The new year has already started, and many of you would be making plans to explore new a snorkel site. With hundreds of miles of the seaside, beautiful coral reefs, Florida snorkel is going to be this year’s most popular destination. Every diver knows that there is only one thing that could ruin his snorkeling experience- to have a foggy mask. Usually, this does not happen when you are using an anti-fog mask. But many of the famous brands do not really put effort into anti-fog snorkeling masks. So, you have to deal with it by yourself.
Don’t forget that mask fogging is not only a disturbance in view but a massive risk for the diver. If you experience fogging during a dive, here are a few things that can help you.
- A few drops of baby shampoo
- Saliva from your mouth
- Commercial de-fogging agents
- A small amount of any toothpaste
- Washing liquid
- Fresh potatoes juice
- Flaming
- Glycerin soaps
But before going into details of these, let's understand why does the mask fog in the first place.
Reason Behind the Mask to Fog Up
Humid air contains small water droplets in it. When this air reaches a surface that is colder than air’s temperature, the process of condensation changes these tiny water particles into a fog. Fog formation is a natural process, and it typically shows up on house windows when the outer temperature drops, and the inner temperature remains higher. Just like this, fog can also be formed inside a snorkeling mask, which not only hinders the vision but may also call for an accident during the snorkeling. So whenever you plan a trip, make sure to check the water temperature of your desired snorkel site.
What to Do If Your Mask Fogs?
You would be amazed to know that the snorkeling mask gets foggy when you don’t properly clean it. That’s right. The dirt particles help the water drops to cool down and condense, thus forming fog. They provide attachment sites for the water molecules, and this way, the fog is created inside the snorkeling mask. So one way to prevent the mask from fogging is to clean it before planning a trip properly.
How to Stop the Snorkel Mask From Fogging Up?
Here are eight ways to stop fogging during snorkeling.
1.The Baby Shampoo Trick
Use a few drops of baby shampoo inside the mask to prevent fogging. Just take some of the shampoo on your hand and rub it on to the inner side of the mask lens softly. Rinse the extra shampoo and clean the lens with water or wipes. Be careful to rinse it as any shampoo residue may irritate your eyes while snorkeling.
Baby shampoos are mild, hypoallergic, and mild on skin and eyes. That’s why it is a good alternative of the commercially available cleaners.
2.The Traditional Saliva Trick
Use your saliva or spit to clean the lens and stop defogging. This works exactly the same as the baby shampoo but doesn’t need anything extra. It may sound gross, but when there is nothing that could help you, this trick would be your savior. Don’t forget to rinse the mask with water after spitting and clean it. If you won’t clean it, your mask would still get foggy and trouble you.
3.The Commercial Defogging Cleansers
You can also buy a commercial cleaner that is specially designed for defogging. It comes in a handy bottle, and all you need to do is to spray it on to the lens and rinse the excessive product. But don’t completely rinse it off and leave a thin layer on the lens. Unlike other products, this defogging agent “needs” to stay on the else so that it can do its de-fogging effect.
4.The Good Old Toothpaste Trick
Toothpaste is an amazing home-based trick to clean a snorkel mask. It is suggested to clean a mask with toothpaste before going on a trip, even if you are using a brand-new mask, toothpaste trick can save you from lots of troubles. Rub a little amount of toothpaste inside the mask glass and clean it with water. Greatever snorkel anti-fog, wide view masks are one of the top choices for all adventurous people.
They make both adult sets and kids snorkel sets that include masks too. So pick the one that fits you best. Bonus- you may not even need to clean them before snorkeling because they use the superior grade material to make these snorkeling gears. The anti-glare and anti-fog lens of their masks prevents any disturbance and hinderance while diving, which is why they are our top choice for a snorkel trip to West Florida.
5.The Washing Liquid Trick
Less popular as compared to the rest, but the washing liquid works the same way on the lens as the baby shampoo and toothpaste trick. Take a few drops of washing liquid on your hand and gently rub them onto the inside of the mask, on the lens. Clean it thoroughly, and once done, rinse it with water and dry it.
Using washing liquid requires extra care; like baby shampoo, it is not hypoallergic, and it may cause a severe problem if it gets into your eyes. So be very careful with using washing liquid to stop fogging on the mask lens.
6.The Easy Potatoes Juice Trick
An easy life hack of cleaning the mask to prevent fog formation is to use potato juice on it. Yes, you have read it right. As interesting as it may sound, potato juice has a unique benefit on cleaning the surfaces and make them brighter. For trying this, take a potato and cut it into thin slices and rub it inside the mask on the lens. It would clean the glass but leave a small layer on it to prevent fog. Rinse it thoroughly, and you are good to go for a fog-free dive.
7.The Famous Flaming Trick
Flaming the lens is a popular, yet dangerous trick to clean the lens. You can use the tip of a flame on to the lens until it turns dark. Let it cool for some minutes. Clean it with a soft cloth after it cools down and repeat this process two or three times. The flame will kill all precipitates that could create fog. Use a lighter or a tapered candle for this purpose, and you are good to go. Make sure that don't overheat the glass. Also, do not use this on the plastic lens; they will melt.
8.The Glycerin Soap Trick
You can use any glycerin-based soap to clean the plastic lens. Any soap would act like an anti-fogging agent to clean the snorkel mask before applying it. Like washing liquid, take extra care while using soap to clean the mask. Any remains of the soap inside the mask may reach your eyes and hurt them.
Recommendations to Prevent Fogging
If you are about to use your snorkel mask in cold waters, they are much likely to fog. As the temperature drops below 18 degrees, the fog would start to appear on the lens. The anti-fog masks are helpful in this case but also try to use the up-listed tricks to eliminate the chance of fogging completely. Lenses of snorkel masks are not made of tempered glass, like that of any regular lens. Instead, they are made of a superior grade, clear plastic. Don’t overuse any cleaning product on the lens, as it may damage it ultimately. Also, this plastic lens is more prone to scratching, so clean them with a gentle hand.
Should You Clean a Brand-New Mask Too?
If you want a one-word answer to this question, it is YES. But to clean the new mask, the best is to use toothpaste or flame. However, this would not be necessary if you buy a good quality, anti-fog mask such as Greatever’s snorkel masks.
These masks provide 180-degree, full panoramic view, and give room to breathe. They are best for snorkeling as well as scuba diving. If you are planning to explore West Florida, try these professional gears from Greatever to make your experience memorable.
That’s all from our side.
We believe that you have enjoyed reading this article and learned some new ways to stop your snorkel mask from fogging up. Don’t forget to tell us about which of the up-listed tricks worked best for you. Also, share your photos from your favorite snorkel site, especially if you are exploring Florida Snorkel.
If you need more information on snorkel gears, feel free to share it in the comments below. Also, read our other articles on best snorkel site, starter’s guide on snorkeling, basic snorkeling gears, and whatnot.
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Be safe, and enjoy your dive!
