Why Does My Snorkeling Mask Fog Up?

This is a question we get regularly from both our snorkeling and scuba customers: “Why does my snorkeling mask fog up?”

Well, it comes down to a few basic tips and suggestions to alleviate the issue of mask fogging.
Let’s start at the beginning…..a mask will fog due to condensation of moisture inside the mask. Think of it in terms we can understand here in Wisconsin. If you wear glasses during the winter and you come from the cold air outside into a warm room or building, your glasses fog up, right? Well, it’s the same as your snorkeling mask. Moisture will condense inside the mask if it is taken from a cool, air conditioned hotel room into the warm water.

Your mask can also fog due to a residue on the glass from suntan lotion or skin oils, residue from previous defogging solutions, or the glass may have a residue from the manufacturing process. The easiest way to clean a mask of any of these residues is to use regular toothpaste…not a gel, but regular old fashioned toothpaste. It has just enough abrasive to scour the glass of your mask without scratching it. What we are trying to do with the toothpaste is get the glass as clean as possible. Once the glass is clean and smooth, any type of defog solution will work much better.

Lastly try to refrain from breathing through your nose while snorkeling, as this will cause the warm air from your exhaled breath to condense inside the cooler glass of your mask.

Using a good quality defog can go a long way to helping you keep your mask clear. Remember, though that your defog solution should never dry inside your mask, otherwise it will be worthless. The best way to apply defog solution is to briefly rinse your mask, apply a few drops of defog solution, rub it around the lenses and then briefly rinse it out, then head off on your adventure.

+About Colin Zylka