How To Look After Your Swimming Wetsuit

The better you look after your wetsuit, the longer and happier a life it will lead. Here’s how to keep your wetsuit in good condition.

Wetsuit Care Advice

1. What can damage my wetsuit?
2. What should I do with my wetsuit after swimming?
3. How to store your wetsuit
4. How to clean your wetsuit
5. How to repair your wetsuit
6. Is it ok to wee in my wetsuit?
7. How long does it take a wetsuit to dry?

What can damage my wetsuit?

• Sunlight - neoprene wetsuits are like vampires, they don't like prolonged exposure to the sun.
• Fingernails and other sharp objects – neoprene is delicate so it’s easy to nick it with your nails when trying it on.
• Heat – keep it out of the kitchen and away from anything else hot (irons, radiators, log burners…)
• Surf wax – it sticks to everything, including neoprene.
• Bleach, paint or dye
• Your washing machine and dryer
• Petroleum products – these will damage the neoprene. Use wetsuit-approved anti-chafe lotions instead.
• Rushing – always take your time to put on your wetsuit to prevent accidental damage.

What should you do with your wetsuit after swimming?

• Give your wetsuit a thorough rinse inside and out with clean water - do not use hot water or any cleaning agents.
• Hang it inside-out and allow it to dry away from direct sunlight or any heat sources (the shower is a good spot as you can let it drip dry).
• Once the inside is dry, reverse it and hang to dry the outside.

How to store your wetsuit

• Make sure your wetsuit is completely dry before you store it.
• When storing your wetsuit, either hang on a rounded, wide-shouldered hanger, fold loosely and store in its mesh bag on a shelf or lay it out flat under a sofa or bed.
• Never stack other items on top of it.
• When transporting your wetsuit, roll it up rather than folding it. To protect the outer, some of us transport it inside out.

How to clean your wetsuit

• Never ever put your wetsuit in a washing machine or tumble drier.
• After use, wash your wetsuit by rinsing it thoroughly with clean water, inside out and allow to dry completely.
• When you hang your wetsuit to dry, hang it over the middle of the torso to prevent unnecessary stretching.

How to repair your wetsuit

• Neoprene can tear if you catch it on something (like your nails). You can repair this using a neoprene glue like Aquaprene.
• Clean the damaged area of dirt and oils with wet wipes or a damp sponge.
• Apply your glue to the damaged area, ensuring a nice even spread. If it’s a tear, it’s best to apply the glue inside the tear using a business card to make it neat.
• Leaving the glue to set overnight for a good strong bond.

If you feel that you’re unable to fix your wetsuit yourself, pop into a Repair Station in one of our stores or get in touch with our support team and we’ll see what we can do to help.

Is it ok to wee in my wetsuit?

Water is cold; wee is warm. Weeing in wetsuits is completely understandable... if it's your own! Colin Hill might have a thing or two to say about you peeing in his hire suits!

There are conflicting reports on whether pee harms the seams and neoprene of your suit, but it sure can stink if you don’t wash your suit out. Rinsing your suit out between swims is pretty essential - all that accumulated pee and sweat can't do your suit any good!

How long does it take a wetsuit to dry?

Looking after your wetsuit properly means leaving it to drip dry. Yes. Even if it takes ages! Estimates assume that it can take between 6 and 24 hours for your wetsuit to properly dry. If you need to speed up the drying process, you can increase the ambient temperature of your room or add a fan. But don't put it in direct sunlight or in the tumble dryer!