WETSUIT CARE INSTRUCTIONS
For a surfer, a wetsuit is one of the most important pieces of equipment that defines warmth and comfort in the water. Properly caring for your wetsuit will increase its longevity as well as help you to avoid uncomfortable situations like putting on a suit that is sandy, wet, and smelly.
Steps to care for your wetsuit:
Option I for rinsing:
Always rinse your wetsuit out with cool or warm fresh water on both the inside and outside. Either use a hose and rinse the entire suit, on the inside of the suit (generally after removing they are inside out) then hold the suit up and spray water through the armholes, down the neck, and down the leg holes.
Option II for rinsing:
Fill a tub with cool or warm water and then submerge your suit and dunk it under the water making sure that the water completely rinses the outer layer (generally inside out), and then gets into the other side of the suit. If you fill
it with water and lift it out of the tub to flush it several times that is the most efficient route.
Another option here is to use a little dish soap to sanitize the wetsuit and then clean it with fresh water.
Wetsuit drying:
Once the wetsuit has been rinsed it should be hung up to dry in an open-air area that is not directly exposed to sunlight. the UV rays and heat greatly decrease the shelf life of wetsuits causing them to break down substantially quicker.
Indoors in a shower is a great option, or outdoors in a shady spot. Generally, it is better to not place on a hanger through the head hole ( like a shirt) because the added weight stretches the neck making it less effective. You may fold the wetsuit through the center of a hanger, or place it over a fence, railing, etc.
After an hour or two of drip drying, flip the suit right side out and then allow to dry further. Wetsuits are designed to be warm on the inside, but also repel water on the outside so the side that remains on the inside while drying will stay wet without exposure to air.
TRY TO NEVER PLACE YOUR WETSUIT IN A DRYER. THE HEAT CAUSES THE TAPE AND SEAMS TO MELT WHICH DECREASES THE WARMTH AND THE LIFE OF THE WETSUIT.
