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#1080
Masks
Laurie - 11/04/2007 7:44 PM
Category: Training
Replies: 17

Hi, I`m on a search for a cure for masks that won`t defog. I have two masks- one with a purge and one without. both have been in the cold and warm water, both have been in salt and fresh water, both have been scrubbed with a few different types of toothpaste and both have used up to 4 different types of defoggers. I have come to the conclusion that my eyes give off heat- is that possible? is there a cure for me or my masks?? please help- I`d like to see someday while diving and not have stinging eyes from constantly clearling. Thanks!
#1315
froggiepatrol - 11/05/2007 7:33 AM
I`ve been told that baby shampoo works really good as a defog. I personal prefer to spit in my mask then rinse it right before going under. I know it sounds gross but I have found that it works really well for me. What fun is diving if you can`t see, right?
#3979
DalelynnSims - 11/05/2007 3:04 PM
Working at a dive resort I see this all to often. Most can be solved as most people rinse our the defog they apply. Try this and I think that you will be better off. Using Sea Drops or Sea Drops Gold, the gold is a bit thicker, rinse the mask and shake off the excess water. Place a couple drops of one of these in the mask and smear it around. As the mask has a bit of residual water already it will help spread the Sea drops solution around. Don’t Rinse it just put t on and enjoy the dive. This seems to work when other techniques do not. Sea drops have never burned my eyes and I do not expect you to have a problem with that.

Best Fishes!!! [
#1613
AirOn - 11/05/2007 5:47 PM
I can fog up the windows of the car on a sunny day. How are you applying the defog? Apply it liberally and work it in good... I`ve found the gels or deluted baby shampoo work better then the sprays. A couple god shots and rub it around then dip/dump and onto my face it goes. Even if there is a little bit of the gel in the mask, don`t rise or rub it clear. Make sure you only dip and pour to rinse right before you dive. Don`t rub the defog off and rinse to much. The defog does evaporate, and it does rinse out if you rinse too well. Keep the mask on and don`t take it off if you can help it. Some suface fog will clear up once the mask is in the water. You need to make sure the lense is wet and the defog is allowing the water to sheet off as the vapor hits it. Can you let a little water by poking the seal on the mask or pilling at one of the sides?(so it doesn`t run down your forehead and in your eyes? You might try keeping in a little water at the bottom so you can look down and tip your head to rinse the glass instead of flooding to clear it too. Full flood will wash out the defog. Most masks can hold a little water at the bottom of the eyes without the nose pocket being flooded. I`ve found that keeping a positive pressure in the mask helps too. If its sucking it pulls more moisture off of me and fogs quicker it seems. Even with humid air from my nose all the time it stays clearer. You might want to take some white colgate and really scrub it good a few more times. Do it twice as much as you think it needs and you might be there. Even if its been in its tupperware for a little while (any plastic container plastic) it gets a film on it that needs removed. Then get a gel defog and see how it works? Most important is for the glass to stay wet so the collecting humidity is constandly falling off. The defog or baby shampoo (soap with a numbing agent) just breaks the surface tension so it can sheet the water. Hope that helps?
#4586
Jen-Michael - 11/09/2007 4:23 PM
Try Sea Gold, that`s what I use on my that tends to fog, it`s highly concentrated anti-fog.
#554
tongben - 11/10/2007 10:45 AM
Laurie, I am in the same boat with you. I even have three masks, 1 large, 1 small, 1 with nose purge from three different companies. I tried 4 different kinds of defog solutions. I tried detergent, tooth paste. None worked. I think it is the way I breath into the mask but I am not sure how to avoid it. If you find a cure and let me know, I will order and delivery a pizza to you. Ben
#283
DiverParamedic - 11/11/2007 5:00 AM
The instructor that I work with uses a combination of Johnsons Baby Shampoo and Water. He sprays it in the students mask, then they rinse it out lightly. No tears gentleness and even on their first pool night they can usually go 3/4 of the class w/o it fogging. Give it a try. The mixture isn`t real strong, but it seems to work. I have done this and it seems to work. I clean the inside of the mask (i.e. the lens) with windex a few times. Right before I dive I clean it again w/ windex, then RINSE IT OUT GOOD. I then put the Sea Gold in and spread it around, and I don`t rise it out until I`m ready to put the mask on. It seems to work for mine. Of course some mask tend to fog worse then others. I just went from a $35.00 mask (that wore out) to a $89.00 mask (that wouldn`t stop fogging). I threw it away and went back to the same $35.00 (new) mask, and it hasn`t fogged up yet. It is a Sherwood Oracle in case your wondering.
#1433
Vikas - 11/13/2007 4:13 AM
Cautionary note: Before scrubbing any diving mask, read the printed material that accompanies it. Some new masks should not be scrubbed, as they are treated with a fog retardant. Scrubbing these masks may damage this substance and cause the mask to fog. Even after a mask has been scrubbed, an anti-fogging solution must be applied to the inside of the glass faceplate prior to diving. These de-foggers break the surface tension of the water on the inside of the glass. Instead of separating into thousands of tiny droplets that cloud your vision, condensation forms a transparent sheet of water which is usually un- noticeable. The original, always - available anti-fogging solution is saliva, but today many divers consider spitting on the inside of their mask unsanitary, or at least uncivilized. Alternatives range from dishwashing liquid and baby shampoo to commercial rinses, gels and drops specially developed to keep your mask from fogging. These formulations work quite well if you follow the directions carefully. Some are meant to be used shortly before entering the water, and others can be applied earlier and allowed to dry. Rubbing and rinsing may or may not be required, and re-application may be necessary before each dive or only once per diving day. If you use the wrong application technique, not only is the anti-fogging preparation likely to be less effective, but eye irritation may result. You may still suffer from a clouded mask despite scrubbing the mask and applying an anti-fogging preparation. Remember that fogging is caused by a difference in temperature between the inside and outside of your mask pocket. Anything you do to exacerbate that temperature differential increases the likelihood of fogging. One common practice that often causes mask fog is placing the mask on your forehead while gearing up. Your forehead is almost certain to be warmer dm the surrounding air, plus the heated mask pocket may cause drops of sweat and body oil to form. The same thermal situation applies when you rest the mask on your hair or on top of a hood, or leave it sitting in the sun while you gear up. Protect your mask from extremes of temperature until it is placed on your face. It is best not to seat the mask on your face until you are ready to enter the water. Even a small amount of warm, moist air exhaled through your nose into the mask can cause instant fogging. Once you`re underwater, simply clearing your mask can lead to fogging. If you clear often, the de-fog will eventually be washed off. Another difficulty is that in order to clear your mask, you must exhale through your nose. Introducing this warm air from your lungs into the mask pocket encourages fogging. The most effective solution to this problem is to wear a mask that makes a good seal on your face. Acclimating yourself to small amounts of water against your face, so that excessive clearing is unnecessary, is also a good idea. Avoid leaving your mask in the sun. The increased heat contributes to fogging. Clearing the Fog? So what do you do if, after your best efforts, your mask still fogs JUST while you`re underwater? Must you complete your bottom time looking through a haze? No, it is possible to de-fog your mask during a dive. Simply let a little water inside by pulling the top of the skirt away from your face. This method allows you to break the seal just enough to control the amount of water you let in. Re-seal the mask on your face, then look down so the lens surface is horizontal and swish the water around to rinse away the fog. Clear the mask in the usual manner. This technique works temporarily, but will probably have to be repeated as the fog returns. Scrub, de-fog and keep your mask cool until you enter the water. ESD (enjoy safe diving)
#272
Sandrabramm - 12/03/2007 9:38 PM
Laurie, Take your mask and put soft scrub in it...no water at first, just the soft scrub, then rub it really hard all around your lens and skirt on your mask. Don`t be afraid the soft scrub won`t scratch it, I wouldn`t use it though on a mask that`s got a red film on it. Anyway, do that then rinse it out very well...dry it, and even repeat. Your mask will get "oils" from your hair so avoid putting it on your head, if you want pull it down around your neck. Try that....breaking in a new mask pretty much sucks, like breaking in new shoes.
#3442
Dorkfish - 12/24/2007 9:24 AM
Scrubbing the inside of the lenses with a non-abrasive material (toothpastes work well) is vital on a lot of masks, but as indicated already be careful as to if it has oem fog retardant on the lenses. Smokers will have more problems than non-smokers because smoke is retained in the lungs and will leave a film on the lens due to equalizing/clearing the mask.

