How To Look After Your Wetsuit | Wash And Store Your Wetsuit Correctly

Your wetsuit is likely to be your most expensive piece of triathlon kit after your bike, but do you know how to care for it properly? Heather explains how to wash, dry and store your wetsuit to prolong its life!
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Your wetsuit is an expensive piece of kit so you want to make it last as long as possible. There are several things you can do to prolong the life of your neoprene suit:
Wash your wetsuit - rinse with lukewarm water and remove any dirt when the wetsuit is still wet (this makes it much easier). You should also rinse your wetsuit after swimming in a pool as chlorine isn't good for your suit. After this let your wetsuit dry naturally out of sunlight and away from too much heat such as a radiator.
Store your wetsuit - store your wetsuit in a dry place. Either hang your wetsuit over a hanger with a straight bar or fold it as shown by Heather and this will prevent too many creases forming and will ensure your wetsuit is in good condition when you go it it next summer!
If you have any tips for looking after a wetsuit then add them in the comments below 👇
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Jungle Blue - Daniel Gunnarsson
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[@gtn]

At what point in the year do you put your wetsuit away for winter? ❄️

[@samw156]

Global Triathlon Network normally around the end of September, season's over for me at that point and by then the water gets too cold to swim anyways in the Netherlands

[@kevp68]

For me winter is wetsuit season...

[@MK-je7kz]

Amateur top tip: Don't buy 400 euro tri-wetsuit, but 50 euro snorkeling suit, so you don't have to stress about damaging it. Yes, snorkeling suit doesn't have fancy smooth skin, but it floats the same and it's stretchy enough. I have used mine for years and it has worked just fine. I'm not a pro, far from it, so the time I lose while swimming is negligible. It's like not buying deep section aero wheels. Actually I would like to see a test that proves me right or wrong. How much time do you lose with non-fancy wetsuit? And predict, that the less smoothly you can swim, the less a good suit benefits you.

[@JustinDoesTriathlon]

After moving to the South, it's more like "When do I even need this thing?!"

[@petemesner1745]

As soon as my last race is over I clean it, dry it, and put it away for next season. Laid out flat between sheets under my bed.

[@oldschoolwaverider]

As someone who has surfed for more than 25 years, I have always left mine hanging in the wardrobe on a WIDE PLASTIC hanger same as any other piece of clothing. I also wouldn't advise rinsing it in the bath as sand tends to collect in the pipes eventually causing a blockage.

[@L0e0e0L]

Surfing wetsuits have thicker shoulder parts. With triathlon/OW wetsuits its better hang it on waist, so the shoulderpart wont stretch too much

[@charliems7050]

Mladen Simovic agree totally. Dry inside out since outside is rubberised. Quicker it dries the less the bacteria will build and make is smell. Make sure totally bone dry before packing for winter our you’ll find mould on it in the spring. Also can treat occasionally with special antibacterial/ anti-odour soak. One in the UK literally called Piss Off.

[@DeanPattrick]

My Snugg wetsuit is 28 years old and still in use. Been doing what you have mentioned all these years. Only other tip is if you are using Vaseline on the wrists and ankles, make sure to fully remove any residue

[@kalui96]

I did not know they last that long. Respect

[@sergej23kv]

Drying should be done with suit inside out because it will dry faster. Suit soaks with water from inside surface.

[@franzvanderkraan7583]

For travel and short-term storage: once completely dry, I Roll a towel up WITH the wetsuit, after turning the wetsuit inside out (to safeguard the outer skin). This ensures IF I've missed moisture, the towel with suck it up.

[@Goil44]

You can also roll it around your foam roll. No folding needed

[@gtn]

We like this idea... although that does mean an excuse not to use your foam roller!

[@petemesner1745]

I like to store my clean, dry wetsuit laid out perfectly flat, sandwiched between two sheets under my bed. It's safe, not folded or creased, and kept in a clean, dark space.

[@manuelcalleja92]

now we need a video on how to store it without having everything else in the closet smell like neoprene

[@remnant1018]

I bought heavy duty hangers (which are super thick). I hang my wetsuits up like I’d hang up a shirt, lay them face down, fold the arms back (like you did), and then roll the wetsuit up from the ankles to the bottom of the hanger. I have multiple wetsuits, so after I’ve rolled them all up, I store them in a large plastic-ish laundry bag (I’m not sure what it’s made of, but it feels like tough fibrous plastic) with the hanger hooks at the top just below the zipper. The suits naturally unroll just enough so they’re not creased. I store the bag in my attic. I just pulled them out since storing them last summer. They have no folds, stretches, or tears. :-)

[@toddholmes1719]

Same as if you have to fold a dress suit, roll up smaller items (socks, t-shirt, etc) and place them inside the wetsuit folds. That will help to prevent any sharp creases.

