We have put together a list of Wetsuit Care Tips to help you keep your suit in tip top condition and ensure you get the maximum life out of your suit. Below I run through the Dos & Don’ts of caring for your wetsuit, as well as some important info on warranties.
Wetsuit Care Tips
- Rinse your wetsuit in cool, fresh water after every surf
- Dry your wetsuit in the shade – leaving your wetsuit to sit out in the sun for hours to dry can speed up the aging process of the neoprene in your suit, gradually making it less flexible & brittle
- Do not leave you wetsuit sitting in a bucket of water for days even if it’s fresh water. Extended soaking can cause both the neoprene and surrounding fabrics to break down.
- Hot Water Reduces Neoprene Flexibility and can weaken the glues & tapes used to seal your suit – do not rinse your suit in hot showers
- Store your wetsuit carefully when you aren’t using it – Thoroughly rinse and dry your suit then hang it on a wide hanger (NOT a wire hanger), Avoid Folding – this will keep you suit in tip top shape between uses
Do not put your wetsuit in the washing machine
Do not put your wetsuit in the clothes dryer
Do not bleach, dye or paint your wetsuit
Do not iron your wetsuit
If your wetsuit gets really dirty and starts to stink:
Soak your wetsuit in a bucket of warm (not hot) water. Add a half-cap of mild detergent like wool wash or specialty wetsuit cleaner, then give it a good rinse in this detergent solution. Next step is to rinse it again in fresh water then hang it out to dry.
Problems Generally Covered by Wetsuit Warranties
Wetsuit warranties (may vary slightly from brand to brand) and apply under normal recreational use and proper care of your suit. Generally materials and workmanship are covered for 12 months from the original purchase date – that’s 12 months from the original purchase date on all seams and 12 months from the original purchase date on neoprene materials.
Problems that are Not covered by Wetsuit Warranties
The following circumstances are not covered by most wetsuit warranties:
- Repairs, or alterations, to any area of the product done or attempted by anyone other than an authorized repair facility suit (with many brands, if you glue it, sew it, cut it or otherwise alter the wetsuit you void your warranty)
- Damage from sunlight, chlorine, improper recreational use or care, or any damage beyond the product’s natural life expectancy.
- Don’t wear your wetty in a pool or wash it with anything other than mild detergent or specialty wetsuit cleaners. Chlorine or chemicals cause damage to the neoprene in your suit.
- Abrasions from rubbing on hard surfaces
- Fading from the sun.
- Any damage from velcro, either from the suit velcro itself or leg rope, glove closures etc.
- Damage from using the wetsuit for purposes other than it was designed for (An example of this is elbows wearing out due to body boarding)
- Warranty claim requests without valid proof of purchase.
- Damage to the inside ankle area from incorrect or over stretching of the suit when pushing feet into the suit or catching toe nails. This is normally seen as horizontal cuts/tears anywhere from below the knee to the bottom of the leg. Take your getting into & out of your suit – don’t tug or stretch the material too hard. If you have trouble getting your feet through to the end of the leg holes, try putting a plastic bag or a sock on your foot before sliding into the leg hole.