How many ways to de-fog your mask

[Frosty]

Actually beeing serious guys.The product on the mask lens seems to be silicone based. Ive cleaned the lens with car paint thinners to remove this silicone.It has proven to be the only product that actually removes silicone from windsheilds after a car is groomed.

 

[johnnyblackau]

It's amazing how quickly a mask not playing the game can ruin what would have been a perfect days diving!!!

 

[eponym]

Actually beeing serious guys. The product on the mask lens seems to be silicone based. Ive cleaned the lens with car paint thinners to remove this silicone. It has proven to be the only product that actually removes silicone from windshields after a car is groomed.

I've been told two different stories about the coating on new masks:

1. silicone accumulates on the glass during assembly

2. the glass, being tempered, is given a special coating which allows it to be cut to shape without chipping

I've never bothered to explore which is correct, or whether both are.

I use a butane match to burn the coating off the inside of the glass. Have done this for a hundred new masks for students and have never had a problem. Obviously you want to keep the flame moving, and then you have to wash the soot off.

For problematic masks I use McNett's Sea Buff, which I find is a good deal more abrasive than toothpaste, but which does not scratch.

Not sure I would ever try solvents since I don't want a student's mask skirt to fail prematurely. But maybe some day I'll give it a try on an old mask I'm about to retire and see what happens!

Hope this helps,
Bryan


PS. Funniest thing - if you read the "directions" on the back of a McNett SeaDrops bottle, they tell you to COAT BOTH SIDES OF THE GLASS! I guess they're hoping to double their sales volume.

 

[Mike]

Baby shampoo, spit, a leaf, over the counter defog.... all you're doing is cleaning the glass, doesn't matter how you do it or with what. Clean glass is a mask that will resist fogging. Pee in it you want, it doesn't matter, its the scrubbing of the surface with your fingers with something that is cleaning the glass that keeps your mask from fogging.

It's like waxing a car, if you wax a car you will see the water droplets form on the surface because of the breaking of the surface tension of the water, cleaning your mask creates a clean surface that only large water droplets will form on (like a waxed car) and that keeps the fogging from occurring.

 

[Akimbo]

Baby shampoo, spit, a leaf, over the counter defog.... all you're doing is cleaning the glass, ...

This article indicates there is more to it than that. I can't speak for its accuracy it but might be interesting:

UWJ | De-Mistified: Understanding the Science Behind Mask Fogging ? and How to Prevent It

 

[Knight_of_Avalon]

. . . I still use baby shampoo for my masks. i tend to get the travel size bottles so they can fit in a pocket and i always have it with me.

Baby shampoo? How does that compare to "Spit" (the commercial stuff)? I've been very happy with the basic gel version, but I'm not adverse to switching (if there's a good reason). Is one noticeably better than the other?

 

[mala]

the good old spit on a dry mask for me.
don't rinse until last minute and don't exhale when you are fitting the mask .

new masks seem to fog easier than old ones.
my 2 masks are so old and manky now I hardly bother with them.

 

[RhodeDiver]

With all the paste removed there's still a lovely hint of minty freshness on your face!

Its always good to be minty fresh for the fishes.

I use 500 psi and it works well for me. Plus after 100 dives using it I still have half a bottle or so left.

 

[Water_Addict_80]

Baby shampoo works like a charm!


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