The wetsuit bin at your swim club has a smell you can identify from across the room. Part lake water, part old neoprene, part something that reminds you of a gym bag left in a car. You hose the suit down after every swim and assume that's enough. It's not. The problem isn't on the outside where the hose reaches. It's inside, where warm water, dead skin cells, and sweat sit against the lining for hours.
What an Antiseptic Wetsuit Wash Does
A wetsuit is not waterproof. It lets a thin layer of water in, and your body warms that layer. That same warm, damp environment holds dead skin cells and oils from your skin. A good antiseptic wash reduces the bacteria and fungi that cause odor and sometimes skin irritation. It cleans glued seams, the inner jersey, and the outer neoprene without breaking down the Yamamoto 38, 39, or 40 cell material. It won't sterilize the suit, but it lowers the microbial load between swims. Keep bleach, laundry detergent, and hand sanitizer away from neoprene.
Why a Rinse Leaves Half the Job Undone
After an open water swim, a quick rinse removes salt, sand, and loose debris. It won't remove the oily film and skin cells that stick to the inner jersey. In a lake or river, those organic materials come from the water itself. In a chlorinated pool, chlorine may knock back some bacteria, but it won't wash away the body oils your suit absorbs. Once you drop the suit into a transition bag or leave it in a car trunk, the inside stays warm and damp for hours. Bacteria and fungi multiply in those conditions. A rinse slows that process. A wetsuit wash interrupts it.
How Wetsuit Care Changed Over Time
Triathlon wetsuit care was straightforward in the early 1990s. The advice was rinse in freshwater, hang to dry, done. That worked when one person owned one suit and wore it once a week. Club gear, winter training, and frequent open water swimming changed that. Athletes started leaving wet suits in cars, sharing loaner suits at races, and training in warmer, more biologically active water. The old rinse-and-hang routine no longer matched how people used their gear. Antiseptic wash became the practical answer.
When to Reach for Antiseptic Wash
Use it after open water swims in warm or stagnant water. Use it after borrowing a club suit or lending yours. Use it when the suit still holds an odor after it dries. For regular training, alternate: rinse after every swim, and wash every few swims or after any swim that leaves the suit muddy. If you have an active skin infection or an open wound, don't swim until a medical provider clears you. Wash the suit before you return to training.
Step-by-Step: How to Clean Your Wetsuit
- Turn the suit inside out.
- Fill a clean tub or utility sink with cool water.
- Add the amount listed on the wash bottle.
- Let the suit soak briefly, then gently knead the arms, chest, and crotch areas.
- Rinse until the water runs clear.
- Turn the suit right side out and rinse once more.
- Dry it away from direct sun and heat. Drape it over a wide hanger or a drying rack so water runs down and out.
Never wring the neoprene. Never use a washing machine or dryer. Agitation and heat can delaminate the suit and weaken seam tape.
What Not to Use
- Bleach and alcohol: They degrade neoprene and seam glue.
- Laundry detergents and fabric softeners: They leave residues that can sit against your skin and change the suit's feel in the water.
- Hot water: It makes glued seams more likely to fail.
- Plastic bags for wet storage: Even if you plan to wash later, damp, sealed conditions create the same environment you're trying to avoid.
Shared Gear Etiquette: The Club Wetsuit Bin
A loaner wetsuit that goes from one athlete to the next without a real wash carries more than lake water. It carries skin cells, sweat, and whatever came out of the water. Clubs can make hygiene simple by keeping a bottle of wetsuit wash next to the hose and requiring everyone to wash a borrowed suit before returning it. Coaches should treat this like shared goggles or fins. You rinse those, yes, but you also clean them.
Clean Gear Lasts Longer
Salt, oil, and bacteria left in the lining can break down the fabric and make the suit less pleasant to wear. At blueseventy, our care advice follows one order: rinse, wash as needed, dry fully, inspect. Small fingernail punctures and heel tears are the most common damage we see. On a clean, dry suit, those nicks are easy to find. For a small tear, use a dab of Aquaseal neoprene cement before it spreads. That saves a much larger repair later.
Antiseptic wetsuit wash is a small habit that pays off in smell, comfort, and how long a suit stays in rotation. If you've been rinsing and wondering why the smell returns, start washing the inside, not just the outside. You can find our fit guide and size charts here.
