Washing a wetsuit

Wetsuit care

Taking care of your wetsuit as instructed by the manufacturer will make your wetsuit last much longer. It all starts with the simple act of washing your wetsuit. A few things to consider:

• Rinse your wetsuit after use
• Never use chemicals
• Don’t dry your wetsuit in direct sunlight to avoid ozone and UV damage to the neoprene
• When washing a wetsuit, don’t machine wash, iron or tumble dry
• Avoid chlorine
• Store your wetsuit on a suitable wide-shouldered hanger, or folded in half at the waist
• When storing a wetsuit in a cupboard or closet, make sure your wetsuit is completely dry on both sides

How to take care of a wetsuit?

Nothing worse than a crusty old wetsuit full of holes. We all want our wetsuits to last long, stay fresh and remain flexible. We’ve got you covered with our basic 101 wetsuit care and maintenance tips and tricks. These steps will help you to extend the lifespan of your wetsuit.

How to wash a wetsuit

Wetsuit washing instructions: Rinse your wetsuit with cold or lukewarm water. Make sure you wash both inside and outside so all sand, salt, and dirt are removed. Add a bit of natural soap or SRFACE Wetsuit Wash to your bucket of water to keep your wetsuit fresh. Rinsing your wetsuit thoroughly on both sides will extend the lifetime of your wetsuit.

Don’t use chemicals

Avoid using any chemicals, detergents or any other cleaning products besides natural soap or SRFACE Wetsuit Wash, which is made with biodegradable natural soap, to wash your wetsuit.

Don’t machine wash or tumble dry

To keep your wetsuit from wearing out, don’t machine wash or tumble dry your SRFACE wetsuit. It will damage the neoprene and the seams and will result in a deteriorated wetsuit quickly.

Don’t iron your wetsuit

We know you all want to look sharp in the water, but please don’t iron your wetsuit. The heat will damage and melt the neoprene.

Don’t dry your wetsuit in direct sunlight

Don’t leave your wetsuit in the sun to dry as this will accelerate the wear of the neoprene and lining. The ozone and UV rays in sunlight cause neoprene to lose stretch and become brittle over time. UV rays will also cause colours to fade. The longer you leave your wetsuit in the sun, the quicker it will deteriorate.

Avoid chlorine

Although wave pools might become the norm, don’t use your wetsuit in chlorinated water. Chlorine will damage the neoprene and the glued seams. It also fades the print colours and lining. Avoid chlorine for a long-lasting wetsuit.

Can I pee in my wetsuit?

The easiest way to stay warm during a long winter surf… right? It’s not advisable to pee in your wetsuit, but let’s face it, it’s hard not to when you are out there at 5°C when it’s offshore and barreling. Is it good for your wetsuit? No. But is it really bad? No. As long as you rinse your wetsuit after each session there should be little harm in taking a leak when you need to.

Wetsuit Wash

Use a wetsuit shampoo to get the most of your wetsuit’s lifespan while smelling fresh. Use Wetsuit Wash, a washing liquid developed by SRFACE, to wash your wetsuit in order to extend the longevity of your wetsuit. It will thoroughly clean the wetsuit from bacteria, dirt and to keep it fresh.