How to Pee in a Wetsuit (Yes, Really)

The most underdiscussed skill in surfing is how to pee in a wetsuit. Long sessions, cold water, and the impossibility of peeling a soaked 4/3 in the lineup mean most surfers eventually face the question. This guide covers the practical technique, why proper rinsing matters more than people realize, and how to prevent the wetsuit smell that comes from neglected cleanup. No taboo and no euphemism.

For broader gear care, see our wetsuit care and maintenance guide and wetsuit shampoo buying guide.

The technique

There’s not much technique. Surfers in the lineup deal with it as follows:

1. Position yourself slightly away from immediate company. Even though everyone does it, common courtesy.

2. Relax and pee. That’s it. Some surfers report difficulty initiating in cold water; relaxation matters more than people expect.

3. Move slightly afterward. A duck-dive, a paddle stroke, or just shifting position lets some water exchange through the suit. Not strictly required, but reduces the residual concentration.

That’s the whole technique. The suit handles the rest.

What actually happens inside the suit

Urine is roughly 95 percent water with dissolved urea, salts, and other compounds. When you pee in a wetsuit:

• The urine immediately mixes with the existing trapped water layer
• Body heat keeps the mixture warm (around skin temperature)
• The suit’s seals prevent immediate flushing, but small water exchange happens at the cuffs and neck
• Most of the urine compounds are flushed out within 5 to 10 minutes of normal session activity

The temporary warmth is real and brief. Some cold-water surfers report timing their peeing for the start of long paddle-outs to get a heat boost; the effect is mild but noticeable.

Why bacteria are the problem, not urine

Urine itself is sterile when it leaves the body. It’s not damaging to neoprene chemistry. The problem starts after the session, when:

1. The suit is hung in a closet or garage with residual urine compounds in the lining
2. Bacteria from skin and the environment land on the wet interior
3. Bacteria metabolize the urea and amino acids in the residual urine
4. Their metabolic byproducts (ammonia, sulfur compounds) produce the wetsuit smell

The smell is bacterial, not chemical. Which means the fix is bacterial control, not urine avoidance.

Post-session rinse routine

Three things to do every time you pee in a wetsuit (or every session, ideally):

1. Rinse the inside immediately. Within 30 minutes of the session, hose down the suit inside-out with fresh water. Get the lining surface wet across the entire trunk and legs. Squeeze out excess water.

2. Hang inside-out on a proper hanger. Drying the lining first prevents bacterial growth. Once the lining is dry, flip and dry the outside.

3. Periodic shampoo. Every 5 to 10 sessions, wash with wetsuit shampoo. This actively kills bacteria. Sink the Stink and Piss Off are the standard products. Avoid regular detergent; it can damage the seam glue.

The shampoo step is non-optional for serious surfers. Without it, the suit develops the smell within months even with rinsing.

What to do if the suit already smells

If the suit has crossed into “noticeable smell” territory:

Step 1: Deep wash with Piss Off or Sink the Stink. Fill a clean tub with cool water, add the recommended dose, submerge the suit, work for 5 minutes, soak for 30 minutes, rinse twice. Hang to dry.

Step 2: Repeat if needed. Persistent smells may need a second wash a week later.

Step 3: Storage adjustment. If the suit smelled because it was stored damp, fix the storage. Hang on a proper hanger; dry inside-out then outside-out; store in a cool dry location.

Step 4: Accept partial result. A suit that has smelled badly for years may not return to factory-new state. Reduce the smell to acceptable levels and continue use.

For complete care, see our wetsuit care and maintenance guide and wetsuit shampoo guide.

Cold-water specific

In cold water (below 55°F), peeing in the suit happens more often than in warm water for two reasons:

1. Cold-induced diuresis. The cold-water immersion response includes increased urine production. You pee more in cold water than in warm.
2. Long sessions in cold water. PNW and Northeast cold-water sessions often run 60 to 90 minutes; that’s a long time to hold it.

Cold-water surfers are typically the most experienced with peeing in their suits. Take the bacterial-management routine seriously; cold-water suits have thermal linings that hold residual moisture longer than non-lined warm-water suits, making bacterial growth even more pronounced.

For cold-water context: Pacific Northwest pillar, thermal linings compared, cold-water surfing complete guide.

What about pool wetsuits?

Triathletes and swimmers training in pools encounter a related problem: the chlorine in pool water reacts with urine compounds to produce chloramines, which are responsible for the strong “pool smell” most people associate with pool water. The chloramines also discolor neoprene over time and can degrade the rubber faster than salt water.

For pool-trained triathletes:

• Rinse the suit thoroughly after every pool session
• Avoid peeing in the suit during pool training when possible (the chemistry impact is worse than in salt water)
• Consider a dedicated training suit that’s not your race-day suit

For triathlon-specific gear context, see best wetsuits for triathlons and the Zone3 brand guide.

Common myths

“Peeing kills the suit’s warmth.” No. Urine is roughly body temperature; it neither adds nor subtracts heat over a session.

“You need a urine-specific cleaner.” Not really. Wetsuit shampoo handles urine residue along with sweat, salt, and bacteria. Piss Off is positioned for urine specifically but isn’t fundamentally different from Sink the Stink.

“Salt water is bad for wetsuits.” Salt is mildly stiffening when residual on rubber, but a quick rinse handles that. Salt water is much less harmful than chlorine.

“You shouldn’t pee in your wetsuit.” Peeing in your wetsuit is normal practice. Avoiding it is impractical for long cold-water sessions. The fix is good cleanup, not avoidance.

Putting it together

If you’re peeing in your wetsuit (and you probably are), the routine is simple:

1. Pee when needed. No drama.
2. Move slightly afterward to flush.
3. Rinse the suit thoroughly post-session.
4. Hang properly to dry.
5. Periodically shampoo with wetsuit shampoo.

Follow this and the suit lasts as long as any other care-properly suit. Skip it and the smell builds rapidly.

For broader gear care: wetsuit care and maintenance, wetsuit shampoo guide, wetsuit hangers and storage, wetsuit longevity study, how long does a wetsuit last, how to put on a wetsuit, how to take off a wetsuit. For thickness selection, the Wetsuit Finder tool takes 60 seconds.

Sources cited

• Surfer Today. Peeing in a wetsuit. Industry-blog overview of the practice and care implications.
• Sink the Stink. Wetsuit shampoo product line. Manufacturer information on wetsuit shampoo chemistry.
• Wetsuit Centre UK. Wetsuit care tips. Practitioner-focused industry coverage of wetsuit care.