Sand is abrasive. The goal after a beach swim is to move the grit off the neoprene without grinding it deeper into the lining or seams.
Start with a freshwater rinse
Do this while the suit is still wet, before the sand dries and works into the fabric. Cool tap water or a low-pressure hose is enough. Do not use warm water; heat ages neoprene and can loosen glued seams.
Rinse the outside of the suit first. Hold it up and let the water run from the shoulders down, so sand follows gravity. Then turn the suit inside out and rinse again. Most of the sand collects in the lower legs, ankles, and cuffs, so give those areas a gentle shake while the water runs.
If you are cleaning a Helix, remember that the shoulder and arm neoprene is thinner than the torso panels. Use an open hand and light water pressure, not a scraper or brush.
Clean the lining and seams
For a lined suit such as the Thermal Reaction with Zirconium jersey, sand can settle into the synthetic wool surface, so lift the suit and let the water carry the grit out rather than pressing it in. Use your fingers to flick the grit away. Pressing or scrubbing drives the sand into the neoprene.
Next, check the seams, neckline, zipper, and arm cuffs. Sand likes to hide there. Run a soft thumb along the outside of each seam, not along the seam itself. If sand is caught in the zipper teeth, rinse the zipper while moving the pull up and down once. Then wipe the teeth with a damp cloth. Forcing a gritty zipper is how zippers get wrecked.
Submerge and swish
After the hose rinse, fill a bucket or sink with cool fresh water and submerge the suit. Swish it around for a minute. Lift it out, drain the water, and repeat with clean water if the first rinse looks cloudy. This gets grit out of areas the hose missed. Do not wring the suit. Waterlogged neoprene is heavy, and twisting it can tear the material at the shoulders.
Dry it flat and away from heat
Lay the suit on a thick towel, fold the towel over, and press gently to remove excess water. Then hang it over a wide plastic or wooden hanger, or lay it flat on a drying rack out of direct sun. Heat is the enemy of wetsuit glue. A car dashboard, a dryer, a radiator, or direct afternoon sun will all shorten the life of a blueseventy suit.
What not to do
- Do not shake the suit hard while it is full of water.
- Do not use a brush or abrasive sponge.
- Do not put it in a washing machine.
- Do not use detergent.
Sand comes out cleanly with water, gravity, and patience.
Stop sand before it settles
Before you leave the beach, step into an outdoor shower or a bucket of fresh water and rinse the outside while wearing the suit. Then take it off and rinse the inside gently. If you drive home with a sandy suit, slip it into a mesh bag or a plastic tub, not a closed plastic bag. Keeping the suit damp and dark in a sealed bag lets sand and salt sit against the neoprene and can leave a stale smell.
A small scratch from a shell or a fingernail nick can turn into a tear later. If you notice damage after cleaning, blueseventy sells Aquaseal neoprene cement for repairs. Let the suit dry completely before applying it.
With a quick rinse after every ocean swim, the suit stays clean and the neoprene lasts longer. That means more open water and less time fighting grit.
