Wetsuit Care Guide

Basic Care Tips for Your Wetsuit

Some fading and scratching are inevitable, and unfortunately tears from a close call with a surfboard fin or rocks can occasionally happen. But if you follow these basic wetsuit care guidelines, you will find your wetsuit lasts a lot longer than if you were to throw it in a ball and hope for the best!

Be careful when putting it on – Most damage occurs when putting wetsuits on or taking them off, so be gentle! Avoid pulling your suit from the ends of sleeves or legs and mind your nails, especially with the soft rubber on the chest and back.

Always rinse after use – Rinse your wetsuit after each use with cold clean water. Salt water and especially chlorine can degrade the rubber, so it’s vital to wash it off after every use. It is best to hang to dry, hang the wetsuit by the waist or on a wetsuit hanger.

Avoid hot sun – Never dry or store your wetsuit in direct sunlight – your wetsuit suffers from sun stroke too, and strong UV rays drying out the neoprene are a quick way to degrade your wetsuit. Dry in the shade and ideally store away from light.

Dry your suit before storing – And dry it with care. If possible, turn the wetsuit inside out, this will allow the inside to dry quicker if you plan to put it on the following day again.  It is best to dry your wetsuit by folding it at the waist through a coat hanger – hanging it from the neck with eventually stretch and weaken it. This is the best way to store your wetsuit too. Creases can weaken your wetsuit so try not to store it crammed into a ball, just fold it gently or ideally store it hanging from the waist. You can also hang it on a wetsuit hanger- see the link below

https://southeastwetsuits.ie/product-category/wetsuit-accessories/wetsuit-hangers/

Never put your wetsuit in the washing machine or tumble dryer- this will void any warranty cover and upset your wetsuit. A lot.

Avoid forcing zips – Zippers are designed to be pulled closed or open in a straight line so try to pull the zipper at the same angle to their intended path of travel (if needs be, get a buddy to help).

Protect your wetsuit from sharp or abrasive surfaces – Ideally get changed in a wetsuit bucket or changing mat.

Don’t pee in your wetsuit – Urine breaks down the bonds that hold the suit together which isn’t good, and it’ll make your suit smell pretty rank as well. On occasion you just can’t help it, but certainly don’t make a habit of it. If you do, use wetsuit shampoo to clean it immediately after.

Do not iron. Do not bleach. – We hope this one is fairly obvious, but a hot iron and a soft rubbery wetsuit are never going to get along. Nor will bleach. You can purchase special wetsuit shampoo which is safe to use with neoprene if you want to give your suit a good wash.

https://southeastwetsuits.ie/shop/surf/repair-kits-wax/slosh-wetsuit-shampoo-and-cleaner-30ml/

Handy tip – our final care point is just a handy tip. When getting into a damp wetsuit, putting a plastic carrier bag over your foot will help your wetsuit legs glide on with ease.

Remember This Is A Wetsuit Designed To Keep You Warm. It Is Not A Life Saving Device.