[@gtn]

Nice idea Todd!

[@jeanbh96]

great video and tips! Thanks a lot!!!

[@raghvendrajhala988]

How about instead of folding it (for storage in bag) why not roll it up into round pillow kind ??

[@vivianmaxwell3776]

Thanks

[@tamisvenson1853]

😊 109 dunkin' way in roseville One or not I'm ducking away in Roseville. And send it 2109 delta way in large field

[@Erik_077]

i use mine for sailing the only bad thing about it that i have to put on protectiv pants which are extremly difficult to put on because of the sticky surface

[@dyamoy]

How to look after and store other triathlon equipment please! Goggles, swim caps, helmets, bikes, bike maintenance, etc

[@jeremyherrero9247]

Wow what’s that intro song? It’s different from the one in the description.

[@jillo8978]

Great channel. Many similar and nice channels in my country (France). But I prefer to watch you : i can improve my triathlon practice and... my English practice in the same time! "Une pierre deux coups" like we say in French! (=kill 2 birds with one stone). Thanks a lot my British friends :-) Just a final question : I've heard about using kinds of "rolls" to fold my wet suit up. What's your advice about that? :-)

[@stinald]

No dusting with talcum powder needed?

[@andrewmackenzie6979]

I put plumbers foam insulation pipe around my hangers to keep it rounded.

[@gtn]

Nice tip!

[@rebecascorner]

@@gtn Would swim noodles do?

[@hig3337]

Rebeca R, swim noodles are great. I also use a swim noodle suspended on a broom handle over the bath to rinse and dry my wetsuits.

[@spooninspain]

i do this also put it on my washing line when drying

[@ozan3076]

Is that polar multisport?

[@nathanielcashell]

How do I get creases out of my wetsuit if I didn't store it properly the last time?

[@gangstalove9418]

Nathaniel Cashell iron it with a cold iron :)

[@MrDandelio]

I usually put in in a short cycle cold wash ( water only) , medium spin…what do u think ?

[@bharatthapa2736]

Can I machine wash?

[@3kingsadventures]

Get your team GB bag out !

[@2222harrys]

But what about folding an 3/4 wetsuit ?

[@gtn]

You should be able to do this in a similar way by following the natural folds of the wetsuit.

[@tlove9125]

Is there a difference between wetsuits for surfing and wetsuits for triathlons?

[@celchapman]

Tony Dunne from my looking into buying one, tri wetsuits tend to be designed in panels and have different thicknesses in different areas for maximum movement. Surf ones have less movement in the arms and tend to be thicker overall

[@PorscheCaymanB]

Absolutely a triathlon wetsuit it's a lot more flexible. I made the mistake of buying a surfing wetsuit for my first triathlon and could barely move

[@celchapman]

Ive so far stored mine hung on a hanger like you would hang a shirt - with the hanger inside the neck/shoulders - could this stretch the area and am i better folding it over the hanger instead?

[@cheyennefortier1268]

This could stretch and rip the material in the shoulder area and reduse the time that you can wear it, I recommend hanging it flat like they showed.

[@oldschoolwaverider]

I have stored my surfing wetsuits the same way for 25+ years without any problems, but they are 6/5/4.

[@Symbioticism]

"I like to keep my folded wetsuit in my team GB olympic bag" 8| Damn Heather...

[@JustinDoesTriathlon]

Oh man, this is a good video. I may or may not have (but definitely did) destroy the first wetsuit I owned because I didn't know how to take care of it. Oops. 😅

[@user-wi1zb8vy3l]

must use a wetsuit cleaner i think.....i use the orca wetsuit cleaner .the best solution for .the salt from sea

[@anderslew]

Roll it to store it = no fold = no stretch.

[@greyrainbow9534]

My go pro is my most expensive item in my kit bag

[@stanleyhipkiss4690]

Must have a shitty wetsuit then

[@1989srjones]

Problem with storing it in a wardrobe is it makes the other clothes next to it smell like wetsuit

[@gtn]

Who doesn't like the smell of neoprene?!!

[@celchapman]

My dhb one was wrapped in hemp so anything near it smells like, well...weed

[@the23rdshadowdragon]

0.17. I disagree. The bike, wheels etc is WAY more expensive!

[@gtn]

You can't fit a bike in your kit bag though? 🤔 But yes the bike generally going to be much more expensive!