Save a Life

     I should have finished my title with the word vest or jacket since that is what this blog is about.  This will teach you how to take care of your life vest so it can continue to take care of you.  Keeping a vest clean and in proper working order is what is going to save you from drowning, if you wear it.

     It’s nice to wear a life vest that looks good, is clean and smells good.  This won’t be the case if you dry your vest in the sun, get sand in the buckles or put the vest away wet.  The material can fade, working parts can become damaged and mildew can form on the vest as well. 

     It isn’t difficult to keep your vest in good condition if you just take a little bit of time to take care of it after each use.  The first step is to rinse the vest thoroughly in a sink or with a garden hose.  Then you can dunk the vest into a sink or bucket of cold water with a little bit of laundry detergent.  You can use a sponge to wipe off the vest and then use a brush to clean the buckles and straps.  Loosen the buckles and zip the zipper to make sure all of the sand gets removed from the vest.  You can use the brush to scrub soiled areas and then rinse the jacket off with the hose. If you have a spray protectant like 303 then use that to lengthen the life of the life vest.  Do not put the life vest in the dryer as you can melt it and/or deform it.  Hang it in a shady, well ventilated place until it is completely dry and then hang it in your closet for the next time you need it.

     The entire process of keeping your life vest clean doesn’t take alot of time and it is totally worth the effort.  Take care of your life vest and it will take care of you.