for dead animals. There's nothing quite like a rotting cowrie or hermit crab for a truly obnoxious enduring nasal assault.
Rick

 

[scubakat]

Originally posted by Rick Murchison
Since no one has mentioned this possibility... double check every nook and cranny, especially the pockets, for dead animals.
Rick

Rick: are you sure that tip doesn't belong on the "Redneck Diver" thread? :mean:

TexasMike: Who has time for diving if you are doing all that washing & soaking? I think that the theory should be... If it's not gonna dry out between dives you don't have to wash it.

SeaAngel: I've used listerine to de-funk things too. Especially my booties. (ick!!!)

-kate

 

[greg somers]

You have been introduced to the world of osmosis.In my experience I have found many smells in plastic to be only partially treatable because it gets into the plastic itself.
Get a new bladder or put up with it.Research into different plastics we use have revealed certain things about the plastics properties.They advise not using plastics for hot drinks for example.If it's not too bad then you choose if you can live with it.
Cheers funky bladder ears,
The Gasman...( I KNOW about smells)

 

[seaangel]

Gasman do you really have problem ears or just have an ear fettish?LOL I think the problem is really much as you have described it has penetrated the plastics now. I note that tonight it has improved and I think I will next have to air out the bedroom I use for my gear... I am going to give the Listerine a try too. Can't hurt at this point.

And...nope no underarm criiters or dead sea creatures found.Just plain old musky smells, must be those organic critters that are microscopic.

Thanks for the suggestions, you guys are pretty creative and helpful.

Cindy

Bottoms up...Bubbles up!!!