If you own a wetsuit, chances are it doesn\u2019t smell too good. The unpleasant odor is a common problem, so you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n
This begs the question, why do wetsuits smell?<\/p>\n
The wetsuit is constantly in contact with your body. Naturally, it\u2019ll soak up some sweat and oil. You\u2019re also diving in salt water among fish, reefs, and aquatic plants. In addition, neoprene is the main material of wetsuits, which absorbs all the odors. All of these factors are behind the unpleasant odor.<\/strong><\/p>\n In this post, we\u2019ll tell you all about the causes of a smelly wetsuit, how to avoid the odor, and how to clean your wetsuit. Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n Related articles: The stench in your wetsuit is due to multiple reasons, including:<\/p>\n Neoprene<\/a> is the primary material used in making wetsuits and diving gear. It has a pretty distinct chemical smell, especially if it\u2019s newly manufactured.<\/p>\n If your wetsuit is fresh out of the box, the material might cause a weird smell. You don\u2019t have to worry, though. Swimming with the wetsuit once is enough to get rid of the smell.<\/p>\n Still, if you can\u2019t bear wearing the smelly wetsuit, air it out for a couple of hours. The smell should go away.<\/p>\n Diving is a strenuous activity. Though you might not feel it, you sweat in the water. The sweat and oil seep into the wetsuit, contributing to the smell. The neoprene material of the wetsuit can also make you sweat more!<\/p>\n Further, divers spend hours underwater. So, it can be hard to hold in their pee! Being in cold water even drives you to pee more frequently. It\u2019s only natural that over 90% of divers pee<\/a> in their wetsuits.<\/p>\n Since neoprene isn\u2019t breathable at all, there\u2019s no way the wetsuit won\u2019t absorb all the unpleasant odor.<\/p>\n Many divers assume that they don\u2019t need to wash their wetsuits, as ocean water does the cleaning for them. However, the wetsuit contains a lot of trapped sweat, oil, and moisture. These elements won\u2019t just wash away in the seawater.<\/p>\n To add, the salty water isn\u2019t particularly clean either! It contains fish, plants, and lots of debris<\/a>.<\/p>\n Storing the wetsuit after wearing it provides optimal breeding conditions for bacteria and mold. These organisms cause the wetsuit to smell even worse.<\/p>\n Prevention is the best solution. Instead of thoroughly washing the wetsuit when it smells, you should prevent the bad odor in the first place.<\/p>\n Here are some methods that can help you avoid a smelly wetsuit:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll inevitably sweat while diving. Still, you can prevent excessive body odor and sweat by showering beforehand.<\/p>\n This way, less oil, and sweat will get trapped in the neoprene wetsuit.<\/p>\n Divers can be quite careless with their wetsuits. Yet, wetsuits make an excellent home for germs and bacteria. Naturally, you\u2019ll want to keep bacteria from getting in your suit.<\/p>\n Even if you can\u2019t wait to get out of your wetsuit after a diving session, make sure you change in a clean area.<\/p>\n Avoid throwing the wetsuit on the sand, in the trunk of your car, or on the parking lot\u2019s concrete! Instead, get a specific bag to keep your wetsuit in.<\/p>\n You might think your wetsuit looks fresh and clean after you take it off. Well, you should rinse it anyway! Rinsing your wetsuit after diving is the best way to avoid the unpleasant smell.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need any cleaning supplies, though. Immediately after taking your wetsuit off, simply rinse it with fresh water. This way, no dirt will accumulate in your wetsuit, causing an unpleasant smell.<\/p>\n Avoid storing the wetsuit while it’s wet<\/a>! You should let the wetsuit dry completely before tucking it away, whether you\u2019ve washed it or not.<\/p>\n Ideally, you\u2019ll want to air-dry the wetsuit. Air-drying eliminates all bacteria and gets rid of all the stuck saltwater and chlorine. It\u2019s also the safest way to dry your wetsuit.<\/p>\n You should place the wetsuit in a sunny area, especially if you\u2019ll be using it again soon. Some divers dry their suits on the shower curtain rod, but wetsuits take ages to dry in the bathroom\u2019s humidity.