Here are all the things you can do to take care of your wetsuits:
- After every session, rinse it with fresh water to remove the corrosive saltwater.
- Avoid putting it on a hanger when wet to avoid it stretching out. Instead, put the wetsuit on a horizontal bar and let it dry.
- Avoid all contact with the sun while drying to prevent it from becoming cardboard-like and stiff.
- Avoid all contact with hot water to prevent the suit’s seams from deteriorating and further prevent seam splitting.
- If your wetsuit has a back zipper, try your best to prevent the velcro from coming in contact with the wetsuit, as this will peel the jersey off the neoprene.
- Once the wetsuit begins to smell a little stinky, as all eventually do, clean it thoroughly by adding a small drop of vinegar & (preferably) an eco-friendly soft sensitive laundry detergent to a bucket of fresh cold water.
These are the most important steps to take care of your wetsuit. However, if you get a rip in your suit, you can always fix it with dental floss and some neoprene cement (you can find this in most surf shops). It’s also important to remember that most wetsuits have one-year warranty protection against manufacturer defects, so if something weird happens, feel free to ask a surf shop near you if it’s covered by warranty.
Also For more tips & tricks on how to take care of your surf gear go check out: Tips from the Experts: Surfing Equipment Maintenance and Storage (porch.com)