A diving mask is one of the first items you purchase for diving. Then you have a new mask, which you want to try as soon as possible during a dive. Nothing is more irritating than a fogged mask, but with a new mask you can not prevent this. In this blog, Linda, owner of Wanderlust Dive Center, explains why a new mask covers, how you can treat it and finally the maintenance before and after each dive.

Why does a new mask fog up?

During the production process, the lenses of the mask are given a thin layer of silicone for protection. It protects the glasses from scratches during production, storage and shipping. Furthermore, your mask consists of more silicone parts, such as the facepiece and mask band. The fumes that are released during production still vaporize for a while and this precipitates on, among other things, the glasses of the mask. This causes the condensation to form on your diving mask.

Treating your mask for the first time

So you can clean your glasses the first time, but there is a good chance that your mask will still fog up during the dive. This makes a lot of sense, because the silicone vapor not only precipitates on the glasses, but also on the rest of your mask and your mask box. Treat your mask and box to make sure you remove the vapor layer.

Use a degreasing detergent (Dreft lemon) and wash your mask thoroughly under the tap with warm water. Even better, then put your diving mask in soapy water and leave it for 12 hours. Then rinse well with warm water and let it dry.

Maintenance for every dive

Wanderlust Dive Center recommends cleaning your mask with an anti-fog spray before each dive. Spray some spray on the inside of your glasses, leave it on for one minute and rinse off your mask before cancelling it.

Saliva is also possible, but in the long term your mask will be full of enzymes and bacteria. This will sit in the edges of your mask, resulting in mold.

Still condensation?

Clean the mask again with dish soap. Sweating while setting up your dive set, putting on your suit or a hot summer day? You quickly get hot. If you then put on your mask and go diving, your mask still fogs up due to the large temperature difference between the water and your face.

Cool your face in the water before putting on your mask. This helps a lot!