Anti-Fogging Treatments for New Masks. (a comparison of techniques)

[lowviz]

Yup. It really is a wrap. (IMHO)

That latest mask is sitting beside me right now and it defies any attempt to fog it! No lie. I never saw anything like it.

Details for the interested reader: One week soak in household ammonia, water wash, a splash of 1/10 diluted J&J Baby Shampoo. Placed into vertical position and let drain and dry. Done.

No, you don't need a two-week soak in ammonia, I did that to see if household ammonia was detrimental to the seal, skirt, or strap hardware. @MAKO Spearguns, No problems with the Mako Minimus mask. Thank you for your unsolicited support!!

There are still more questions to be answered!

Truly. But having headed a really effective research support group for many years, I submit to you:

#1 DO SOMETHING! (group-think about it first, get some sort of group buy-in, and JFDI)
Examine/Evaluate the results! Ignore "conventional wisdom" (which is usually just your grandparents' biases)

Do something better based ONLY on what you have observed.

Repeat until you have a solution or convinced yourselves that there is no worthwhile solution. "Good Enough" is perfection. Anything better than good enough is either purely academic or a waste of time and resources.

My promised write-up was stalled as I had granddad duty this morning. I needed to get some sleep last night so the kids could work online today. Times change, we deal with it...

 

[BRT]

Yup. It really is a wrap. (IMHO)

That latest mask is sitting beside me right now and it defies any attempt to fog it! No lie. I never saw anything like it.

Details for the interested reader: One week soak in household ammonia, water wash, a splash of 1/10 diluted J&J Baby Shampoo. Placed into vertical position and let drain and dry. Done.

No, you don't need a two-week soak in ammonia, I did that to see if household ammonia was detrimental to the seal, skirt, or strap hardware. @MAKO Spearguns, No problems with the Mako Minimus mask. Thank you for your unsolicited support!!


Truly. But having headed a really effective research support group for many years, I submit to you:

#1 DO SOMETHING! (group-think about it first, get some sort of group buy-in, and JFDI)
Examine/Evaluate the results! Ignore "conventional wisdom" (which is usually just your grandparent's biases)

Do something better based ONLY on what you have observed.

Repeat until you have a solution or convinced yourselves that there is no worthwhile solution. "Good Enough" is perfection. Anything better than good enough is either purely academic or a waste of time and resources.

My promised write-up was stalled as I had granddad duty this morning. I needed to get some sleep last night so the kids could work online today. Times change, we deal with it...

Thanks. Now I wonder HOW long they really have to be soaked in ammonia?

 

[aviator8]

Thanks. Now I wonder HOW long they really have to be soaked in ammonia?

And how long that treatment is good for.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Lowviz:

It's been a pleasure to support your research effort. I have to congratulate you on your extensive and exhaustive work on this topic.

Everyone please be smart, and careful as well move into the challenging period ahead.

Thanks
dano

 

[lowviz]

I'll write this up properly when I have time, but here is the cheat:

Buy a mask.
Wash lens and skirt thoroughly with soap and water, good enough? Dive it, done.
No? Soak in household ammonia for a day. No?
Things like this are best approached by log treatments in time. 1,3,10, ... (time = days)
Take it out of the ammonia solution, rinse thoroughly with tap water and dunk it into diluted baby shampoo.
DO NOT RINSE OFF THE SHAMPOO. Let the shampoo solution sheet off the lens and dry.

If this doesn't work, then I would really like to borrow your mask for testing...

 

[tridacna]

I'll write this up properly when I have time, but here is the cheat:

Buy a mask.
Wash lens and skirt thoroughly with soap and water, good enough? Dive it, done.
No? Soak in household ammonia for a day. No?
Things like this are best approached by log treatments in time. 1,3,10, ... (time = days)
Take it out of the ammonia solution, rinse thoroughly with tap water and dunk it into diluted baby shampoo.
DO NOT RINSE OFF THE SHAMPOO. Let the shampoo solution sheet off the lens and dry.

If this doesn't work, then I would really like to borrow your mask for testing...

Did you test an Atomic Aquatics mask?

 

[lowviz]

Oh My Gawd!

Send me a new one, love to...

 

[Lorenzoid]

Did you test an Atomic Aquatics mask?

Scrubbing with soap and water a few times worked fine for my wife's new Atomic Frameless.

But lowviz's work is appreciated, as someday I may encounter that truly stubborn mask.

 

[scubadada]

I've only been doing this for 50 years. A good toothpaste scrub, electric toothbrush in modern times, followed by a reputable no fog drop, I happen to like Sea Drops, I have not had trouble with fogging

 

[lowviz]

@Johnoly:

OK, we got the boring stuff out of the way. The last chemical finally managed to find its way home:



The stuff in the bowl is sugar. Stay tuned for the wrap-up...