How to Care for a Wetsuit After Use September 2026

After 12 years of surfing, diving, and triathlon coaching, I have seen wetsuits die in six months and I have seen the same suit last ten seasons. The difference is almost never the brand or the price. It is the five minutes of care that happen after the last wave. This guide is the exact routine I teach new paddlers at our shop, and it covers every step of how to care for a wetsuit after use, from the moment you peel it off to the day you tuck it away for winter.

If you treat neoprene right, it stays flexible, warm, and odor-free for years. If you ignore it, salt crystals slowly eat the seams, UV rays break down the rubber, and a damp suit grows mildew that no amount of washing ever fully removes. The good news is that proper wetsuit maintenance is fast, cheap, and almost impossible to mess up once you know the few rules that matter.

Why Wetsuit Care Matters: Extend the Life of Your Neoprene

Neoprene is a closed-cell foam rubber. Saltwater, chlorine, urine, sunscreen, and sunlight all attack those closed cells. Once the cells collapse or tear, the suit loses insulation, flexibility, and water resistance. According to brands like Rip Curl and Blueseventy, a well-cared-for wetsuit lasts 5 to 10 years. A neglected one rarely makes it past 2.

That is a difference of several hundred pounds if you paddle often. Caring for a wetsuit after use is not a chore; it is the cheapest insurance you can buy for a piece of kit that costs more than most weekend trips. The handful of habits below are everything I do after every session, and they take less time than drying my hair.

Rinse Your Wetsuit Immediately After Every Use

Why Fresh Water Beats Saltwater

Salt is the silent killer of neoprene. When seawater dries on your suit, the salt crystallises inside the seams, around the zipper teeth, and in the stitching holes. Over time, those crystals cut through glue and thread the same way sugar cuts through a marshmallow. A fresh water rinse washes the salt away before it has a chance to settle.

If you are inland, chlorine and minerals in pool water do similar damage. Either way, the rule is identical: fresh water, every time, as soon as you are out of the water.

The Right Way to Rinse

1. Shake the suit over a drain to remove loose sand, grit, and excess water.
2. Turn the wetsuit inside out so the inside gets rinsed too. Salt and sweat both build up against your skin.
3. Run cool fresh water over the entire suit, inside and out, paying extra attention to the zipper, collar, cuffs, and underarm panels.
4. Gently squeeze (do not wring) the water out. Wringing stretches neoprene out of shape.

A shower, garden hose, or outdoor rinse station all work. Avoid hot water, even if your shoulders are cold; heat breaks down the glue and shortens the suit's life dramatically. This is the single most important step in how to care for a wetsuit after use, and skipping it is the most common mistake I see on the changing room floor.

Deep Cleaning Your Wetsuit: Methods That Actually Work

Specialized Wetsuit Shampoo

A simple fresh water rinse is enough after most casual sessions, but every 4 to 6 uses, or whenever the suit starts to feel stiff or smell funky, you need a proper wash. Wetsuit shampoo is formulated to be tough on salt, body oils, and bacteria without stripping the neoprene. A small bottle lasts a full season for most paddlers.

To deep clean, fill a clean bucket or bathtub with cool fresh water, add the recommended dose of wetsuit shampoo, and submerge the suit fully. Let it soak for 15 to 30 minutes, then gently knead the fabric (do not scrub, twist, or brush it). Drain the soapy water, refill with clean cool water, and rinse until no suds remain.

If you are shopping for one, our roundup of the 8 best wetsuit shampoos breaks down the top options for different budgets.

Can You Use Dawn Dish Soap?

This is the most asked question on surf forums, and the answer is more nuanced than most guides admit. Yes, a tiny amount of original blue Dawn dish soap is safe on neoprene in a pinch. It is a degreaser, so it lifts body oils effectively, and it rinses clean. However, it is not ideal for regular use because it can dry out the neoprene over time and leave a slick residue if you do not rinse thoroughly.

