Mask fogging issues...

[Captain Morgan1]

Hi –

I recently purchased 2 ScubaPro Orbit masks for myself and my wife. When I purchased them I used the toothpaste trick to clean the inside of the lens. I also used the flame of a lighter to try and make sure that I had burned off all of the coating. Last night we were doing some skills practice at an indoor pool and both masks kept fogging up. I tried mask defog several times on both of them but they continued to fog – to the point that I could not read my dive computer. They would fog both at the surface and submerged. My first thought was simply the humidity in the enclosed pool area. However I noted that others were not having the same issue.

Any thoughts on how to deal with this?

Morgan

 

[deeper thoughts]

I use soft scrub and comet. Probably not the safest but works for me

 

[captio2000]

You do need to make sure you remove the coating on the mask. However, how you apply and manage the defog is important. Many of my OW students have this problem. Key to the solution is not rinsing all the defog off the mask lenses. Put the defog on and only do a very quick rinse to level out the film of defog, do not rinse it off. I can't tell you haw many divers I've seen put on the defog, rinse then drag their mask through the water which rinses it all off. Similarly, in the pool, keep your mask on so you do not rinse of the defog. Good luck and happy, safe diving!

 

[geoff w]

At the recent Scuba Show in Long Beach, CA I asked the head of Huish why I have so much trouble with Atomic masks fogging up after I've used soft scrub, auto detailing clay, toothpaste and even occasionally a flame to get rid of the silicone mold residue. He said silicone masks (at least the Atomic ones) will outgas for up to years, and the best thing is not to store a mask in the plastic case. I find I have to periodically use soft scrub on my masks to keep them from fogging up for a while when they are new. I also found drying the glass instead of letting it air dry when I wash everything after being in the water also helps

 

[boulderjohn]

There may be something else going on.

When I teach a class and find people's masks fogging up during instruction, it is typically because the students are exhaling through their noses continually. That means there is a constant source of warm, moist area entering the mask and making contact with the cool glass, where it condenses. If you are not exhaling through the nose, where is that fog-inducing moisture coming from?

 

[Doc]

This is interesting, maybe make it a FAQ?

 

[TMHeimer]

Yes, FAQ for sure. Baby shampoo. Put on inside glass (several days before the dive if you like) and rub clean. I've never had it fog up. I think one exhales a bit through the nose naturally to equalise the mask space. Again, no fogging at all. I've never had to re-appy it between two dives. Use the same shampoo to rinse clean inside of the BC. As good as Sea Drops and a bottle lasts forever.

 

[timz]

Make sure you don't touch the inner glass after you've rinsed the shampoo with seawater/freshwater.

 

[TMHeimer]

Make sure you don't touch the inner glass after you've rinsed the shampoo with seawater/freshwater.

I don't rinse it, just wipe the shampoo with TP until it is clear to see. One problem you will have doing that is if you put the mask on your face and it's more than a couple of minutes before you enter the water, it will get streaky. Once in the water just let a little water in and clear the mask--streaks gone. If you have a long walk, or one over seaweedy rocks it's best not to have the mask on, but then we get into the old "MOF" thread.

 

[kwinter]

Try this at home on your bathroom mirror. Rub a slightly damp bar of soap all over the mirror. Then buff the soap off with a dry towel. Now turn on the shower and steam up the room. There will be no fog on the mirror.
That's exactly what you should try to do with your mask, but you can't use soap because any moisture will end up making your eyes sting. But gel defog or baby shampoo can do the same thing. Put it on, let it dry a bit, then buff it off until clear.


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