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5 Things That Damage Neoprene

Written by Leisure Pro Staff
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Published on June 17, 2017

Your wetsuit is an important part of your scuba equipment, as it protects your body from heat loss, abrasions, and wildlife injuries on a dive. Without the proper care, neoprene can be damaged easily when you’re not even diving. Although it is a tough material, there are certain elements that will destroy it swiftly if you are careless. Let’s take a look at five things that damage neoprene so you can ensure you’re taking good care of your suit.

things that damage neopreneSunlight

The last thing you want to do is to leave your wetsuit hanging in direct sunlight to dry. Neoprene takes a beating from UV radiation, and will begin to break it down quickly. Coupled with heat, you can take a brand new wetsuit to completely destroyed in a matter of weeks.

Heat

Even in the absence of sunlight, heat is not good for neoprene. Under no circumstances should you ever put neoprene in the dryer. Even leaving it in a hot car can begin the process of deterioration. The best way to dry your wetsuit (after a freshwater rinse, of course!) is to hang it in open air, in the shade.

Salt and Minerals

If you’ve been diving in the ocean, you’ll need to rinse your wetsuit immediately with fresh water so that the salt, minerals, and bacteria accumulated during the dive will not remain to crystallize and produce odors. Even if you haven’t exposed your wetsuit to any of the other damaging elements in this post, a stinky, bacteria-laden wetsuit is just as ruined if you never rinse it. Occasional soakings with a product like Sink the Stink are a great way to refresh your wetsuit every few weeks or months, depending on how often you dive.

Improper Storage

As well as suffering heat damage, leaving your wetsuit wadded up in your gear bag, trunk, or garage will cause rapid deterioration, as it compromises the structure of neoprene. Hanging your wetsuit on a proper wetsuit hanger is the ideal storage, but if you’re limited on space, you can store it folded in half in a dry container once it is fully dry.

Non-Approved Cleaners

things that damage neoprene
Never leave your wetsuit in the sun to dry!

If you rinse your wetsuit with fresh water after every use, it should stay clean in most cases. However, you sometimes might find that your wetsuit gets a little funky. If this occurs, make sure that you always use a cleaner that is designed for wetsuits. The wrong type of cleaning product on your wetsuit can be one of the worst things that damage neoprene.

Images via MikeBlogs, Michael David Pedersen

Leisure Pro Staff

Leisure Pro Staff

Marketing Director for LeisurePro