Wetsuit Care

I give a quick rinse after each use then shade dry...then once a month the full hand wash in a 20lt bucket to get all the salt out of the air pockets in the rubber ...then end of winter another thorough wash with a splash of wool mix in the bucket, get 3 winters out of a 3x2 steamer.

About ten years ago, my mate Sidey who was a chemical engineer who made the glues for wetties, told me that urine breaks down the glues. Ever since then I've held out from pissing in my good steamers but I don't know if it's lengthened the life of the seams or whether the glues have simply improved.

Have kids.........Your wetsuit barely ever gets used and last for years.

But seriously.

1. Always wash out in fresh water even if it means wearing it in the shower.
2. Never ever dry it in direct sun.
3. Never leave it in a stinking hot car.

I also store mine in the bathroom I made my wettys there own towel rail that they sit nicely over (no creases), my theory is the moist air helps them last longer and rubber stays soft, seems to work and they don't go mouldy or smelly or anything weird.

Would be most interested in anyone's opinion about what you do at the end of the season. Those first half dozen wears in the early winter seem to be stiff. Not sure how much that is me getting used to having so much rubber (ha!) around me again, and how much it is the wetsuit getting dried out and losing flex. Current wetsuit is a pretty high end model, bought at the end of winter 2 years ago on sale (best way to get a cheap steamer, look for sales in October).

Anyways, second winter for this one and still warm as toast, but gee it seemed hard to move in initially. Now it seems to have stretched out again and feels great.

Udo's splash of wool mix at season's end may have something going for it. As far as upkeep concerned, I always rinse out the suit and hang to dry in the garage. Generally get 3 seasons out of them then they become the back-up for the next year.

BF- I just put that down to difficulty getting used to wearing a full steamer each year. Probably soak in water and wear it to the shops a few days before the first surf - something to test out anyway.

Cat 5 wetsuit wash seems to be popular with the Triathlon guys for there wetsuits.

Cat5 5 is a wetsuit wash
Wool mix is a fabric wash for woollens and delicates...
ask ya mum.

Quite possible Mk1. Perhaps develop a wetsuit stretching machine that you can run it through a half dozen times just before the winter comes in.

I suspect that a fair bit of it is the 'getting used to it' problem. Been enjoying summer surfs more and more with just board shorts and a long sleeve vest and I do love that lack of restriction. I tend to stay with that for a fair while these days, and have noticed how many blokes are wearing steamers and short sleeve steamers through summer. I assume they must be 1 and 2 mm suits, but I don't really want to go down that path personally. Getting used to the full rubber takes a few surfs, no doubt about it, but some of it might be down to the material getting a bit less flexy from lack of use.

While on the topic, some time ago I took to giving my wetsuit a thorough rinsing and then throwing it into the washing machine and putting through just the spin cycle to get it drier quicker. I only bother with this if I'm likely to have two surfs in a day, or having a late surf and want it to be as dry as possible for the next morning.

It works well and so far I haven't had any problems with affecting durability. FYI, but no guarantees on whether it will ruin your wetsuit or not.

Always rinse your wetty in fresh water after surfing. Makes it dry faster from my experience, not to mention keeps it feeling newer, longer.

If your wetty gets a bit smelly, washing it in a small amount of dishwashing liquid in the laundry tub gets rid of any smell and makes it feel oh so soft. But you have to rinse it a great deal afterwards to ensure you get all the soap out.. I don't think it attracts noah's.. does it?

I've always been worried about washing my wetty in hot water in case it weakens the glue, but I'm starting to think its not that bad.

I've found hanging my wetty on a plastic coat hanger instead of doubled-over makes it dry a bit faster too. And turn it right-way in when the bottom inch of the leg is the only bit still damp.

Fresh water wash after every surf, dry in shade hanging up. End of season wash in a bucket with some Napisan, dry it well, turn right side out and hang in a cupboard - soft and flexi when used next season ;)

I usually get at least 3 seasons out of a steamer, best run was 5.

