How to Clean a Wetsuit: Remove Odor and Grime
Get the funk outta here.
Your Wetsuit Will Tell You When It’s Time for a Wash
Wetsuits get funky. Be it stale saltwater, post-rain runoff, a little urine (don’t act like you’re above peeing in the thing), there comes a time when the neck of the suit smells like mildew, and the body smells like something otherworldly. If you’ve ever left your dirty suit in a hot car with the windows up for a prolonged period of time, you’ve experienced the musty smash to the senses that no windows down on the drive home can conquer.
To avoid this, there are a few steps you can take.
How to Take Care of Your Wetsuit
Let’s talk about basic wetsuit maintenance.
If you don’t want your wetsuit to reek, dive under water after taking a leak, flush the inside of your suit and keep surfing for at least 15 more minutes. Or don’t turn the spigot on … but you’re probably not gonna do that.
If you have the luxury of a beach shower, rinse off after surfing. Let some water flow down the neck and out the legs. The quicker you can get to a rinse the better.
Most importantly, when you get home, wash it out with fresh water. Any hose or faucet will do. Then hang it inside out to dry in whatever shady spot you got—too much UV exposure will damage your wetsuit’s rubber.
For more advanced cleaning methods, keep scrolling.
How to Wash a Wetsuit
If you’ve been lax on regular wetsuit maintenance, a thorough cleaning can freshen things up. Here, we’ll show you how to wash a wetsuit in a few simple steps.
What Not to Do (aka: Don’t Be like Me)
Cleaning your wetsuit is totally recommended, but it’s something I do infrequently. Not that I don’t know how to do it or don’t understand the fundamentals of proper wetsuit care. Being from California, I’ve spent the majority of my surfing life in some sort of rubber. Where I excel, however, is in the art of stripping my wet wetsuit off in the parking lot, stomping it down in the sandy, gravel-laden asphalt, tossing it into the back of the car and allowing it to fester and bake, unwashed—keeping it soggy, covered in sand, smelly and likely cold the following morning when I need it to be warm, dry and cozy the most.
You’re better than this. Follow the instructions above and don’t be like me. Your wetsuits will last longer, and your friends won’t run screaming when you offer them a ride.
Need a new wetsuit? We make ours with neoprene-free rubber for men, women and kids, along with our full line of surf clothing and gear.
