How to wash a wetsuit (and get rid of the smell)
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To wash a wetsuit, rinse it inside and out in cold fresh water after every session. Every third session or so, give it a proper clean: soak it in a bucket of cool water with a wetsuit cleaner for about 15 minutes, rinse it, and hang it to dry in the shade, folded over a wide hanger at the waist.
That's the short version. Below is the whole routine, why each step matters, and the mistakes that wear a suit out early.
Why a rinse isn't enough
A fresh-water rinse gets the sand and most of the salt out. It doesn't shift what makes a suit smell. Three things stay behind in the neoprene:
- Bacteria from sweat, skin and seawater. This is the smell that turns up by Tuesday.
- Fungus, which grows in the damp seams of a suit that never fully dries.
- Salt, which dries into crystals that stiffen the neoprene and wear the stitching.
A proper wash every few sessions clears all three. It also keeps the neoprene flexible, so the suit stays warmer and lasts longer.
What you need
- A bucket, bath or large tub (about 5 litres of water is enough for one suit)
- Cool or lukewarm fresh water, never hot
- A wetsuit cleaner (washing-up liquid and laundry detergent are too harsh, more on that below)
- A wide, thick hanger, or a rail you can fold the suit over
How to wash a wetsuit, step by step
1. Rinse it straight after your session
Rinse the suit in fresh water as soon as you can, ideally before it dries. A beach shower, a hose or a bucket in the van all work. Get the inside too, since that's where the sweat is.
2. Turn it inside out
The inside is the dirtiest side and the side against your skin. Washing it inside out also keeps the outer face out of the sun when it dries later.
3. Fill a bucket with cool water
About 5 litres of fresh water, between 15 and 38°C. Cold tap water is fine. Hot water softens the glue in the seams and can make neoprene lose its stretch.
4. Add your wetsuit cleaner
With Rinsd, tip in both sachets: one Refresh, one Repel. The powder dissolves on its own. With a liquid cleaner, follow the dose on the bottle.
5. Soak for about 15 minutes
Push the suit under and swish it around so the water gets into the arms, legs and seams. Leave it to soak for around 15 minutes. Give the armpits, crotch and neck a squeeze, since those hold the most sweat.
6. Rinse it well
Rinse the suit thoroughly in fresh water to wash out the cleaner and anything it lifted.
7. Dry it in the shade
Don't wring it. Let it drip, then hang it folded over a wide hanger or rail at the waist, inside out. Hanging a wet suit by the shoulders stretches them out of shape. Keep it out of direct sun, because UV breaks down neoprene. Once the inside is dry, turn it the right way out to finish drying.
How often should you wash a wetsuit?
- After every session: a fresh-water rinse.
- Every third session or so: a proper wash with a wetsuit cleaner. Do it more often if you're in the water daily, in warm water, or if you can smell it.
- Before you store it for the winter (or summer): a full wash and a complete dry.
Can you put a wetsuit in the washing machine?
Most wetsuit makers advise against it. The spin stretches the neoprene and stresses the seams, and most detergents are too harsh. If the care label allows it, use a cold, gentle cycle with no spin and no detergent. Hand washing in a bucket takes ten minutes of actual effort and is kinder to the suit.
Can you use washing-up liquid or shampoo?
It's better not to. Washing-up liquid and laundry detergent are made to strip grease, and they can dry out neoprene over time. Hair shampoo is gentler but isn't made to deal with the bacteria that cause the smell. A wetsuit cleaner is made for neoprene. Rinsd, for example, is antibacterial to EN1276, made with 95% naturally derived ingredients, and biodegradable.
How to get the smell out of a wetsuit
If a suit already smells:
- Wash it as above, inside out, and give the soak the full time.
- Pay extra attention to the armpits, crotch and the neck seal.
- Dry it completely, inside first. A suit that goes into a bag damp will smell again by the next session.
- Keep up the routine. One deep clean fixes a smelly suit; a wash every third session stops it coming back.
Common mistakes that shorten a wetsuit's life
- Drying it in direct sun or on a radiator
- Hanging it wet on a thin wire hanger
- Leaving it in a bag or the boot overnight
- Washing it in hot water
- Using bleach, washing-up liquid or laundry detergent
- Using a tumble dryer
Looking after the zip and boots
Rinse the zip in fresh water every time, since salt crystals jam it. Boots and gloves get the same wash as the suit, and they're usually the worst for smell: soak them in the same bucket and dry them upside down so water can drain.
The Rinsd way
Rinsd is a plastic-free wetsuit cleaner from West Wales. Each wash is two pre-dosed sachets, so there's nothing to measure and no plastic bottle. A Tinny holds 8 washes for £16, about £2 a wash, and you refill it with pouches. Not sure yet? Try a one-wash sample. Surf schools and clubs can wash around 1,000 suits with the Bulk Kit.