These days the cost of a good wetsuit, boots, gloves etc can easily reach upwards of £300. But, surprisingly when it comes to wetsuit care sailors, surfers, swimmers, and divers often believe as long as you give your kit a quick dunk in fresh water, it will be ok…
Although this is certainly better than doing nothing, it’s easy to forget the intense degrading effect constant exposure to the elements has on the stretchy neoprene. The sun, salt, sand, urine (yes) and chlorine will quickly leave your kit looking tired, thin and in need of replacement. So – it is definitely worth taking a little extra care of your wetsuit to prolong its’ life.
Nobody likes a stinky disintegrating heap of £300 mouldy rubber after just a few uses. So the ideal is to keep your kit smelling fresh, your neoprene stretchy and, above all, in good condition all year round. Luckily, we have found you the Best Wetsuit Cleaners to help you do just that.
Top 3 Wetsuit Cleaners 2022
Coco Loco Wetsuit Cleaner
The CoCo Loco Wetsuit Cleaner Shampoo is one of the most popular options for cleaning your wetsuit, however, there are mixed opinions as to whether it will get the strongest smells out of your kit. But as it uses eucalyptus as a natural deodoriser, it will certainly leave them smelling fresher than they were before, especially if your wetsuit is regularly washed.
A big plus of the Coco Loco Wetsuit Cleaner is that it can be bought in a giant 5L bottle. So if you have a lot of wetsuits to clean, or you like to clean your wetsuits after each use, then this may be the most cost-effective product for you.
If your not looking to bulk wash your wetsuits, the smallest bottle (250ml) should last you between 4-5 wetsuit washes. Just follow the instructions on the bottle and soak your kit for 5 minutes before leaving to dry. As it’s an eco-friendly neutral cleaning solution, there’s no need to worry about where you tip the water.
To sum up, this shampoo will certainly get the worst of the stink out of your wetsuits and is certainly the most popular on our list.
Rip Curl Piss Off Wetsuit Shampoo – Super Fresh & Super Stretch Biodegradable Wet Suit Disinfectant Cleaner
With an entertaining name (and so truthful!) Rip Curl’s pleasantly minty smelling Piss Off Wetsuit Cleaning Shampoo is our personal favourite for taking away whatever may be lurking in the pores of our neoprene. Not only is it a shampoo and conditioner all in one, but we find it takes away the smell and leaves our wetsuits feeling cleaner than any other shampoo we have tried. It’s super easy to use.
Just follow the instructions on the bottle, soak your kit for 15- 30 minutes, then take it straight outta the bucket and hang to dry – no need to rinse. Again, as it’s an eco-friendly formula there’s no need to worry about where to toss the dirty water. The 250ml bottle should last about 5 washes.
Slosh ECO Friendly Wetsuit Shampoo Conditioner
The Slosh Eco-Friendly Wetsuit cleaner is another shampoo and conditioner in one. As with our other cleaners, this natural wetsuit shampoo contains no harmful chemicals and is fully biodegradable, so you don’t need to worry about harming the environment. Furthermore, if you have sensitive skin this may be the cleaner for you, as it’s the only one to have hypoallergenic on the packaging.
As for the anti-pong power, it may not be as strong as other cleaners, but it certainly will remove the salt, chlorine, odours and organic residue. It will leave your smelly boots a whole lot fresher than they were before and your neoprene in a good condition.
All in all, and at pretty much the same price, it’s hard to pick out a true winner. Any of these wetsuit cleaners will leave your wetsuits feeling cleaner, fresher and ready for their next wear. So it’s really up to your personal preference. Why not try them all!
EXTRA TIPS!
TOZO Waterproof T10 Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds
To pass the time while you wait for your wetsuit to soak in a magic solution, why not wack on a little music and do a little dance, (don’t worry if there’s people watching – we do it all time!). Our favourite headphones to use are the TOZO Waterproof T10 Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds.
They deliver a rich pure base and have 3 different sized ear adaptors to fit your ears just right. But the best thing is…the Tozo’s expert design means they are IPX8 Waterproof for 1 meter deep for 30 minutes! Although we wouldn’t recommend swimming in these, they are certainly going to withstand wet hair and wet hands.
For the most competitive prices find them on Amazon just here.
Zip Slip – Zip Lubricant 50ml
As we are on the subject of looking after your watersports kit and extending its life, we thought we’d chuck this one in here for you too. A problem we all find with being in the sea is that the salt likes to clog everything up. At the beginning of the season the first problem most of us face is reaching for our kit and realising the zips won’t budge!
Well, no more! Our extra tip for you is to invest in this little bottle of Zip Slip – Zip Lubricant. It’s environmentally friendly, containing no silicones, and needing no propellant to apply it. Supplied in a bottle with a built-in applicator brush, it will have your zips sliding smoothly in no time.
Sex Wax Air Freshners
Even once you’ve cleaned your wetsuit you might find there is still a smell of neoprene. While we know some people love this smell, there are a few extra things you can do if you want to mask it. The Wax car air freshers are our absolute favourite for this. As they give out one of the most popular fresh beachy scents in the watersports world. And if you have guests round, why refine them to your car?
Try hanging one in your wardrobe where your wetsuits hang. They are not overpowering and at such an affordable price you’ll end up hanging them everywhere. (We do!). You can find them on Amazon here.
Want to make your wetsuit last even longer? Find our Top Tips on How To Take Care Of Your Wetsuit here.