1. Sea Drops - this is a diluted defog that is just thicker than water and works well for masks that are well broken-in.

2. Sea Gold - this is a thicker gel-type defog that is stronger than the Sea Drops and works well as a general purpose defog.

3. PSI 500 - this is a thicker gel-type defog that is considered "heavy duty" and works well for problem foggers because of the difficulty of washing it off.

Some important factors to remember with defog are:
Don`t apply/rinse your defog until you`re ready to enter. Make this your last step before putting on your mask.

Do not let your mask set in direct sunlight for any length of time more than 1-2 minutes. The tempered glass will cause heat to be trapped between the mask and your face which causes the outside of the lens to be a different temp than the inside - result is fogging.

Wear quality sunblock, especially around the area your mask will be. The sunblock will help keep the temperature down on the surface of your skin where your mask will be. This also helps equalize the temperature of the lens, lessening fogging problems.

Rinse your mask thoroughly with fresh water after use. It helps eliminate contaminants that aid to fogging problems. Your other gear should be rinsed anyway, so why not your mask too?

Follow the directions for use. The directions are there because the process has been tested and proven to work.

When in doubt, whip the "spit" out. Spitting in your mask is not always a bad idea, but you should remember that saliva has corrosive enzymes that can leave a residue on your mask after extensive anti-fog spitting.

Air dry your mask (or any gear for that matter) before you store it for ANY length of time, no matter how short.
#2636
NWKatShark - 12/30/2007 6:38 PM
Why is it that so many divers think it`s "gross" or "unsanitary" to spit in their mask, yet it`s perfectly normal to pee in their wetsuit?
#1403
RigHunter - 1/08/2008 3:14 PM
i would try to determine the source of the problem first. Ask why is it fogging up so much? The reason the mask fogs is due to oil on the lens. During the manufacturing process oil is applied which needs to be removed by things like baby shampoo, softscrub, or crest toothpaste all work pretty good. This will remove the initial oil but when your mask lens is touched or you are guilty of placing your mask on your forehead (like so many people do), then you are reapplying some oil which is causing it to fog up. Defoggers and even spit are all great but try to eliminate the source(s) of the oil as much as possible.
#807
Jimbeau - 2/17/2008 6:39 PM
i wanted to pipe in and suggest watching the way you breathe. the air coming from your nose as you exhale is far warmer than even warm water and with that kind of difference your mask will fog no matter what. its natural to breathe out of your nose without realizing it and im quite sure it is a very small amount, probably just enough to fog it and make mask squeeze almost a nonexistant problem for you.
#340
Grayfox - 3/13/2008 9:19 PM
I believe God created spit so we could defog our dive masks...that`s just my personal opinion. I found that my mask never fogs up with a good loogey. :-D
#783
romeo25411 - 3/19/2008 8:06 PM
Simple Green - it has always worked for me. It is also great for bubble checks.