How To Clean Your Rental Scuba Gear

Exposure Gear

Properly cleaning your rental gear is very important because it ensures that the equipment you use will last longer and remain odor free. To clean neoprene (wetsuit, boots, gloves, vests, and hoods) you will want to undo all the zippers and velcro and soak in cold or lukewarm fresh water (hot water can cause the neoprene to lose flexibility) with a mild solution of baking soda, small amount of a mild dish soap, or wetsuit shampoo as soon as you can. Gently massage your gear, scrub zippers and velcro patches with a toothbrush, work the zipper up and down to dislodge any dirt, and then let soak for about 30 minutes. Turn the suit inside out and let soak for an additional 30 minutes. Hang wetsuits and additional gear on thick hangers to dry with zippers open. Store in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight.

Regulator

Rinsing a regulator with fresh water after a dive is necessary, even after a swimming pool or fresh water dive. While sea water contains salt crystals and sand particles that can cause corrosion, swimming pools have chlorine and acids. Before rinsing a regulator, make sure the dust cap is clean, dry and secured over the first stage inletThe dust cap is called a dust cap for a reason, it is watertight, not waterproof, so do not submerge and soak this part. If the water is a bit warm (not hot) it speeds-up the cleaning process and breakdown of materials that cause potential corrosion. Finally, allow the regulator to hang dry completely before storing.

BCD

First, dump any remaining water from the dive out by pulling the dump valve located in the back of the BCD and squeezing down on the vest, or by holding the BCD upside down, depressing the deflator button and draining through the hose. Next, Rinse the outside of your BCD thoroughly, especially between all of the folds, pockets, buckles and velcro.  Run a hose over the entire BCD for a few minutes, spraying all over, or dunking it in a freshly filled rinse bucket. While your BCD is in the rinse tub, or while you are running water continuously over it, work all of your BCD's buttons such as the inflator and deflator buttons, front and rear dump valves, and any other valves or buttons you may have on your BCD. While pressing the deflator button on your BCD, run fresh water into your inflator hose, down the hose and into the bladder inside your BCD. Finally, swish the water around that you hosed into the inner bladder and dump it out again. Orally inflate your BCD and hang it up to dry in a cool, shaded area, preferably on a BCD hanger.