I rinse and dry my goggles after every workout, but I have a large amount of black mildew growing between the rubber lining of the goggle and the hard plastic. It's really gross!!! I don't want to toss the goggles, they are still in great shape and money is really tight right now to buy new ones. I'm afraid that cleaning them with bleach will really bother my eyes.
How do I get this gross black mold out of there? It's creepy that it's so close to my eyes!!!
:eeew:
Where do you store your goggles after you swim?
Mold likes dark, damp, warm areas.
Maybe changing where you keep your goggles, in addition to cleaning them, will help prevent more mold from growing.
Alcohol and Q-tips. However, I found this kind of stripped the film layer off the inside of the goggles. Nonetheless, I continue to wear them because they don't leak and can't find any others that don't, even the same brand.
Why, oh why, do swim manufacturers keep changing where they make their things? Since, dear, oh dear, the same brand, the same product, the same everything suddenly no longer works, so obviously some subtle change has occurred.
Moral: Buy 40 pairs of goggles you like and that don't leak. They should last you your lifetime of swimming.
Don't boil them. It leads to premature failure of the strap and clip thingy.
Former Member
I've used WELL diluted bleach. Then I rinsed the whole goggle with Phisoderm (which I did get in my eye and I don't recommend washing the eye with Phisoderm!). More recently it was suggested to wash them with an anti-bacterial soap. The key is RINSING WELL!!!!
Perhaps drying them with a towel OR a hair-dryer set on cool.
I wear Barracudas with a white foam around the eye pieces. Some are more likely to develop a spore like mold and others don't. The indoor pair seem more prone to this than the outdoor pair. All are rinsed in cold water and hung up to dry.
Former Member
I usually store them on top of my bag to let them dry out. Guess I should try somewhere a bit warmer and brighter. Also, should I let them soak in very diluted bleach solution to dissolve the mold build up in there or should I try to scrub it out with a soft toothbrush?
I know you said money is tight, but I wouldn't wear moldy goggles around my eyes and delicate skin. Your eyes are priceless and who knows what that gross mold might do!
Get new ones, then from day 1 rinse them well in cool water after swimming and hang them to dry.
Be sure to dilute the alcohol otherwise it will etch the plastic.
Which I did not do. Hence the gunk is gone from the goggles, but they are almost like blinders in terms of transparency (none).
I will find some that don't leak. I will find some that don't leak.
And when I do, I will buy a lot of them.
Former Member
Alcohol and Q-tips. However, I found this kind of stripped the film layer off the inside of the goggles. Nonetheless, I continue to wear them because they don't leak and can't find any others that don't, even the same brand.
Why, oh why, do swim manufacturers keep changing where they make their things? Since, dear, oh dear, the same brand, the same product, the same everything suddenly no longer works, so obviously some subtle change has occurred.
Moral: Buy 40 pairs of goggles you like and that don't leak. They should last you your lifetime of swimming.
Haha!! So true!!! Alcohol and Q-tips is a great idea. Can't believe I didn't even think of that!!!
Thanks for all of the ideas!!
