Salt water slowly degrades wetsuits, drysuits and swimwear, fading the colours, reducing the material’s resilience and building up smells from mildew and mould. Nor is the sea the only threat to neoprene fragrance, as divers will be aware.
British-based aftercare solutions manufacturer Grangers says it has created an eco-friendly solution called Wetsuit Wash to remove stains and odour from neoprene-based and similar items and keep them fresh and durable.
After pouring a capful of Wetsuit Wash into 8-10 litres of water the item is soaked for 30 minutes before rinsing through and allowing to dry.
Grangers says that Wetsuit Wash is bluesign-approved, indicating a standard that, instead of focusing on testing the finished product, analyses every element from raw materials to chemical components before production even begins. “This accreditation means you can rest assured that Granger’s products are cleaner, safer and more environmentally responsible,” says the manufacturer.
Its containers are made from 100% recycled single-use materials such as the plastics drink bottles usually disposed of in landfill sites, says Grangers, and they are said to take 60% less energy to produce.
Grangers, which has been in business since 1937, says it has recently entered into a three-year partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to provide its kit protection for all-weather lifeboat crews.
Grangers Wetsuit Wash is priced at £9.95 for a 500ml bottle.
Also on Divernet: HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR WETSUIT, CHOOSING THE BEST SCUBA DIVING WETSUIT: TIPS AND TRICKS, WETSUIT THICKNESS AND TEMPERATURE GUIDE
