Mask Defogger

[KzooCruiser]

We are novice snorkelers and someone told my wife that you can make your own defogger using water and a little dish soap. He said that is really all that is in the commerical defogging bottles. Is this correct?

[SandDollar Laura]

Your friend is half right. We often times will use dilluted dish detergent in large bottles as mask defog on our boats, and, frankly, it works fine. It's my feverent desire that the fancy, small, and easy to little miniscule bottles contain something else as well.


To be honest, for years, I've used saliva myself and that works wonders as well (unless you drink alot of coffee in the morning, oddly enough) It's my own mask and no one else uses it! (I would not reccommend this with other people's equipment!)

The important thing to clean a brand new mask. All masks come with a non-scratch coating on the inside of the lens. This coating is what creates mask fog (mostly). It also doesn't disappear as the mask ages, so even if you've had your mask for years, if you haven't removed this coating, it's going to fog all the time.

Removing this coating is really easy. You need to clean the inside of the mask with a nice semi-gritty cleaner. Soft-scrub is ideal. I've also had fantastic luck with one of the old style, Crest toothpastes. (the white, kinda gritty kind, forget the fancy new gels) I've even seen one DM take a lighter and hold it to the inside of the lens (hold the mask upside down so you don't burn yourself) and then washing off the black, carbon from burning this coating off.

In fact, I think it's a good idea to periodically do this to any mask, just to remove whatever is hanging out there, plus, the toothpaste, adds that fresh minty smell.

[cruisin*tigger]

here's another thread about mask defoggers.
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=68576

[bruce-r]

We are novice snorkelers and someone told my wife that you can make your own defogger using water and a little dish soap.
Yes, that is quite true. The green Palmolive diluted in a bottle works very well. Diluted baby shampoo is another choice and it won't sting you eyes.

He said that is really all that is in the commerical defogging bottles. Is this correct?Not totally correct. It might be what is in "Sea Drops", a liquid defogger that doesn't work all that well. The 2 commercial products that I have used and recommend are 500 psi and Sea Gold by Aquaseal. Both are pretty thick so they will stay on the glass even after rinsing. I like the Sea Gold better because it is clear and seems to do a better job, but it works best if you put it on while your mask is still dry.

If I don't have a defog with me, I just stick out my tongue and lick the inside of the mask. Spit works OK. I wouldn't recommend my technique for rental masks, just your own. ;)

I totally agree with Laura, it is important to clean the inside of the glass. I like the crest toothpaste. Just put a small amount on the end of your finger and rub it around on the glass for a couple of minutes.

[Hilary]

Spit or licking as never worked for me, so I carry a small bottle of Sea Gold just in case the boat doesn't have a spray bottle of baby shampoo/water. I figure at this rate, my Sea Gold will probably last at least 10 years! <ha ha ha>

[SandDollar Laura]

Hillary,


You wouldn't by any chance be a huge coffee addict, would you??

As an active, confirmed coffee-holic I discovered on the mornings when I had lots of coffee (aka 6 cups or so) my spit didn't work for didly. On a normal morning, say a 4 cupper day, spit was fine!!

I know just how bad my addiction is when people from all over the US bring me Starbucks here!!!

[luv2bcruzn]

Can anyone tell me what the proportion of baby shampoo to water is so that we can mix our own mask defogger? Do you spray it and let it dry or rinse it off? Thanks.

[bruce-r]

Can anyone tell me what the proportion of baby shampoo to water is so that we can mix our own mask defogger? Do you spray it and let it dry or rinse it off? Thanks.
A little soap to a lot of water. Ok I know that doesn't help. I'd probably dilute at least 10 to 1 for palmolive, maybe a little less for baby shampoo.

Rinse it off, don't let it dry or there will be a haze.

[luv2bcruzn]

Thanks for the advise; we just bought new masks and snorkels instead of renting them and I want to make sure that we treat them properly.