My wetsuits usually last 3 plus years and many have asked what I do?
Surfing is so much fun but rinsing off that wetsuit is a pain. There are many ways to handle this annoying task. Below I have listed how I get it done.
If I am unable to go home within a few hours after a surf session, here are 2 things I do depending on the situation.
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- If I don’t have time, I will stick it in a roll top waterproof bag (minimum 30L size if you want your wetsuit to fit) with 1/2 a capful of wetsuit shampoo and just enough water. This is ideal when you don’t want your wetsuit stinking up your car on a hot day. I have left it in the bag for a few days before.
I use Slosh because you don’t have to rinse the soap off. You just add water. Slosh your wetsuit in it and hang to dry when you get home. - If I have time, I will fill a bucket with water and dunk the wetsuit a few times. Turn it in side out and dunk it a few more times. Squeeze out the excess water. Then I hang my wetsuit on my car side mirror if it is not in the sun. This works well in parking structures. My wetsuit has never been stolen but I would use common sense when leaving it unattended. If I am unable to do that, I try to just lay it flat on my surfboard in my car.
I don’t use Slosh with method 2 usually but if you are worried about the stink, definitely add a small amount to the water. I can’t say it enough but the stuff works! This method of rinsing is okay and not as thorough as my normal routine below.
Normal routine:
This takes me 3 minutes to thoroughly rinse my wetsuit
- I rinse all four sides of my suit in my yard.
- The key is to either have the sprayer mounted or fold the wetsuit like on a chair back so you can focus on rinsing your wetsuit in a handsfree manner.
- I fold the wetsuit in half and give it a good rinse. Flip it over and rinse the other side.
- Pause /Turn off the water.
- Turn the wetsuit inside out and repeat. This gives all four sides a good rinse.
Finally, I try to squeeze excess water from the arms and legs of the wetsuit. Wetsuits will start to stretch out from the weight of the water when super wet. This could be ideal if you are battling a wetsuit that is initially too tight
You could do this in the shower just be sure the water you use is not hot.
- I hang my wetsuit to dry in the shade. Folded over in half. Wetsuits can stretch out funny if you use a hanger. I have tried the wetsuit hanger and did not like it.
- If my wetsuit must sit in the sun, I put a towel over it. It will still dry with the towel on top and save your wetsuit from sun damage.
- I will try to squeeze more water out of the arms and legs a few more times throughout the day if I can. This really speeds up the drying time.
- At night, I will flip my wetsuit inside out, bring it inside and let it final dry. The next day I will usually flip it back over so it is ready to wear.
At the end of the season when I switch to a thinner or thicker wetsuit I will use the wetsuit shampoo to get it super clean before I put it in storage. Make sure it is completely dry before you store it.
If there are any tears, leaky seams or stretched out collars, I get my wetsuits repaired so it doesn’t get worse. Many surf shops can recommend where to get your wetsuit repaired. It usually costs less than $20. You can also take it to the local tailor and see if they are able to do anything. There are plenty of YouTube videos on using wetsuit glue, stitching a wetsuit tear with dental floss, etc.
So, what is Slosh Wetsuit Shampoo?
I have used 2 other brands in the past that required rinsing out the soap. It took several rinses to get the soap out which became too time consuming.
On the bottle, it says:
“Slosh contains no harmful chemicals. It’s fresh scent & unique blend of natural ingredients remove chlorine, salt, odors & organic residue while special disinfectant & conditioning agents sanitize, preserve & extend your equipment’s life. Slosh is biodegradable & non-comedogenic – made from ingredients so pure it can double as your shampoo & body wash in a pinch! Use Slosh on anything, including wetsuits & drysuits, scuba equipment, hiking & marine wear, snow & water ski wear, swim wear & pool toys. Slosh can be also used on people, clothing, delicate sweaters & as a generic cleaner. Remember… Don’t just wash it… Slosh it!”
I bought the 32 ounce bottle in 2020, I am about 3/4 the way through it. They sell it in 4 oz and 32 oz sizes.
It is a time consuming process to fully rinse my wetsuit each time but I believe that has really helped them to last longer. A good rinse each time and wetsuit shampoo once or twice a year.
- Additional notes: The drybag works great for keeping things dry or storing wet items. When I camp, I will usually hide a set of dry clothes in one. There has been a few times something has spilled and gotten my spare clothes wet.
Hope these tips help!
Purchase links
I hope you found this information useful and that you will consider using the links I have put in my articles.
30L Dry Bag, Comes in a bunch of fun colors – Amazon
Slosh Wetsuit Shampoo – Comes in 4oz and 32 oz size – Amazon