Don't forget the talcum powder at the end of the season. And really is one freshwater rinse enough? Surely two or even three would ensure that the concentration of salt falls far enough to ensure that no damage occurs. Of course the really important thing is to make sure it dries, however slowly, in full shade since sunshine triggers a cascade of chemical changes in the neoprene that could prove destructive within as little as five years. Even more important is to check the humidity before exposing your tender synthetic rubberised materials to the atmosphere. Low humidity can ruin the complexion of even the finest quality suits in a matter of hours.

Every wetsuit comes with manufacturers care instructions so not sure why we wouldn't just follow what they say.

Washing machines may throughly clean a wetsuit but I wonder about how the glued seams would hold up in the longer term especially on top loading machines which are notoriously harder on clothes than front loaders. My industrial chemist mate says wool wash is a waste of time and money when it comes to wetsuits. The use of talcum powder is dubious for ones hidden cracks but BB could be on to something there .... lol

Yeah, don't wash you wettie in the washing machine, just lay it around the edges and do a spin dry. :-)

Going through the whole washing cycle will very likely stuff your wettie.

Agree, no detergents on a day to day basis, just rinse it thoroughly inside and out (especially around the crotch) and spin it in the washing machine.
Then lay down flat to dry in the shade on something like a slatted table or chair. Even after a sunset surf, will be 98% dry for the early (in northern NSW).
Especially if you don't spin dry your wettie I reckon putting it on a hanger will stretch the neck and shoulders.

Northcore Hookup Magnetic Wetsuit Hangar - Brilliant simple idea.

Rinse every time, shade dry & store are all a must but a rubber matt in the back of the car is the final key.
Lay it on the ground so you don't trample the poor thing into the gravel carpark.
This stops the internal lining getting trashed & full of sand/dirt/oil etc. Also take it easy on the suit when getting in & out as the constant ripping & stretching of the seams can't be good for longevity.
The matt then doubles as protection from sea water for the back of the wagon. Sweet.
Wrap/seal up the velcro of ya leggies/booties too so they doesn't stick all over the lining of the suit & rip it apart when you tear them off.

I rarely rinse my wetties and only wash them when they stink. I put them in our front loader on gentle and use about a teaspoon of a 50/50 shampoo and conditioner mix then drip dry them in the shade.

Wetsuits are for beginners.

The Fire makes a good point. If you can't feel the surf how can you be surfing?

1) Bin the man sized Condom & Dildo combo. OK! So my Condom lurks in the backyard.
SURFJUSTSURF & toss the handbag excuses. (Easy for a Qlder to say!)

2) [Tissues] (Lassie Moment!) Mate of mine just handed down his grom wettie to his son.
No Joke! You'd swear he Nick'd it from Gold Coast Surf Museum.(OK a small joke!)
Lucky you Nick!... I did ask how does this A-List wetsuit timetravel?

Wettie has pride & place in Narnia's wardrobe. The chosen one sits snug as a bug in a rug!
No Artificial- Sunlight/Temp Variation/Sea Air/Dog teeth/Baby vomit not a stubbie cooler.
(Born into a loving home)

It appears that all that your bodyglove ever demanded is good old fashioned LOVE.
Get a grip of yourself Nick!... Your wettie is consuming you.

Huey is sending Nick ~~~~/C---[No Surf Product Day Ltd Ed Sticker)

If anyone has 5 minutes to answer my wetsuit care survey for my product design major project, it would be hugely appreciated! Thanks

https://goo.gl/forms/k31DAadEhWl5JaxL2.

Done.

done

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Thanks very much guys!

Done, albeit belatedly.

Done

Yep and done also

Done

Hi
A bit off topic but similar.
Does anyone give there boards a hose down post surf?
I read somewhere that the salt breaks down resin over time.
I've never bothered but If it helps prolong a boards lifespan it wouldn't hurt.
Cheers

Almost never. If I'm in Indo and the shower is outside I occasionally do. Or if it's one of my "special boards" that only get used occasionally and are stored in the house. My bread and butter surfboards almost never make it out of the van when I get back from a surf now that I think about it.

Wetsuit care? WTF is that? I’ve never washed or rinsed a wetsuit, boardies or a rashy. I get 2 winters out of a wetsuit and a vest lasts years and years as do boardies. Bugger all that effort.

