School a newbie on wetsuits please...

[D_Fresh]

Definitely always try to rinse well with fresh water before traveling back, but either way, expect it to stink pretty bad when you get home.

Dawn works well, I've also heard people use baby shampoo. I've been using the McNett Wetsuit cleaner followed by their Myrazyme and air dry. The myrazyme is probably not totally necessary, but I find it prevents odors from storage.

 

[johndiver999]

If you are going to use a detergent, you may want to consider a laundry detergent. It is designed to clean fabrics and the source of odors etc, is going to be the fabric more so than the neoprene rubber sandwiched between fabric.

Also using dish "soap" can present problems because it is designed to make a lot of suds, while laundry detergent does not. This makes laundry detergent easier to rinse off the wetsuit. Probably not a huge difference, but I will reach for some Tide before Dawn if I have the choice.

 

[D_Fresh]

If you are going to use a detergent, you may want to consider a laundry detergent. It is designed to clean fabrics and the source of odors etc, is going to be the fabric more so than the neoprene rubber sandwiched between fabric.

Also using dish "soap" can present problems because it is designed to make a lot of suds, while laundry detergent does not. This makes laundry detergent easier to rinse off the wetsuit. Probably not a huge difference, but I will reach for some Tide before Dawn if I have the choice.

Hahaha, is that how some divers get the name Bubbles? Foaming like a dish sponge upon splash in?

You're probably right though, while safe enough for the wetsuit, could be very difficult to rinse completely.

 

[purbeast]

So we got back from hanging out today and got in the room and could smell my damn wetsuit. WTF?

I ended up googling and following some guidance in here about putting dish soap into a tub and soaked it while we went back to the beach for a bit and just now rinsed it off with fresh water and it's hanging up on a hanger drying. I'll drape it over the shower rack so gravity can help it dry on both sides quicker once we are done showering and ready for the evening. From a sniff test while wet it seems to not smell but I guess we'll see one it's dry.

So why do wetsuits get this way? I used it one for 3 dives back in December in one day and it never smelled. Then the first 2 days of diving it didn't smell at all either and neither did my swim trunks. Then after the third day, I noticed my trunks started smelling like an hour after I took it off, then noticed the wetsuit later and was like WTF?

Is there anyway to prevent that from happening? I definitely noticed on my third day I put my wetsuit in a way that didn't make my trunks ride up more, so they were not scrunched up at all. Also after the first dive in the morning I took the top off and let it hang, so it didn't breathe at all. I took it off around 11:30am and it was all balled up while we went to lunch then came back for the next dive around 2pm, and put on a wet wetsuit.

I'd like to prevent this in the future if it's at all possible lol.

 

[D_Fresh]

Odors like that can happen for a number of reasons, the silliest is pee, but more often it's something from the water... algae, plankton, or some other (semi)bio agent.

To remedy, always rinse well with fresh water immediately after use. I personally use the rinse shower while wearing the wetsuit, unzipped, allowing water to flow through the arms, legs, and torso with sort of a massaging/rubbing action. Then toss it into a rinse tank (not the one for cameras and computers!) for a while before hanging inside out.

When I get home, I wash my wetsuit with a wetsuit cleaner (like McNett's Wetsuit shampoo) then Myrazyme. The Myrazyme is an enzyme cleaner, so do not rinse it out after soaking 5-10 mins, just hang to dry. It works really well to prevent odors while storing.

Hope that helps!

 

[purbeast]

Okay now that I am back, I am wondering what you all recommend I do to maintain and keep my wetsuit as fresh as possible while it's in storage. I plan on diving like 3-4 times a year hopefully so it's not a regular thing for me, so it will be on a hanger for a lot of that time.

Is there a specific method/cleaner that is recommend for keeping them as fresh as possible?

When I grabbed my goPro the last day we were in GC to take on a shore snorkel, I noticed that even the damn wrist strap and handle on my camera had the same funk on it lol. It is one of those smells that if it touches your nose it doesn't go away. I did a quick soak in dish soap for that too and that helped with it.

EDIT:

I also just noticed @D_Fresh reply above about the wetsuit cleaner and Myrazyme. Is that the best way to keep it fresh? I'd like to keep it stretchy/tight as much as possible too, as I read that is one thing that can go quicker if not maintained properly. I spent a good amount on the wetsuit so I'd like to keep it as nice as possible and last as long as possible!

 

[D_Fresh]

Again, Myrazyme as your last step before drying and storing. It really works. Safe to use on your wetsuit, BCD, camera straps, and all other fabric and everything else we take diving.

As far as storing your Wetsuit and BCD in those long terms between dives, once Completely dry, you can use those heavy duty storage bags, press out most of the air, and store under your bed or bottom of your closet. The one caveat is that it's best to store your wetsuit flat open, but nobody has that kind of space available. I loosely roll my suit from the ankles to the neck with the zipper on the outside of the roll, trying to prevent any creases, then flip the arms over the roll. Bag it to prevent mold or dust, and stash it on the closet floor or under the bed.

They should be plenty good to go next time you pull them out.

 

[purbeast]

@D_Fresh so hanging up the wetsuit on the proper hanger isn't the correct way to store it? Prior to this trip I had only used it once, and from the time of purchase, and after my first dive, when at home, I had it hanging in my closet on a wetsuit hanger.

 

[purbeast]

Also, is this the updated version of the Myrazyme? Amazon showed this as the 'updated' version for me but it looks like another company. I also can't find Myrazyme anywhere googling really.

Gear Aid ReviveX Odor Eliminator - 10 fl. oz. | REI Co-op

REI near me actually has that in stock, but not the shampoo stuff. It would be nice to pick it up locally and clean it tonight or tomorrow.

EDIT:

I guess another question - why the 2 treatments and not just a shampoo or odor treatment? I'd think the shampoo would get the stank out but it doesn't? And the odor stuff doesn't really clean it or something, just gets the stink out? Like it won't get any stains or things that are on it?

 

[JackD342]

Mirazyme is an anti bacterial, far more effective than soap.
Gear Aid is the new branding and owner for McNett in the US.