Congratulations on purchasing a new mask! It’s always an exciting purchase! The new innovations of modern masks are so cool and make for some really beautiful and comfortable experiences in the water! Now just make sure your mask is pre-treated prior to using for the first time.
When masks are created they are coated with a silicone layer in the manufacturing process. That silicone layer, if not removed, will resist antifogging techniques, and you will experience the frustrating fog while diving or snorkelling.
To achieve a clear mask while diving there are a couple of steps you need to take. These are all as important as each other and time and care need to be taken to completely defog your mask.
Step 1- Pre-Treat Your Mask
Find yourself a very light abrasive, like a a non gel or non whitening toothpaste, or something like Jif. There are also pretreatment mask cleaning products available for this specific purpose.
Drop a pea sized amount onto the inside of each lens when they are dry. Then, with your finger, scrub the paste around the inside of the lenses, you want to be firm and thorough, getting in all the nooks and crannies of the glass. Don’t worry, you are not going to scratch the glass!
You want to rub the lenses for 5 minutes and you want to hear a squeaking sound when rubbing, rinse it out well, dry the lenses then do it again! You want to repeat this process 2 or 3 times. This is scrubbing the silicone layer off the inside of the lenses, and will stop the mask from fogging up.
If you are worried about scratching the mask (if its tempered glass I promise you won’t) you can also use dishwashing soap- you will have to apply more pressure and scrub for longer to achieve the same results
Avoid using abrasive on lenses with a special coating or tint like the Paragon or the Zensee Pro, please refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for advice for those masks
Step 2- Use an Antifog Before Your Dive
After you have completed your pre-treatment on your mask, be sure to use an antifog before you dive. We love the Tusa Antifog Treatment! We know people also use spit to coat the lenses, however we are not a fan of that method, because the germs in your mouth can get into your eyes, or grow in the crevices of your mask. Gross…
A commonly used item for antifog is baby shampoo! Johnsons & Johnsons Baby Shampoo is used on most tourists boats and is a fantastic option, slightly diluted or as a gel onto the lenses just before your dive.
Extra Tips
Here are some extra tips if you are still experiencing some fogging, sometimes re treating the mask can help too.
– Avoid too much nose breathing, your warm breath can evaporate the antifog layer and create fogging.
– Wash your mask with freshwater after every use and store in cool, dry, dark place out of direct sunlight.
– If unused for a long time, re-treat your mask using this method as dirt and grime can accumulate on the lenses.
– We recommend NOT burning the mask to remove the silicone layer, its too risky and can sometimes, if done incorrectly, make the fogging problem worst.
– Only do this method on tempered glass masks (almost all masks are except full face masks like the Duke and some basic masks like the Moon Mask)
– Make sure your mask fits you properly and doesn’t leak, if too much water enters the mask and runs over the lenses it can wash off the antifog you have applied.
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