I use a wetsuit/diving gear wash concentrate on my wettie (think its adrenelin off the top of my head?)- put a capful or so of the concentrate in a bucket of washer and leave the suit to soak for an hour or so then give it a quick handwash and dry flat over the bath. Doesn't always fully dry between surfs, but I use the plastic bag trick to get the wet wettie on so no dramas.
I tend to get 3-5 years out of a suit.

I'll rinse my boards under the shower if I'm surfing at a beach with a shower, mostly because I tend to keep them in a bag and it can get pretty stinky when you pack them away salty.

only two seasons out of a wetsuit? what a complete idiot.

I usually give my steamer a hose down before chucking it out on the line after a surf, mainly to wash sand and crap off. Takes at least 1 minute tops. Onto the 5th season now for minimal effort.

Just on the suggestion...quite logical....from blindboy….Last year I discovered I have asbestosis/silicosis...maybe both. It's not pleasant, actually its quite unpleasant. The average reduction in life is 11.6 years Silicosis creates a number of other diseases one might think are just as a single affliction. It is a precurser also of lung cancer.

I researched it for my Uni submissions. The Acts in their effect prescribes not only silica but all dusts under 10 micrometers max dimension and to a maximum daily aspiration. Work is being done to have regulate the exposure to an half or a quarter of the present maximums. Prescribed dusts include foam dusts, and any dust. Dust of 10uM and under has already reached invisibility ...and people with beards or even bristle get some but cannot get proper protection using face masks.

Negligence might be a reasonable word when an employee of any kind is allowed to perform dust or fume producing chemicals when not clean shaven so that the masks of the right type, seal the respiratory system. We now also know that diesel dusts are significantly poisonous, but that doesn't mean bravado and macho should be adopted, rather the opposite, in a sort of 'what's the point in bothering'.

At the end of 2018 I dealt with Worksafe which did walk-throughs of 150 Sth. East Qld workshops cutting benchtop materials and similar which release silica dust (as one type) <10uM. Over 500 notices were issued including PIN's (Provisional Improvement Notices) and some stop works for breaches of the WHS Act. Howver that's just a lead-up to blindboy's innocent suggestion, one I'd also always thought 'the way to go'.

In my research into silicosis I became aware of Talcum powder as involved in lung disease....For that reason I suggest that a macho reaction, seemingly habitual in USA where safety wisdom is so often scorned and obviously here also, should not be adopted with Talcum. Remember how environmentally vulnerable we all are, match fit for surfing... but some more susceptible than others to environmental circumstance...like Midget at 71, Baddie, at 68 and Stuart at 52 whilst others live on with at least as much exposure.

I hope this 'heads-up' inspires caution. You might read this URL below, as just one dissertation, before reaching for the talcum can...As well, your partners with children are also often use talcum for a variety of purposes and the visible particles sometimes cloud the air and it becomes a part of their respiration. Keep safe.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3185388/

My regards

Great topic.
Wetsuit cleaning is one of my favourite rituals , post surf.
For some reason I always start with wetsuit inside out.
I actually use either a bucket or bathtub and soak with cold fresh water.......
I let it sit for ten to twenty minutes then turn it the other way (inside out). Some times if I know I won't surf for a bit I will repeat the process.
I soak my suits after every surf not sure if it's a ritual more than the cleaning.
Another key tip is I run either 2 or 3 wetsuits in rotation.It really helps with the longevity of the suit.
When cleaning my suits after surfing. I honestly think a lot about the surf or boards or shaping new boards/ designs. Waves that were great. It kind of ends the process then I am pretty greatful for actually being able to surf.

Problem solved.

I think storage is key also.
I tend to stick to suits that are glued with internal taped seams .
Stitched on the outside. Found a lot of the sealed outside seems stopped stretching as much after a while.
I do alot of remote surftrips where fresh water is scarse,so the old style seems to last longer.
I got to a point that I was surfing so much that I was just wearing through the wetsuits from constant movement.
Started duckdiving with the other leg .....was a great time surfing that much.

Just got 2 65mm Sachets in with a Surfstich order..
Lemon scented end of season wettie wash comng up
https://www.canesten.com.au/discover-canesten-products/canesten-hygiene-...