There are lots of ways to defog your mask.
The proper stuff
There are a lot of brands that make defogging gels, they are usually slightly thicker in consistency than baby shampoo, giving them a bit more adhesion to the lens. You generally only need a drop in each lens, and then a quick rub to spread it round to get even coverage. I haven’t found that these work any better or any worse than the cheaper alternatives in the market. What they do have in their favour is that they generally come in small bottles, making them easy to carry around with your gear.
Baby shampoo
What I love about baby shampoo, is that it works great, is cheap, and it comes in small bottles. You can either use it diluted in a spray bottle or directly on the lens, just a drop in each lens does the trick. There are a couple of benefits that I love about using baby shampoo:
- It’s cheap and easy to find in any supermarket
- It doesn’t sting your eyes
- It makes your mask smell great
- You can use it to wash yourself with as well when you’re rinsing off
If I’m diving anywhere for a long period, I’ll usually buy some, and then towards the end of my stay, I’ll start using it to wash my hair, so I use up the whole bottle.
Dishwasher paste
If you’re in Asia, then the dishwasher paste works a treat. It comes in a tub or a block. I first saw it in Thailand, where the locals were using. I’ll be the first to admit that it doesn’t look pretty however, looks aside, it works a treat. It also has the added benefit of cleaning out the build up of gunk in your mask because it is slightly abrasive. Make sure that you thoroughly rinse out your mask if you use this stuff, it wasn’t really designed for eyes.
Dishwashing liquid
Another common one is dishwashing liquid, the application is the same as baby shampoo. It is generally cheaper too, however with the downside that it isn’t as eye friendly as baby shampoo. In this particular case, I’d suggest using it diluted in a spray bottle.
Spit
As the old saying goes, “the greener, the cleaner”. You do want to make sure though that it is of a relatively good consistency, so don’t drink too much water (it’ll make your spit a bit less effective) or drink milky substances (it’ll give it a thicker but more emulsified texture) beforehand. Spit is the key, not phlegm 🙂 This is the most reliable method, and while I like using baby shampoo, spit is always there and available for you.
Licking the lens
If you can’t get enough quality spit because it’s too watery, or you’re already in the water or underwater and your mask is fogging up, you can try licking your mask. It’s not super effective but it does help a little bit.
Keep flooding and clearing
When all else fails, keep flooding your mask, swishing your head around until all the fog is clear, and then clear your mask.
Ongoing maintenance
If you’ve used your mask for a while, give it a scrub with some toothpaste or jif to remove any residue that might have built up from being in the sea, or from whatever product you’re using to regularly defog your mask.