Care and Maintenance for Dive Masks

Aside from protection, a dive mask also serves as the window to a diver’s world under the ocean. So it goes without saying that it’s important to keep it in top condition at all times. If you take time to properly care for your mask, you will preserve it in years to come since it is one of those diving gears that are less affected by technological advances.

Here’s our list of tips on how to effectively care and maintain dive masks to ensure its usability for the long term.

Defogging before and after the dive

If you’re using a newly purchased mask, chances are a thin film of silicone is present which needs to be removed. It develops from the manufacturing process and is resistant to the usual anti-fog measures. How to remove it? A mild abrasive such as toothpaste can do the trick. Simply scrub the toothpaste to the lens with your fingers both inside and outside. Thoroughly rinse with clean water afterwards.

For after dive defogging, there are different agents such as alcohol and formaldehyde as well as other substances that can be used. However, be careful of these because they might damage your mask especially those parts that are made of plastic. A lot of divers attest to simply using saliva which can easily do the trick. Rub it on your mask’s lens and the fog will go away.

During the dive

When in the dive staging area, there’s a lot of risk from bigger equipment such as tanks and weight belts of being dropped. Be extra careful in handling your dive mask here. When you are about to enter the water, secure your mask in place by holding the lens properly. The direct impact of the water to the lens can be lessened as you jump and incoming waves will be deflected.

Always place your mask around the neck instead of the forehead when not in use. It is because the mask can be easily dislodged (and may even be lost) by placing it on the forehead.

Storage care tips

Avoid getting sugar donuts – a dive mask that has been left on the beach for a time and is then covered by sand all over it. It is important that this diving accessory has to be stored right after the dive. Before putting it inside its box, soak the mask in warm fresh water to shake off the salt crystals. Thoroughly rinse, towel dry and place in a cool dry place without any direct sunlight.