Why is spit such a good defogger?

[The Dive Bum]

Spit works alright for me but I have been using Johnsons Baby No More Tears shampoo mixed 50/50 with water for at least 10 years. Just barely rinse it out.

 

[1RUSTYRIG]

I use spit rather than the drops. And, like stated earlier, it depends on what I have had to eat or drink. My first night in Belize a few weeks ago I had so many belikins and cigars that one looch the next morning kept the mask clear all week

Ok, not all week, but like 3 dives LOL

 

[DennisW]

I use Dawn dishwashing detergent. De-Fogs are all surfactants. They clean the lense and they keep the droplets from forming by reducing the surface tension of the water that condenses in the mask, so it flows instead of forming droplets. Dawn is an excellent surfactant and works extremely well. Having said that, make sure you rinse your mask very, very well before you put it on. Dawn burns like crazy if it gets in your eyes. I also use spit. For some reason, it just helps, especially on the second dive.

 

[The Dive Bum]

Thats why I use Baby no more tears. No burning

 

[Gidds]

I've been told that some people's spit lacks a certain enzyme that makes it work as a de-fogger. I was told that it was pre-dominantly women that couldn't use spit. Next time I see the DM that told me, I'll ask where he got his info.
Please don't shoot the messenger :comeandge just what I was told
Chris

Actually I have found that lately I have to spit twice to defog so I think my saliva is losing potency. When I was younger I did use Sea Drops more but I'd always lose them and when I did spit I only had to do it once. Helpful hint: do not eat carrots prior to mask defogging.

 

[Boogie711]

I'm a happy spitter, and yes - I have been known to lick the inside of my mask when underwater and I can assure folks that it works just fine. Saliva is saliva.

I have a buddy who can't use spit. He's got defective spit or something. I guess some people are just cursed.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I don't feel like having organisms growing in my mask. I've seen / heard of folks with fungus and other stuff growing in their masks after (around the edges and in the gasket).

I had fungus growing in my mask long before I started spitting into it. The defogger I used worked fine as far as keeping the fog out, but it didn't do much to keep any growth at bay.

I got tired of keeping up with defog, so I started spitting in my mask. Works just as well and one less thing to worry about.

 

[rje634]

I found out the hard way that it floats at pretty high rate of speed when you open the pocket of your BC under the water.

You ain't kidding, I've lost more bottles Sea Gold that way...

 

[detroit diver]

Baby shampoo is nice and smells good. Do be careful that you rinse it out well. If you don't, and get water in your mask, AND exhale thru your nose, you will get pretty bubbles INSIDE your mask!

 

[fookisan]

I agree with Johnnythan, Walter. I've never used anything but my spit and my mask is always clear (unless I forgot to spit before I go under).

Me too - unless I have a dirty mask and it needs washing with soap to degrease the lens. Maybe chemical work better, but I prefer natural and not chemical crap. I've used spit since I started to dive in '84. I've never felt the need to look for anything else. Spit is FAB!

Dan