Do you often find yourself struggling to see while swimming or playing in the pool because of the fogging up of your goggles? If so, you’re not alone. This is a common problem for many swimmers. In this article, we will provide some tips on how to prevent your goggles from fogging up. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be able to keep your swim goggles clear and focused on your next swim!
Why Do Googles Fog When I Swim?
There are a few reasons why your goggles might fog when you swim. The most common reason is because of the temperature difference between the water and your body. When you get in the pool, your body temperature is higher than the water around you. This causes the warmer air around your face to condense on the cooler lens of your goggles, which creates fog. Another reason why your goggles might fog is because of the chemicals in the pool. Chlorine and other chemicals can cause a reaction that produces fog on your lenses. Finally, if you don’t have the right fit, this can also lead to foggy goggles. If your goggles are too loose, this can create gaps that allow warm air to enter and condense on the lens.
Now that you know the reasons why your goggles fog, let’s discuss how to prevent it from happening. There are several things that you can do before and during your swim to keep your goggles clear.
Maintain the Protective Anti Fog Coating on the Goggles
Most goggles come with a protective anti fog coating applied by the manufacturer to the goggle lenses in order to prevent fogging, this coating will wear away with time and use, but you can take a few steps to preserve it for longer. First, carefully rinse your goggles after use in warm tap water after use. The chemicals in pool water will speed up the corrosion of the protective coating and the minerals in saltwater will also prematurely age the coating. Second, make sure to dry each goggle lens carefully with a lens cloth. Finally, keep the goggles in the manufacturer-supplied case when not in use.
Check your Goggles Fit
The first step is to make sure that your goggles fit properly. If they are too tight or too loose, they may be more prone to fogging up. Be sure to adjust the straps so that they are snug but not too tight. Also, make sure there is a good seal around your eyes. Goggles that are too large or too small can cause fogging.
Keep Your Googles Clean and Safe
Another way to prevent goggles from fogging up is to keep them clean. Make sure to rinse them off after each use and avoid letting them sit in water. If your goggles come with a protective carrying case, use it to store your goggles as it will help to preserve the protective coating and prevent small scratches while in your swim bag.
Don’t store your goggles in the sun as the heat from the sun can cause the anti-fog solution on your lenses to evaporate faster, which will lead to more fogging.
Use an Anti-fog Spray or Anti-fog Wipes
In addition, you can try using an anti-fog spray on your goggles. There are many different brands of sprays available, including our recommendation. Once the manufacturer-applied treatment wears off, the best approach to prevent your goggles from fogging is to reapply an anti-fog agent before each swim to keep your goggles from fogging up during your next swim.
Anti-fog wipes are a more convenient option than sprays as you can keep a few in your bag with your goggles so you never forget them. You can even reuse them a few times if you keep them in a small airtight plastic bag.
Saliva
The old stand-by, spit, works fairly well in a pinch to keep your goggle lenses from fogging up if you don’t have other options. Spread the saliva around each goggle and quickly rinse in the water and it should keep your goggles staying fogless longer.
Baby Shampoo
There are a lot of surprising things that baby shampoo can be useful for, defogging goggles is just one of them. To prevent your swimming goggles from fogging up, apply a small amount of baby shampoo (or other gentle liquid soap) to your goggles for at least 10-15 minutes before wearing them. This method will work best if you allow them to dry and then rinse right before you use them. The soap acts as a coating agent to prevent the build-up of moisture.
Wet Your Face Before Putting on Swim Goggles
Wetting your face helps to prevent fogging by cooling your face and reducing the amount of heat trapped in the goggles. It also helps to improve the fit of the goggles against your face and keep water away from your eyes.
Don’t Wear Contact Lenses When Swimming
Contacts can trap moisture on your eyes, which will lead to goggles fogging up. If you need to wear contacts while swimming, be sure to use a good pair of goggles that fit properly and have anti-fog lenses or consider a pair of goggles with corrective lenses or a larger pair that allow you to wear glasses while you swim.
Wipe Between Swims with Lens Cleaning Cloth
To keep the manufacturer coating fresh and to preserve the coating, you should wipe the inside lens of the goggles after each use with an eyeglass cleaning cloth to keep your lenses clean and clear. This helps to reduce build-up of face oils and sweat that can degrade the manufacturer-applied anti-fog coating.
Apply a Thin Layer of Toothpaste
Try this one only after the other options have failed as toothpaste has some mild abrasives, but — in a pinch, you can apply a thin layer of toothpaste with your finger to the inner surface of the goggles to help deter fog build-up. Gently rinse in fresh water and allow to dry. The toothpaste will help to coat the goggles for your next use, keeping the goggles fog free.
Rub the Lenses with a Piece of Raw Potato
Finally, a surprising use for a potato, but a unique way to keep your goggles clear of fog is to gently rub with a small piece of freshly cut raw potato and then give them a quick rinse. The liquid from the potato coats the goggles and helps to slow the build-up of fog while you are swimming.
Conclusion
There are many different ways that you can keep your goggles from fogging up. Keep in mind that some of these tips may work better than others given the goggles you use, the water you swim in, and how you use them. Try a few of these methods and find what works best for you. By following these tips, you can enjoy your swim without having to worry about your vision being impaired by a foggy lens and enjoy a clear view of the pool during your next swim!