The Best Ways To Defog Your Scuba Mask from the Dive Station Pattaya team. To stop your mask fogging there as many methods out there as there are divers. Everything from potatoes to toothpaste, baby shampoo to washing washing up liquid and good old fashioned spit are all suggeste as cures to help when your mask is fogging up while scuba diving or snorkelling.
You gear up to put on your mask and start your descent. Your mask fogs up so you can see nothing clearly. This is extremely annoying. Constantly needing to add water to your mask to rinse the fogging out. Then having to repeat this every few minutes throughout the dive. Yes, we have been there too.
So here at Dive Station Pattaya we thought we would spend some time talking through the reason why mask offing occurs, and talk you through the pro and cons on the various method suggested. As we cab guarantee if your on a dive boat there’ll be at least different methods been used…
Why does you Scuba mask fog?
Fogging is the build-up of condensation. There is water vapour air in the gap of your mask. The mask lens is in constant contact with the water you are diving in. This water is cooler than the air in your mask. The water vapour in the air inside your mask comes into contact with the glass of your mask and then cools. As it cools it turns back into a liquid, this is called condensing. These tiny droplets hang on any imperfections in the glass or dirt then block your view by causing fog. Just like your car windscreen on a cold winters morning, however, unlike your car windscreen your has dosn’t doest have the car heater blowing hot water on it to clear the condensation away. So we need to use something to prevent the fogging in the first place.
So what are the best way to defog your Scuba mask?
These all assume you have properly prepped your brand new mask as discussed here.
Defog Method 1: Spit
The most traditional and simple way to defog your scuba mask. Spit on the inside of the mask and rub it around with your finger. Dunk the mask briefly in fresh water. The goal is to leave a thin layer of saliva on the inside of the glass. Why does this work?
Well, we now know the water droplets hang on to the imperfections in the mask. To prevent the mask from fogging up you need to make the surface smooth so the water cannot hang on it. So we find a nice slick, slimy, slippery product that causes the water to slide to the bottom of the mask. This is why spit works.
Pro – You always have spit
Cons – Look out for your mum, she’ll smack your head if she catches you spitting; don’t offer to share with your buddy.
If you don’t fancy spitting in your mask, (maybe you’re scared of your mum) you need to look at other alternative to replace the spit…
Defog Method 2: Commercial Defogs
You can buy sprays by companies such as McNett to defog your scuba mask. These come with instructions but most you drop or spray in the solution, rub around and rinse out. Two of the more popular commercial defogs are the McNett Sea Drops and McNett Sea Buff.
Pros – Effective and hygienic
Con – Can be expensive and hard to get hold of while traveling
Defog Method 3: Baby Shampoo
Other than spit, the probably the most used method to defog your scuba mask. Rub some Johnsons Baby shampoo on the inside of the mask, and rinse out. Personally I use it neat, rub it in a the beginning of the day and leave it to dry before rinsing out. This seems to help last most of the day. Or you can mix a diluted solution and give you mask a quick spray rinse just before your dive.
Pro Effective, Hygenic, cheap, easy to get hold of
Cons – some always steal your bottle of it (so have 2)
Defog Method 4: Washing up liquid
Mix a diluted solution, spray, rub, rinse. Works very effectively but it can be very irritation to your eyes, especially if you have sensitive skin or hay fever. Use with caution and never neat, always dilute. It’s almost impossible to rub irritated eyes through a mask on a dive.
Pros – Effective
Con – likely to cause irruption if not used correctly
Defog Method 5: Toothpaste
It is highly likely that you will have used this to prep the mask if you rub and toothpaste on the inside of the mask lens cover the lens completely. Rinse the mask gently with fresh water until the lens is clear. Your mask will have a fresh minty fresh smell but similar to washing up liquid it can irratate your eyes.
Pros – Effective
Con – likely to cause irruption if not used correctly
Defog Method 6: Potatoes
Rub a piece of sliced potato on the inside of the mask, rinse and go for a dive. But lets be honest here where are going to find a spare piece potato on a dive boat. You go steal some from he galley i guess but they you’ll have more think to worry about that a fogged masked as they’ll be an irate Thai lady chasing you with a kitchen knife.
Pros – Effective
Con – likely to cause a mutiny on the dive boat
Conclusion
Personally, I use Johnsons Baby Shampoo, or the Baby Mild that they sell here in Thailand in every 7-11. Its clean hygenic and very effective. You can also use it to clean your self up after to dive so your no going home or back to the hotel smelling of the sea. And I tell all my students the same, as a back up I use spit you’re always going to have some of that.
Do you have another suggestions? Leave a comment if you do
