Mask Fogging

[ToriZ]

Okay so I bought a new mask and did the whole scrub with toothpaste thing and used "500 psi" anti fog goo and the mask still fogs up really bad (enough to make me surface early on a dive, fortuantly my buddy doesn't mind flooding it to clear it and just switched with me). I know I have a tendance to nose breath periodically but my old mask doesn't have this problem (the old $15 U.S. Divers mask I might add) Any ideas?

 

[spectrum]

It was not clean yet.

The other possibility is that you re-contaminated the mask with make-up, hand lotion, sunscreen or salad dressing.

In either case follow this procedure and be sure to do the test part and repeat until it is right.

Pete

 

[mark01]

I use a 50/50 mix of Johnson's Baby shampoo and water. For me it works better than any of the commercial stuff. I Spray it in the mask and don't rinse it out. No problems with fogging..

YMMV

Mark

 

[DiveMaven]

What kind of mask? Is it a Mini-shadow by any chance?? Some masks are really gunky when new and you need to scrub, scrub, scrub, and scrub again. You can also run it through the dishwasher (upper rack, no dry cycle), which helps with the final cleaning phase.

 

[Dirkadiver]

Keep cleaning. I made a similar post yesterday, but I recently retired my old mask & got a new Atomic frameless (which is awesome). I toothpasted/rinsed twice a day for a week before I dove it. Never saw any fog.

 

[Brewski]

I like baby shampoo and a little baking soda to make it a little abrasive for cutting through the release on new masks. just a small amount of baby shampoo as defog on an older mask.

 

[eriediver2002]

I have a $60 mask that is now a spare mask due to the same thing. I've cleaned it about 12 - 15 times & it still fogs up. I would have to keep water in my mask to slosh around.

 

[Dave Zimmerly]

For a sure fix, take a lighter and carefully burn the glass so a soot forms. Then, rub toothpaste to remove the soot.

Dave (aka "Squirt")

 

[scarefaceDM]

Like most of the posts...repeat the cleaning.I know folks whom burned there masks..melted the glass and or the rubber around the lens...use a good tooth paste or baby shampoo or even dish soap...mixed with baking soda. Just enough to make a scrubber. an old tooth brush our your fingers..wosh around -rinse repeat twice.

Predive/dive:
work up a good gob of spit...and hork one into the mask...wipe with fingers or if available some sea weed. rince. and leave water in the mask if you are not going to put it on right away. Next soak your face to cool it off. a warm face will fog your mask . Once you are ready to hit the water empty the mask out rinse and put it on.

 

[Nikolai]

Not ALL masks should be cleaned with toothpaste so be careful.

My Seadive has a interior coating that (supposedly) if scrubbed off with abrasives will remove the protective coating and actually cause fogging. Could me just marketing gimmick but I would still check. Mine had a sticker on the lens saying "No Abrasives."

-Nick