How to take care of your wetsuit after each dive.

Your wetsuit takes a great deal of abuse during the scuba diving season and all divers know that a good wetsuit costs money. You can protect your investment by sticking to the manufacturer’s guidelines and by taking a few extra steps.

1. Rinse out your wetsuit with fresh water as soon as possible. Salt water is especially hard on neoprene. Most dive shops have a place set up for you to rinse your equipment as soon as you finish the dive. Then when you get home, or back to the hotel, soak your suit in warm fresh water and wetsuit shampoo or a mild solution of baking soda and water. Don’t neglect your zippers, buttons and other fasteners. Use a toothbrush to scrub out the tiny sand particles.

2. To avoid creasing, hang your wetsuit to dry on a sturdy fat hanger. There are some special hangers on the market. Avoid metal hangers that can rust. Turn the suit inside out to dry.

3. The next step after a thorough cleansing is to inspect your wetsuit for damages. Look for tears along the seams, reinforced knees and elbows, and zippers. Also, check the zippers for broken teeth. Check out the rest of the suit for holes and tears that might have happened during the dive. Repair any damages as soon as possible. You can lube the zippers with beeswax or candle wax.

4. The last step is to properly store your wetsuit. Don’t allow your suit to get crushed or crumpled by folding it or placing heavy objects on top of it. Dents and creases could become permanent and result in a loss of insulation. The best way to store your wetsuit is stretched out flat or hanging from a sturdy hanger.

If you have any wetsuit care tips of your own, stop by the forum and let us know. The Scuba Diving Forum is full of great discussions and ideas for new divers.