Wetsuit care and maintenance?

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find any search terms that would difinitively locate another thread like this.

Aside from rinsing your wetsuit with fresh water after a dive, what else do you do to take care of your exposure suits?

How often do you wash them with some kind of shampoo? Only when they stink? On a regular basis? After each trip?

I bought this zipper care stuff too, anyone else use this? How often?

Invest in sink the stink...that is great after multiple dives, consecutive days. Other than that...just a rinse in fresh water if I had been in salt water. If my kidneys/bladder are working over time....now thats another story.

We dive daily and all we do is fill a garbage can with clean fresh water & Tide (our detergent of choice, any one will probably work). Dunk and "wash" all our gear in the can. Hang it up under the house on a hanger and hose off with fresh water.
No salt, no stink, no problems. Been doing it for years.

Wet Suit Care
Packing: Pull the legs and sleeves in about three quarter of the length, as if you were turning the suit inside out. Avoid crushing of the suit.


Storing: All suits should be dried and stored on a hanger specially designed for a wet suit. Hang them out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry place. Direct sunlight can shorten the life of your suit.


Cleaning: Thoroughly rinse your suit after the dive. Use cool or warm water, never hot. Never use the washing machine. Check with your local dive shop to purchase a proper cleaner. Never, use laundry detergent on your suit. We suggest a product called LOC by Amway. (We have no connection with Amway.) To rid your suit of odors, we recommend a couple of caps of an antibacterial mouthwash (Listerine) in your final rinse water. This is also great for your booties. On long dive trips, we carry a small bottle of Febreeze and spritz our suit each evening.

With proper care, your wetsuit should provide years of diving pleasure.

Carolyn
www.liquidfit.com