Wetsuit Care

First off, after each use, the single most important thing you can do to preserve your wetsuit and keep it comfy is to rinse it out with fresh water. Salt water is, believe it or not, the arch enemy of neoprene.

Second, hang that suit o­n a wide wooden or plastic hanger to dry. Don't use a skinny metal hanger to dry or store your suit. First off, it will rust and leave ugly stains o­n your rubber; and second, the weight of the suit will cause indentations to form, and you'll end up with goofy looking "nibs" o­n your shoulders.

Next, Dry and store the suit in a dark or shady place. Ultraviolet rays from the sun are your suit's second worst enemy. They cause the neoprene to fade, break down and dry out.
Finally every o­nce in a while it's a good idea to give your wetsuit a shampoo bath. You don't need to do this all the time, but o­nce or twice a season should be more than enough to give it a good cleaning and conditioning of the neoprene.

You want to use o­ne of two items for this process--either 1) wetsuit shampoo (special wetsuit conditioning product made specifically for this purpose), or 2) baby shampoo. Don't use anything else! Regular shampoo or soap is much too harsh for your wetsuit, and you'll do more harm than good.