One of the questions I often get as dive instructor is: “should I burn or not my new scuba mask?”. Newly bought scuba masks usually become foggy, and divers are willing to go to any means to fix the issue. Although some recommend to burn the silicon coating on the mask, is that really the best method available to fix fogging?
Do not burn a new scuba mask to prevent fogging. Burning will weaken the mask and ultimately cause it to shatter when under pressure. Alternatives to burning dive masks and reduce fogginess are baby shampoo, potato juice, apply white toothpaste, saliva or “sea drops”.
Burning a new mask is clearly not the best way to fix the fogging process. You should understand what happens when a diver chooses to burn a scuba mask, the safety issues involved and the safer methods experienced divers use to reduce fogging in new masks.
What Happens When You Burn a Scuba Mask?
First things first, why and how would a diver burn a dive mask? Newly bought masks have some excess silicone coating or grease (applied in the manufacturing process) which can affect the fogging process. To remove such excess silicone coating or grease, some divers use a cigarette lighter and burn the mask’s glass.
Melting the silicone of a dive mask can cause a variety of issues. Some of these issues include warped lenses, weakened mask frames, shattered lenses, and melted silicone skirt. Furthermore, in case you have bought a polarized dive mask, burning the lenses will surely remove the anti UV foam which is quite delicate.
Note that these are the most common issues you might face when burning a dive mask and each one can cause the other to occur. For example, warped lenses are when the lenses in the mask no longer reflect their original shape. This can weaken the entire mask, including damaging tempered glass lenses or deforming the mask’s silicone skirt.
The worst immediate result of burning masks is the fact that the lenses can instantly shatter. This invevitably means that a you will need to purchase another mask before diving again.
You should also be mindful that some of the issues I have mentioned may occur well after the burning process is completed.
Oftentimes, the lenses will shatter during a dive because there is a lot of pressure on the mask. When mask lenses shatter, at best, your mask will flood and you will need to end the dive without wearing your mask.
Needless to say, more severe injuries may result from a shuttered dive mask at depth. And although you may see this as an extremely rare circumstance, I strongly recommend that you always prioritize safety while diving and minimize all possible cause of accidents, no matter the probability of occurring you attach to them.
Best Methods to Clean Your Dive Mask Before Firse Use
Given that burning is not the best method you can use to remove the excess silicone frmo your mask, let’s take a look at some of the alternative methods you can apply. These methods should be applied only before the first use of your new mask. If you are looking for methods to defog your dive mask after its first use, click here or scroll down to the next section of the post.
Use White Grainy Toothpaste
Before using your dive mask for the first time, apply some grainy white toothpaste inside and outside of the glass lenses and let it rest overnight. Once you have applied the toothpaste and let it rest, rinse the mask thoroughly with freshwater.
The toothpaste will remove the silicone layer and reduce the risk of fogging. If you decide to use this method, it is extremely important that you apply yhe toothpaste very gently. You do not want to scratch the mask lenses while cleaning them.
It is also very important to use plain white toothpaste. Avoid using products that may irritate your eyes (e.g. menthol toothpaste) in case you do not rinse the mask properly.
Use A Salt Scrub
As an alternative to toothpaste, you may use a salt based body scrub. In this case you will not need to let it rest in your mask overnight, so it is somewhat quicker.
Apply the body scrub inside and outside of the mask lenses, scrub very gently, and rinse with freshwater. Also in this case you want to avoid scratching the lenses.
Use Dish Detergent
In case your new dive mask has grease instead of silicone, washing it with dish detergent will be sufficient. Don’t forget to wash both inside of the lens and outside.
When using dish detergent you should be mindful of washing your mask thoroughly with freshwater. Trust me, dish detergent in your eyes is not a nice experience.
To avoid scratching the lenses, wash the new mask exclusively with your hands and avoid using sponges or kitchen tools.
After having removed the silicone grease in your new dive mask, you may use it comfortably while having substantially reduced the risk of fogging, at least on your first dive with your new mask.
However, in most cases, your mask will keep fogging in subsequent dives, unless you pre treat it with one of the following methods.
Methods to Defog Your Dive Mask After the First Use
Whenever you go scuba diving, I suggest you use one of the following methods to pre-treat your mask and avoid fogging. I personally use sea drops before each single dive, and never end up a dive with a foggy mask.
Apply a Professional Pre-Treatment Product
Professional pre-treatment products like sea drops are developed specifically to clean your mask before a dive and avoid fog. You can buy one easily in your dive shop, on Amazon, or on Scuba.com.
These products come in small bottles and can be easily carried around in your scuba trips. I highly recommend to buy one before you go on a scuba holiday as these products are tipycally more expensive in exotic locations.
Use Baby Shampoo to Defog Your Dive Mask
Baby shampoo is an effective way to reduce fog as it removes the grease and dirt on mask lenses. Removing the grease and dirt makes the lenses smooth. The smoothness stops the condensation process that makes your mask fog.
Simply put a few drops of baby shampoo on the inside of your dive mask and rub it until it covers the entirety of the lens. Rinse off the baby shampoo and let the scuba mask dry completely.
Apply Regular White Toothpaste
Any toothpaste with abrasive attributes can keep a dive mask from getting foggy, as these attributes can easily remove dirt and grease.
Much like baby shampoo, put a few droplets on the inside and outside of your mask and rub the liquid around the lens to smooth the lens out. Then simply remove the toothpaste with water and let the mask dry.
This method is not as common because the mint in toothpaste can lead to some eye sensitivity and irritation.
Use Saliva/Spit
Spit is the most common substance used to reduce fogging because everyone has easy access to it.
Given its abrasive attributes, saliva is also a valid option to smoothen out the lenses and remove dirt and grease. If you want to use this method, just rub some spit inside and outside your mask lenses and wash your mask thoroughly.
Note that this method should not be used when diving from crowded dive boats or with divers you are not familiar with. Besides being unelegant, it also isn’t compliant with Covid-19 safety standards.
Conclusions
The burning method to clean a brand new mask before its first use is definitely not safe and may lead at best to weakened glass lenses. To remove the thin film of silicone or grease you can use some good old fashioned white toothpaste, salt body scrub or even dish dish detergents.
None of these methods will prevent your mask from fogging in subsequent dives. To prevent your mask from fogging, you should either use some professional pre-treatement products such as sea drops, or DIY methods such as baby shampo, white toothpaste, or saliva.