Wetsuits are a vital piece of equipment for anyone who enjoys spending time in the ocean or doing freshwater sports. They are a great way to insulate your body against cold water, and as protection from everything, the elements can throw at you.
But there’s one thing that strikes fear into the hearts of people who own and frequently use wetsuits – having to clean them! Wetsuits are heavy and can be a nightmare to properly clean.
If you find yourself coming back from a day at the beach and looking at your dirty wetsuit with dread – don’t worry! You’ve come to the right place.
Below is an article that will take you through the easiest way to wash a wetsuit. We’ll give you a step-by-step guide that will take you through everything you’ll need to know. We’ve also made sure to include a short FAQ to answer any additional questions you might have around this issue.
Let’s get started!
How To Wash Your Wetsuit (Step By Step)
1. Remove The Sleeves
Wetsuits are often made up of two pieces: a top half and bottom half. These halves are usually sewn together at the shoulders, elbows, knees, and waistline, so when it comes to washing a wetsuit, it’s important to first focus on removing the sleeves so that you can clean them separately.
To remove the sleeves, simply unzip the entire front of the wetsuit down to the elbow area. This should allow you to easily pull off the sleeves.
2. Remove The Neck And Head Area
Next, you want to remove the neck and head area of the wetsuit. You do this by pulling the zipper all the way down to the base of the neck.
Once you’re done removing the neck and head area, you’ll notice that the zipper has created a pocket where the neck used to be. Simply grab the sides of the zipper and pull them outwards.
3. Remove The Chest Pocket
The next step is to remove the chest pocket of the wetsuit, which is located in the center of the chest area. To do this, make sure the zipper is still zipped down to its base.
Then, slide your hand inside the pocket and gently tug upwards until the zipper pulls away from the chest area.
4. Remove The Waistband
The final step before cleaning your wetsuit is to remove the waistband of the wetsuit itself. To do this, simply pull the waistband apart from the rest of the suit.
5. Clean The Suit
Now that we’ve removed the sleeves, neck and head area, waistband, and chest pocket, let’s move on to how to clean the suit. There are three main ways to clean your wetsuit: using a brush, sponge, or sprayer.
Each method offers different benefits, but they all work pretty much the same way.
Using A Brush
The best way to clean a wetsuit is to use a brush. Brushes are available in many shapes and sizes, but the most common type is called a “wet n dry” brush.
Wet n Dry brushes are designed to fit over the end of a hose and are perfect for cleaning your wetsuit while you’re sitting in the shower.
You can buy wet n dry brushes online or at your local hardware store. Some other types of brushes you could use instead are a wide-tooth comb, a wire brush, or even a paintbrush.
Using A Sponge
A sponge is another great option for cleaning your wetsuits. Sponges come in various shapes and sizes, but what you want to look for is one with a flat surface.
If you don’t find one like this, then you can always cut a piece of foam into a shape similar to the one below.
Using Sprayers
If you have access to a sprayer, then you can also use it to wash your wetsuit. However, because sprayers are high-powered tools, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind so that you don’t damage your wetsuit.
First, you’ll want to ensure that the water pressure isn’t too high. You don’t want to risk damaging your wetsuit by spraying it with too much force. Second, you’ll want to avoid getting any water inside the seams of the wetsuit as this will cause mold to grow.
6. Apply Wetsuit Cleaner And Conditioner
After you’ve cleaned your wetsuit, you’ll want to apply some wetsuit cleaner and conditioner on top of it. This helps prevent the wetsuit from drying out and cracking. If you’re looking for a reliable wetsuit cleaner, we suggest this product from Gear Aid.
7. Rinse Your Wetsuit
Once you’ve finished cleaning your wetsuit, you’ll want to rinse it thoroughly. You can do this with a Make sure to get every single drop of water out of the wetsuit and then hang it up to dry. This will help prevent any mold from growing on the suit.
8. Hang Up Your Wetsuit
Once you’ve rinsed your wetsuit, it’s time to hang it up to dry! Ideally, you should hang your wetsuit outside in direct sunlight. This will allow the sun to naturally dry the suit and kill any bacteria that may have grown during the washing process.
9. Store Your Wetsuit Properly
After hanging your wetsuit to dry, you’ll want to store it properly. When storing your wetsuit, make sure to keep it away from damp areas such as bathrooms and showers.
Also, be careful not to put your wetsuit near heat sources such as radiators or heating vents. These sources of heat can cause the wetsuit to shrink which makes it harder to wear.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning your wetsuit can seem like a daunting task, but as long as you take your time with each step it shouldn’t be too difficult. A wetsuit is a piece of equipment that will last for many years, providing you take good care of it.
We hope that this article has given you all the information you need around cleaning your wetsuit and that it’s now looking more like its usual self.
