wetsuit and chlorine

[b_andrews4]

Hi there

 

I've jst bout my first wetsuit for triathlon and was wondering hw often I can use it to train in the pool? Is the chlorine going to damage it??

[gummibear]

Yes It will perish even if you wash it and dry it.

[skatz]

Is there a salt water pool around that you can swim in? Or a dam? (like Silvermine Dam in Cape Town)

 

And/or make sure you rinse it off well after

[b_andrews4]

What's the best way to clean it after an event?? Some tap water and a hose?

[gummibear]

What's the best way to clean it after an event?? Some tap water and a hose?

 

I have always just washed it with a hose and leave it to dry in the shade.Never hang it in the sun to dry.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Wetsuits can take a lot of abuse, Yes they will eventually perish but they wont fall apart after a few dips in a chlorine pool.

 

The biggest issue with a wetsuit is salt that dries in the blown foam, this causes crystals and makes the wetsuit hard and uncomfortable, generally once you have the salt crystals in the extruded foam they cannot easily be removed, think salt water drying on your face, same thing.

 

I use my wetsuit all the time, in chlorined pools, dams and the ocean as long as you follow a few basic rules you will be fine. Wash the suit well with clean fresh water as soon as possible (from a hose is fine) after every use, then lay it down flat to dry, dont hang a wet wetsuit on a hanger or you will get points forming in the suit structure where the hanger was making contact. Once dry you can hang it up in a cool dry place. Lubricate any zippers with dry zip grease (it looks a bit like lip ice) every now and it will be just fine.

 

Every 10 or so washes soak the suit in a mild solution of warm water and wetsuit wash, if you cant get wetsuit wash use Miltons (used to clean baby bottles etc) for 30 minutes, then wash and hang as usual. The Wetsuit wash / Miltons removes that neoprene smell and softens the material again.