How to Defog a Diving Mask
While there are a few high-tech solutions to this problem, most people rely on this preventive technique that has been around for decades.
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Instructions
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Dip your mask in the water to rinse it out. Empty as much of the water from the mask as possible.
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Spit into the inside of the mask.
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With your fingers, rub the spit over the inside surface of the lens. Dip the mask again briefly, then empty it as much as possible.
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Avoid exhaling into the mask as you put it on. Your breath can fog the lens.
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Tips & Warnings
If spitting in your mask doesn't appeal to you, you can buy an anti-fogging solution at most dive shops.
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mroseman
Aug 12, 2008
Remove factory film on new mask with toothpaste, as described by others here or the manufacturer. Several treatments may be required! Make sure mask and skin on face are squeaky clean--free of oils and sunscreen. (Something volatile in sunscreen fogs glass.) Clean the entire inside of the mask--rubber and glass--with dishsoap and water until the whole inside is SQUEAKY clean. Make sure to use squeaky clean fingers for all operations. Let mask air dry. Just before use, apply a lot of spit, rub into the glass with clean fingers. Rinse excess spit out only once with a minimum amount of water; the idea is to leave a clear film of wet spit on the glass. Put mask on immediately. Do not let it sit in the air where the film can dry out. When diving, do not exhale through nose. -
mroseman
Aug 12, 2008
Remove factory film on new mask with toothpaste, as described by others here or the manufacturer. Several treatments may be required! Make sure mask and skin on face are squeaky clean--free of oils and sunscreen. (Something volatile in sunscreen fogs glass.) Clean the entire inside of the mask--rubber and glass--with dishsoap and water until the whole inside is SQUEAKY clean. Make sure to use squeaky clean fingers for all operations. Let mask air dry. Just before use, apply a lot of spit, rub into the glass with clean fingers. Rinse excess spit out only once with a minimum amount of water; the idea is to leave a clear film of wet spit on the glass. Put mask on immediately. Do not let it sit in the air where the film can dry out. When diving, do not exhale through nose.
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mroseman
Aug 12, 2008
Remove factory film with toothpaste, as described by others, or as recommended by the manufacturer. Several cleanings may be required! After that, make sure inside of mask--rubber and glass--and the skin on your face are completely free of oils and sunscreen; something volatile in sunscreen evaporates from surfaces and fogs glass. Wash face squeaky clean. Use dishsoap and water to get rubber and glass of mask SQUEAKY clean. Use squeaky clean fingers for the job. Let mask air dry. Apply a lot of spit to the glass, and rub it in (again, with squeaky clean fingers). Rinse mask only once, gently, with very little water so as to leave a thin clear film of wet spit on the glass. Put mask on immediately. Do not let it sit around in the air or the film will dry out and ruin defogging properties. When diving, do not exhale through nose.
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mroseman
Aug 12, 2008
Remove factory film with toothpaste, as described by others, or as recommended by the manufacturer. Several cleanings may be required! After that, make sure inside of mask--rubber and glass--and the skin on your face are completely free of oils and sunscreen; something volatile in sunscreen evaporates from surfaces and fogs glass. Wash face squeaky clean. Use dishsoap and water to get rubber and glass of mask SQUEAKY clean. Use squeaky clean fingers for the job. Let mask air dry. Apply a lot of spit to the glass, and rub it in (again, with squeaky clean fingers). Rinse mask only once, gently, with very little water so as to leave a thin clear film of wet spit on the glass. Put mask on immediately. Do not let it sit around in the air or the film will dry out and ruin defogging properties. When diving, do not exhale through nose.
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chaos
Dec 15, 2006
When I worked at a dive shop, we used soft scrub to remove the manufacturing film. Then the spray bottle of baby shampoo/water for a quick defog.
