How do I wash my swimming wetsuit? – Blueseventy usa

Your wetsuit simply carried you thru a gritty open-water session or a chlorinated pool exercise, and now it’s balled up within the trunk of your automobile. You know you need to wash it-but how? And does it actually matter?

It does. A swim-specific wetsuit is a precision piece of apparatus, and the way you wash and take care of it immediately impacts how lengthy it performs. Chlorine, salt, micro organism, and even plain outdated lake gunk work towards the neoprene, the seams, and the liner. A couple of minutes of post-swim consideration will add seasons to your go well with’s life and preserve it feeling the way in which it did on day one.

Why Proper Washing Matters

Every blueseventy wetsuit is constructed with high-grade Yamamoto neoprene, chosen for its flexibility, buoyancy, and really feel for the water. But even the perfect neoprene has enemies:

• Chlorine degrades the fabric over time, robbing it of flexibility.
• Salt crystals dry inside the material and abrade the neoprene cells.
• Bacteria and algae from lakes, rivers, or oceans settle into the liner and invite that unmistakable “wetsuit funk.”

A radical fresh-water rinse and an occasional light wash preserve the go well with supple, the seams intact, and the thermal properties working. It’s easy, fast, and non-negotiable.

The Golden Rule: Rinse Immediately

The single best factor you are able to do occurs proper after you peel the go well with off. Rinse it-inside and out-with cool, recent water. Don’t wait till you get house. A post-race rinse station, a lakeside hose, or a gallon jug of water within the automobile will do the job.

If it’s a must to journey, at the least get the go well with right into a moist bag or a bucket of water to maintain salt and chlorine from drying into the material. Then do a correct rinse as quickly as you possibly can.

Step-by-Step Washing

When you’re prepared for a full wash, comply with this sequence. It takes lower than 5 minutes.

1. Use cool water solely. Hot water can injury neoprene and weaken glued seams. Lukewarm at most.
2. Turn the go well with inside out. The inside jersey lining is the place sweat, physique oils, and micro organism accumulate. Exposing it ensures a deeper clear.
3. Apply a gentle, neoprene-safe cleaning soap. A devoted wetsuit shampoo is good, however a tiny drop of light, dye-free liquid cleaning soap works in a pinch. Never use laundry detergent, bleach, material softener, or dish soap-they strip the pure oils from the neoprene and may go away residues that irritate pores and skin.
4. Hand wash solely. Gently squeeze and therapeutic massage the soapy water by means of the material. Pay particular consideration to the underarm and crotch areas, the place gunk loves to cover. Do not wring, twist, or scrub aggressively.
5. Rinse till the water runs clear. Any cleaning soap left behind can lure moisture and result in odor. Thorough rinsing is simply as vital as washing.
6. Turn the go well with right-side-out and rinse the outside. A fast move removes any final grit or sunscreen.

Drying Without Damage

How you dry a wetsuit can wreck it quicker than a foul swim. Two non-negotiables:

• Never dangle a moist wetsuit by the shoulders on a skinny hanger. The weight of the water will stretch the neoprene, distort the match, and ultimately crack the shoulder materials. If you have to dangle it, use a large, padded hanger and fold the go well with on the waist so the shoulders aren’t bearing the complete load.
• Never dry in direct daylight or close to a warmth supply. UV rays break down neoprene. Heat from radiators, dryers, or a scorching automobile trunk will delaminate seams. Air-dry solely, within the shade.

The greatest methodology: Lay the go well with flat on a clear, dry towel in a well-ventilated space, out of the solar. Flip it as soon as the within is dry, then let the surface end. If you’re brief on area, drape it over a thick bar or a drying rack, once more folded on the waist so the shoulders are unburdened. The go well with ought to be utterly dry inside earlier than you retailer it.

Dealing with Funky Smells

Even with diligent rinsing, wetsuit odor can creep in. The wrongdoer is micro organism trapped deep within the lining. If an everyday wash isn’t reducing it, give the go well with an extended soak in cool water combined with wetsuit shampoo (or a small quantity of white vinegar) for 15-20 minutes, then rinse completely. The key’s to kill micro organism with out damaging the neoprene-so keep away from robust chemical compounds or extended soaking, which may break down adhesives.

For cussed smells, a purpose-made wetsuit cleaner with an enzymatic method can work wonders. Always rinse utterly afterward.

Special Care for Delicate Race Suits

Some fits deserve an additional measure of gentleness. The Helix, our flagship race wetsuit, makes use of extraordinarily skinny, ultra-flexible neoprene within the arms and shoulders to ship complete freedom of motion. That high-performance materials is extra delicate and can break down extra shortly with heavy coaching use. If you’re swimming regularly in a Helix, deal with each wash with care-light dealing with, no soaking, and at all times dry it flat. The payoff is race-day responsiveness that lasts.

For frequent coaching, many swimmers select a extra sturdy go well with just like the Reaction or Fusion, then save the Helix for key occasions. Either method, the identical wash ideas apply, however the thinner neoprene simply calls for a softer contact.

The Bottom Line

Washing your blueseventy wetsuit isn’t a chore; it’s a part of the swimming ritual. A fast rinse after each swim, a delicate hand wash when wanted, and a shady spot to air-dry will preserve your go well with performing the way in which it was designed to-swim after swim, season after season.

If a small tear or fingernail puncture does seem, a tube of high quality neoprene cement (just like the Aquaseal we inventory) can get you again within the water. But day-to-day prevention begins with the way you deal with your go well with the second you unzip it.

Take care of your gear, and it’ll maintain you within the open water.

Want extra tips about go well with match and longevity? Dive into our Fitting & Wear Guide for step-by-step movies and professional ideas.

Happy Swimming!