Just because your wetsuit’s been in the water all day, that doesn’t mean it’s clean! If you want to prolong the life of your favorite wetsuit and keep it looking and feeling its best, you need to take the time to clean it thoroughly after every excursion.
That said, you can’t just throw your wetsuit into the washing machine like a regular bathing suit.
Is your wetsuit in need of a good scrubbing, but you aren’t sure where to start? We’re here to help! Here’s everything you need to know about how to wash a wetsuit.
Start with a Rinse
The second you’re ready to call it a day, you should begin cleaning your wetsuit — especially if you’ve been hanging out in saltwater. Start the wetsuit cleaning process before your suit starts to dry with a thorough freshwater rinse. Using either a hose or showerhead, rinse off the exterior of your wetsuit.
Some people like to wear their wetsuit in the shower to clean it off, but that could leave residue on the inside. So, once the outside is clean, flip your suit inside out to rinse off the rest of it.
With your wet suit thoroughly rinsed, you can hold off the rest of the cleaning process until you get home.
Use the Right Soap!
If you want to thoroughly clean your wetsuit without damaging it, you’re going to need to invest in a little bit of special wetsuit-safe detergent. Fortunately, there are plenty of fantastic wetsuit detergents out there, and they all work more or less the same way. That said, always check the label before proceeding just to stay on the safe side.
Fill your bathtub, a large sink, or even a large bucket with cool water and wetsuit cleaner. Then make sure your wetsuit is the right-side-out and all of the zippers are unzipped, and fully submerge your wetsuit in the cleaning solution. Kneed and stir your wetsuit a bit to make sure the cleaner is able to reach every inch of your suit.
Once the cleaner has had a chance to do its job, drain the soapy water and thoroughly rinse out your wet suit one more time to get rid of any extra cleaner.
Time to Drip Dry
Now that your wetsuit is good and clean, it’s time to let it dry so you can safely store it until your next aquatic adventure.
Hang your wetsuit up using a very thick and sturdy hanger in a cool, dark, and dry place, like a garage or even your bathroom, and wait. It can take several hours for your wetsuit to dry, you can speed up the process a bit by setting up a fan.
Once the outside of your wetsuit feels dry to the touch, take it off the hanger, flip it inside-out, and hang it back up to allow the inside to dry fully.
Do you think your wetsuit may be beyond washing? If it’s time to upgrade, you can shop wetsuits here!
How to Wash a Wetsuit
Now that you know how to wash a wetsuit, it’s time to get cleaning!
Are you looking for more advice on how to take care of your wetsuit and other aquatic equipment? We’ve got you covered! Check out the rest of our blog for more helpful articles today!