My take: if you are at a rented holiday cottage and forgot your wetsuit shampoo, a few drops of Dawn in a bucket will not ruin your suit. But for regular wetsuit maintenance, a proper wetsuit cleaner is gentler, and your suit will thank you for it in year three. The slipperiness users complain about on forums almost always comes from not rinsing well enough, not from the soap itself.

DIY Alternatives: Baby Shampoo and Vinegar

If you would rather not buy a dedicated cleaner, two household options work well. A teaspoon of plain, unscented baby shampoo in a bucket of cool water is the classic surf-school hack, gentle enough for regular use and easy to rinse. A quarter-cup of white vinegar added to the rinse water neutralises odour-causing bacteria and helps remove mineral buildup, which is especially useful if you paddle in hard-water areas.

Avoid bleach, fabric softener, washing-up liquid with added moisturisers, and any detergent that foams heavily. All of these strip neoprene or leave residue that traps bacteria. If you are unsure, the bottle that says "wetsuit" or "neoprene" on it is always the safest bet.

How to Dry a Wetsuit the Right Way

Always Dry in the Shade

UV light is neoprene's worst enemy. Direct sunlight breaks down the rubber, fades the colour, and makes the suit stiff within a single summer of regular exposure. Always hang your wetsuit to dry in the shade, in a spot with good airflow. A covered porch, a garage with the door open, or a shaded corner of the garden are all perfect.

Many paddlers hang their suit over a wide railing or a thick clothesline. Avoid thin wire hangers or sharp edges, which can leave permanent creases in the neoprene. If you are travelling, draping the suit over the back of two chairs works just as well.

Flip It Inside Out and Back Again

Yes, you are supposed to dry a wetsuit inside out, then flip it right-side-out partway through. Drying inside out first lets the inner lining, which holds sweat and bacteria, get full airflow. Once that side is mostly dry, flip the suit so the outer neoprene dries too. This two-stage method prevents the damp, musty smell that happens when moisture gets trapped against the lining.

How Long Does It Take to Dry?

Most wetsuits take 12 to 24 hours to dry completely, depending on humidity, airflow, and suit thickness. A 3/2mm summer suit in a breezy shaded spot can be ready by morning. A 5/4mm winter suit in a humid garage can take a full day. The suit is fully dry when the inside feels room-temperature to the touch and there is no cool, damp patch near the seams.

Never put a wetsuit in a tumble dryer, on a radiator, or in front of a heater. The heat will delaminate the panels, melt the glue, and ruin the suit in one cycle. Patience is the whole game here.

Wetsuit Storage: Short-Term and Long-Term Best Practices

Use a Wide Hanger, Not a Wire One

Once the suit is bone-dry, store it on a wide, sturdy plastic or padded hanger that supports the shoulders. A regular wire clothes hanger will stretch the shoulders out of shape over time, leaving you with a suit that pools at the waist. If you do not have a proper wetsuit hanger, lay the suit flat in a drawer or on a shelf, folded loosely.

For the best options, our guide to the 8 best wetsuit hangers covers everything from travel-friendly designs to heavy-duty wooden ones.

Storing a Wetsuit Long-Term Between Seasons

For end-of-season storage, give the suit one final clean, let it dry completely (this is non-negotiable), and then store it flat or on a wide hanger in a cool, dry, dark place. A breathable cotton storage bag is ideal. Avoid plastic bags, airtight bins, and car boots; all of them trap moisture and lead to mildew.

If you only get the suit out a couple of times a year, refold it every few weeks so the same creases do not become permanent. A little white lithium grease on the zipper teeth before storage keeps them from seizing up over winter.

Common Wetsuit Care Mistakes to Avoid

• Putting it in the washing machine. The agitator tears neoprene, snaps stitching, and destroys zippers. Hand wash only.
• Using hot water. Anything above lukewarm damages glue and elasticity. Cool or cold water is always correct.
• Drying in direct sunlight. UV degrades neoprene fast. Shade, every time.
• Leaving it in a wet bag or car boot. Stagnant dampness is the fastest route to mildew and a smell you cannot fix.
• Wringing water out. Twisting stretches the suit. Roll it gently in a dry towel and press instead.
• Storing it damp. Even a slightly damp suit will grow mildew within a week. Make sure it is 100 percent dry before it goes away.