<\/p>\n The above methods are sufficient to keep the wetsuit clean and odor-free. However, if you haven\u2019t cleaned your wetsuit in a while, it might take more than a rinse to freshen it up again.<\/p>\n Follow these steps to easily clean your wetsuit:<\/p>\n The inside of the wetsuit is where all the dirt and sweat accumulate. For this reason, you should turn the suit inside out, and unzip all the zippers. This way, you can get all the dirt out.<\/p>\n Additionally, the interior of the wetsuit is fairly easy to clean. It doesn\u2019t contain any zippers or other designs that can get in the way of the cleaning process.<\/p>\n The next step is to fill your tub with warm water. Then, add a wetsuit cleaner along with the wetsuit. If you don\u2019t have a cleaner specific for wetsuits, you can use a small amount of dish soap or even shampoo.<\/p>\n Wetsuit cleaners can get rid of the most stubborn smells. They also keep your wetsuit in good shape. Our favorite cleaners include:<\/p>\n Like most divers, you\u2019ve probably stored your wetsuit over the winter, only to be greeted with the most horrid of smells when taking it out. In this case, your wetsuit might benefit from a thorough, deep clean.<\/p>\n All you need to do is make a cleaning solution. Mix white vinegar and baking soda to make a powerful cleaner that can get rid of the most pungent smells. You can also add a couple of drops of essential oil to combat the odor.<\/p>\n Then, soak the wetsuit in warm water with the mixture for about 15 minutes. Vigorously rinse it out two or three times. After all, you don\u2019t want the suit to smell like vinegar! Lastly, dry your wetsuit as you normally would.<\/p>\n Only wash and rinse your wetsuit using cold or warm water. Hot water can damage the neoprene, causing it to lose its flexibility.<\/p>\n Putting your wetsuit in the washing machine can shorten its lifespan. The powerful spinning cycle of the washing machine might cause the wetsuit to puncture or lose its elasticity.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s no other option, you can use the delicate setting on your washing machine, as there\u2019s no spin cycle.<\/p>\n Alternatively, you should never put the wetsuit in a dryer. That\u2019s because dryers subject the wetsuit to both heat and spinning.<\/p>\n So, why do wetsuits smell?<\/p>\n There isn\u2019t a solitary reason for your wetsuit’s unpleasant smell. The odor is a combination of salt water, sweat, oil, and even pee.<\/p>\n The stink becomes worse if you don\u2019t rinse the wetsuit often. Bacteria might even grow in the wetsuit over time! For this reason, you should rinse the wetsuit immediately after taking it off. Additionally, make sure to dry it in a sunny area.<\/p>\n You can easily get rid of the smell by hand-washing the wetsuit. Ideally, you should use a wetsuit cleaner. Still, you can use shampoo, dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you own a wetsuit, chances are it doesn\u2019t smell too good. The unpleasant odor is a common problem, so you\u2019re not alone. This begs the question, why do wetsuits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":83474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83473"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83473"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83530,"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83473\/revisions\/83530"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/strong>Can I Wash My Wetsuit in the Washing Machine?<\/a>
\nCan You Put a Wetsuit in the Dryer?<\/a>
\nHow to Clean a Wetsuit with Vinegar (A Step-by-Step Guide)<\/a><\/p>\nWhy Does Your Wetsuit Smell?<\/h2>\n
Material<\/h3>\n
Body odor<\/h3>\n
Bacteria<\/h3>\n
How to Keep Wetsuit from Smelling<\/h2>\n
Shower before wearing the wetsuit<\/h3>\n
Keep your wetsuit clean<\/h3>\n
Rinse the wetsuit<\/h3>\n
Air-dry the wetsuit<\/h3>\n
How to Properly Clean a Wetsuit<\/h2>\n
Turn the wetsuit inside out<\/h3>\n
Wash the suit with warm water<\/h3>\n
\n
How to Deep Clean Your Wetsuit<\/h2>\n
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/h2>\n
Should you use hot water to wash a wetsuit?<\/h3>\n
Can you wash a wetsuit in a washing machine?<\/h3>\n
Final Take<\/h2>\n