Wetsuit Care
10 commentsTaking good care of your wetsuit will make it last longer. Regular post-surf care will extend it's life and save you money. Take good care of your wetsuit and it will keep you warm and in the water longer all year. Whether it's an O'Neill wetsuit, Roxy wetsuit or Xcel wetsuit, they all need a little TLC. Here are some handy wetsuit care tips.
Rinse your wetsuit after every surf
Rinsing at the end of a days surf sessions is the least you should do. Use cold fresh water to remove all the seawater, sand and grime from inside and outside your wetsuit. It's likely that your wetsuit will be inside out once you have taken it off, but whichever way round, make sure both inside and out are rinsed thoroughly.
Heat is the enemy of wetsuit fabric
The wetsuit material will break down if you rinse your wetsuit in hot water. Always use cold or luke warm water. Don't leave your wetsuit in the sun! The UV rays will deteriorate the wetsuit fabric really fast. Dry your wetsuit in the shade if possible. Don't leave your wetsuit in your car or boot of your car for an extended time on a hot day. Soft-boiled wetsuit? Not good.
Dry your wetsuit inside out first
Don't leave your wetsuit wet following the rinse. Hang it to dry on a suitable hanger, such as the SlideHanger™. Don't use a traditional shoulder hanger. Dry your wetsuit inside out first. You should always peel your wetsuit off inside out anyway. Once the inside is dry, turn the wetsuit right side out to finish drying. Store your wetsuit on the SlideHanger™ or similar, to reduce fabric stress. Laying it flat for storage is ok. DO NOT store your wetsuit on a shoulder hanger. DO NOT fold your wetsuit for storage — the neoprene will crease and not recover.
Don't Wash your wetsuit in the washing machine etc.
Don't wash your wetsuit in the washing machine! Or, dry it in the dryer! Or, use bleach, clothes washing detergent, stain remover, fabric softener, olive oil, jet fuel etc. And, don't iron your wetsuit either! I didn't really have to say that right? Use soap made especially for the purpose, or a mild, liquid soap like baby shampoo. Check out wetsuit care products available. Wash your wetsuit by hand! Always use fresh water.
Surf wax sticks to wetsuit fabric
Surf wax will get on your wetsuit. That's surf life. No big deal. That's just how it is. There's no really effective way to remove it without damaging the wetsuit. You can try using an ice cube to harden the wax. It may come off pretty easy. But, don't rub the fabric! Don't rub it with your fingers; don't brush it with a brush. You will de-laminate the fabric where you rub. DON'T use solvents, alcohol, lighter fluid, wax remover or any petroleum based product. Oh, and don't use HOT WATER! You already new that.
Does your wetsuit smell?
Most of the time, rinsing your wetsuit with fresh water and thoroughly drying it will keep your wetsuit fresh and odor free. But if your wetsuit gets smelly, wash your wetsuit in a tub of fresh, warm water (not hot). Use one of the special wetsuit soaps or a small amount of baby shampoo. Gently wash it by hand. Rinse your wetsuit thoroughly to get all the detergent off, and then dry your wetsuit on a suitable hanger in the fresh air. Although peeing in your wettie will not damage the neoprene, it will make it stink — so don't do it!
Keep your wetsuit nice and clean!
About the Author
Thanks to Phil @ Hang Pro for his wetsuit care information and heads up on the SlideHanger
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The Hangpro wetsuit hanger is great. After 2 years my 4/3 wetsuit has no shoulder ware and no creases.
Nice!
I also have the Hangpro and mine works well.
I wanted to say that this actually works. My wetsuits are all in better overall condition after using this hanger for more than 3 years now. No creasing at the hanging area, My wetsuits are wearing out from use, not from a crappy hanger. Thanks HangPro.
There are two types of people. Those who pee in their wetsuit and those who lie about it.
Great info and especially useful on proper cleaning and rinsing to avoid smelling like a rat an to prolong the useful life of a good suit. Thank you.
Fake comments? :-P 15 USD for a simple plastic piece... wow.
How could these comments promoting the $15 plastic bar be fake? I mean, it's not like just anybody could find a bar, or chairback or whatever to fold the suit over. It pretty much requires a specially made piece of plastic to do it right. And plastic hangers aren't cheap to make, ya know. Well, ok, they aren't cheap to advertise anyway.
If you rent wetsuits, how can you sanitize them after each use to prevent Covid transmission? Plus, alcohol may damage It?
COVID spreads through air mainly. I.e. the overwhelming majority of cases. So overwhelming that they haven't really found any evidence for it happening otherwise. But even if it did spread through contaminated surfaces, the virus would have to get into your airways. So it's simple: don't touch your nose and mouth. Which you shouldn't do before hand sanitization these days anyway.
Other than this: the virus will be washed away (and probably destroyed) by simple soap. (It has a lipid, i.e. fat based protective layer outside that the soap will dissolve.)
I rinse my wetsuit in a tub of fresh water and Hibiclens, after every session . Hibiclens kills microbial bacteria, and keeps my wetsuits smelling fresh.