None of these mistakes are obvious to a beginner, and almost every paddler I coach has done at least one of them in their first year. Avoiding them is half the battle in learning how to care for a wetsuit after use.

Caring for Wetsuit Accessories: Boots, Gloves, and Hoods

Most guides stop at the suit, but your boots, gloves, and hood need the same love, especially the boots, which are the smelliest piece of gear in the kit. The routine is the same: rinse in cool fresh water after every session, deep clean every few weeks, dry fully in the shade, and store loosely (never folded flat, which cracks the soles).

For boots in particular, an antibacterial spray or a sprinkle of bicarbonate of soda inside while they dry keeps the funk under control. If you are buying new kit, our list of the 8 best wetsuit boots highlights the models that hold up longest to heavy use.

Gloves and hoods dry faster than the main suit but should never go in a hot tumble dryer or hung over a radiator. Lay them flat on a towel in the shade and they will be ready by morning.

Zipper Maintenance and Odor Elimination

Keeping the Zipper Smooth and Rust-Free

YKK zippers are the standard on most quality wetsuits, and they last for years if you rinse them after every session and treat them gently. After rinsing, run your finger along the teeth to dislodge any salt or sand, then zip and unzip a few times to work water out of the mechanism. A paraffin wax crayon rubbed along the teeth, or a spritz of zipper lubricant, keeps things sliding smoothly.

Never force a stuck zipper. If it jams, work it back and forth gently with one hand supporting the fabric behind it. Yanking is the number-one cause of zipper failure and is not covered under most warranties.

How to Reset a Wetsuit That Already Smells

If your suit has already developed that sharp ammonia smell, a standard rinse will not fix it. The bacteria have settled into the neoprene cells. The reset method that works for me: fill a bathtub with cool water, add a generous glug of wetsuit shampoo (or a few drops of Dawn in a pinch), and submerge the suit fully overnight. Drain, rinse twice with clean water, then add a quarter-cup of white vinegar to the final rinse.

Hang to dry in the shade, inside out, for 24 hours. If the smell persists after one treatment, repeat once. If it is still there after two treatments, the suit is probably on its last legs; bacteria have colonised deep in the foam and no cleaning will fully remove it.

Signs It's Time to Replace Your Wetsuit

Even with perfect care, wetsuits do not last forever. Replace yours if you notice any of these: neoprene that has gone paper-thin in high-flex areas (behind the knees, under the arms), tape delaminating from the seams, a zipper that will not stay up or slides open on its own, persistent dampness even when fully dry (meaning the cells have collapsed), or cold water flushing through the suit during sessions.

A quality suit with light weekly use can last 5 to 8 years. Daily use or heavy commercial wear (instructors, lifeguards) usually means 3 to 5 years. Comparing your options for a fresh start? Our comparison of kayaking wetsuit vs. drysuit explains when it makes sense to switch suit types altogether.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts: A 5-Minute Routine That Saves You Hundreds

That is everything I have learned in over a decade of teaching wetsuit care. The actual routine is shorter than this guide: rinse in fresh water, dry in the shade inside-out then right-side-out, deep clean every few weeks, store flat or on a wide hanger. Five minutes, every time, no exceptions. If you do that, your wetsuit will outlast your wetsuit boots, your fins, and probably your car.

For paddlers who want to go a step further, our guide on what to wear under a wetsuit for kayaking covers how base layers and rash vests affect cleaning frequency too. Looking after the suit is the easy part. Looking after the kit that goes under it is what keeps every session comfortable.

Take care of your neoprene in 2026 and it will take care of you for many seasons to come. The water is always waiting.