Caring For Your Wetsuit

You've made a significant investment in buying a new wetsuit. Do you know how to take care of it? Follow our tips to extend the life of your suit, plus use the links in our Related Articles section to find out how to maintain other dive gear!

1. Soak It.
As soon as you can, soak your wetsuit in cold or lukewarm fresh water (hot water can cause the suit to lose flexibility) with a mild solution of baking soda or wetsuit shampoo. using a mild detergent will keep the neoprene from taking on an odor. soak for about 30 minutes. Turn the suit inside out and let soak for an additional 30 minutes.

2. Scrub It.
During the soak, scrub zippers and velcro patches with a toothbrush. Work the zipper car up and down to dislodge any dirt.

3. Rinse It.
After soaking, give the suit a thorough rinse, inside and out.

4. Inspect It.
Look for tears or gouges, especially along the seams. If necessary, resew the nylon with heavy polyester thread, or repair the neoprene with wetsuit cement.

5. Hang It.
Turn the wetsuit inside out, and hang it on a flat hanger out of direct sunlight. turn it right-side out and repeat.

6. Store It
Store it on the hanger or loosely folded, and keep it where the temperature is consistent.

Read more: What to Look for in a 7 mm Wetsuit | The Best Cold-Water Wetsuits for Staying Warm