How To Clean Your Snorkeling Equipment

Snorkeling is one of the most incredible adventures on this amazing planet! Snorkeling gear makes exploring the underwater world and all those creatures possible. It is often cheaper to purchase your own snorkeling equipment, depending on how often you will go snorkeling. Renting equipment only two times can be more expensive than buying your own mask, tube, and fins.

If you own your own snorkeling equipment, it is critical to clean and maintain it. Follow the steps below to keep your equipment in good shape and ready for every trip to enjoy the great wonders of the ocean. Learning how to clean snorkeling equipment is simple. The goal of cleaning the equipment is to remove any salt water, sand, shell fragments, seaweed, and other debris. If anything gets left on your equipment, it can build up bacteria and even ruin them.

Learning how to clean your snorkel gear and doing it after every outing will significantly extend the life of the equipment and keep you safe. At a minimum, when you are done snorkeling, rinse your gear with fresh water, then let it dry completely away from sunlight.

All snorkelers should know how to clean snorkeling equipment. Saltwater will deteriorate snorkeling equipment faster than freshwater, making it essential to clean your gear after diving in the ocean. As I said above, at a minimum, you should always rinse your equipment with fresh water and let it dry away from sunlight. Even after a freshwater dive!

Many dive spots and beaches, even boats, have a freshwater hose or shower that you could use to rinse off your gear immediately before a deeper clean at home. If you want to clean your snorkeling equipment deeper, you can soak your equipment in warm water with gentle dish soap or detergent. While under the water, use your hands and maybe a soft sponge to rub away debris. Rinse the equipment thoroughly and let it dry without sunlight.

Learning how to clean snorkel gear can be very simple. Below, we break it down based on each piece of equipment for more detailed instructions.

1. Always protect the lens on the mask to avoid scratching or damaging it, affecting your ability to see underwater.
2. Rinse your mask with fresh water as soon as possible to remove any debris or saltwater.
3. Soak your snorkeling mask in warm water with mild dish soap or a silicone-based cleaning solution. (Avoid alcohol and petrolatum) Make sure the water is not too hot. If it is, it could alter the shape of the mask.
4. Wipe the mask thoroughly, ensuring no sand or other debris is trapped anywhere under the seal or throughout the snorkel mask.
5. If you need to scrub the mask with more than your hand to clean, avoid using anything more abrasive than a soft sponge.
6. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
7. Dry with a soft towel, then let air dry completely away from sunlight.
8. Store the mask in a case away from heat and sunlight.

1. Mold and bacteria are the most common in snorkels. You must prevent growth in the snorkel tube. It can be a health hazard to breathe that in!
2. This process is very similar to the mask cleaning procedure, but it is hard to reach the inside of the tube without a specific tool. The key differences are hotter water and soaking the snorkel tube longer.
3. Rinse your mask with fresh water as soon as possible to remove any debris and saltwater. Check all the pieces and little nooks!
4. Soak your snorkeling mask in warm water with mild dish soap or detergent. You could even use vinegar and water.
5. Soak the snorkel in the solution for about 5-10 minutes.
6. To scrub away any remaining debris, you could use a toothbrush. A toothbrush will be the best for getting inside the breathing tube.
7. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
8. Dry with a soft towel, then let air dry completely away from sunlight.
9. Store the snorkel tube in a breathable bag in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

1. Rinse your fins with fresh water as soon as possible to remove any debris or saltwater. Make sure to clean out the foot pockets!
2. Soak your fins in a bucket of warm soapy water.
3. Scrub the fins with a soft sponge to clean out any remaining debris.
4. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
5. Dry with a soft towel, then let air dry completely away from sunlight. Make sure to dry the foot pockets!
6. To keep the blades of the fins in good shape, store the fins by laying them down or hanging them up away from sunlight.

If your equipment shows signs of corrosion, soak it in equal parts vinegar and water. After soaking for a few minutes, rinse everything thoroughly with fresh water. Make sure to rinse all the vinegar off!

It is critical to know how to clean your snorkeling gear. Water has various kinds of bacteria and germs that no one can see without a microscope, aside from the sand, seaweed, and other grime you can see. Even the salt water can corrode your equipment unless everything is cleaned correctly. If you maintain your snorkeling equipment, you can avoid needing new gear for a long time!