Wetsuit Repair and Care

Learn how to properly clean, repair, and care for your neoprene apparel and wetsuits.

Care of Wetsuits and Other Neoprene Items

• After use, rinse in fresh water and air dry before storage. This is particularly important if items have been used in a chlorinated swimming pool. Chlorine is very damaging to neoprene.
• If items are dirty, washing them in Gear Aid Wetsuit & Drysuit Shampoo will efficiently clean them and also condition and protect the neoprene. It also contains compounds that neutralize chlorine.
• Store dry items in climate-controlled conditions, out of direct sunlight; ultraviolet rays from the sun will damage your neoprene over time.

Zipper Care

• Use Gear Aid Zipper Cleaner + Lubricant to remove dirt, salt and other debris that interferes with zipper operation.
• After cleaning with Zipper Cleaner, Gear Aid Zipper Lubricant lubricates the teeth and keeps the zipper working smoothly.

Repair

• Neoprene items are easy to repair. A rip or tear is no reason to discard the gear. We carry several easy-to-use repair products.
• Gear Aid Tenacious Tape Neoprene Patch is a strong, flexible patching material that you apply with a hot iron.
• Aquaseal Flexible Repair Adhesive bonds to neoprene, Hypalon®, latex, nylon, vinyl (PVC), many fabrics, foams, composites, and many plastics. It dries clear and flexible. Mixing Cure Accelerator with Aquaseal speeds up the cure time.
• Gear Aid Aquaseal+NEO Contact Cement works great for mending rips and tears in your neoprene gear. Often it can seal the edges of the tear back together without the need for an overpatch.
• Check out the repair instructions and video links on the product pages to see which product works best for the repair job you have.