Do they wash the mouthpieces of rented SCUBA gear

I'm new to SCUBA. Sorry.

Can someone tell me if I need to buy my own mouthpiece before the trip
or the rented ones have some kind of sanitary insert. (I don't feel
like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)

Thanks
Johnny

"Johnny Thunders Jr." <johnnythundersjr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1123791928.571002.265840@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> I'm new to SCUBA. Sorry.
>
> Can someone tell me if I need to buy my own mouthpiece before the trip
> or the rented ones have some kind of sanitary insert. (I don't feel
> like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)

Saliva usually washes off when they clean the regulators, which they
hopefully do in between rentals. Otherwise, if the last customer spit
inside the regulator, you might ingest his spit even if you have your own
mouthpiece. But if you consider how many people have spit in your food at
restaurants, you wouldn't be too concerned.

The answer to your question is no, they do not have sanitary inserts.

"Johnny Thunders Jr." <johnnythundersjr@yahoo.com> wrote...

> I'm new to SCUBA. Sorry.
I'm sorry too.

> Can someone tell me if I need to buy my own mouthpiece before the trip
> or the rented ones have some kind of sanitary insert. (I don't feel
> like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)
Be sure to bring some alcohol swabs in case you have to grab your buddy's
octo at depth.

Larry Anta wrote:
> "Johnny Thunders Jr." <johnnythundersjr@yahoo.com> wrote...

>> (I don't feel
>>like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)
>
> Be sure to bring some alcohol swabs in case you have to grab your buddy's
> octo at depth.

And definitely don't go out to any bars after diving. Sometimes people who go to bars
end up swapping spit with total strangers.


--
Steve

The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable
belief that it was intended as a statement of fact.

If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address.

Johnny Thunders Jr. wrote:
> I'm new to SCUBA. Sorry.
>
> Can someone tell me if I need to buy my own mouthpiece before the trip
> or the rented ones have some kind of sanitary insert. (I don't feel
> like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)

No on both counts.

When I rented gear, I wiped the mouthpieces with a bleach wipe. It made
me feel better.

There isn't a lot of spit in the gear to begin with. The air enters the
regulator via a one-way valve. The incoming air is under pressure. Any
saliva would have to enter under at least 500 psi and overcome the
valves. That's just not possible unless the equipment has totally
failed. In that case, the equipment will be sitting in the coroner's office.

There might be some residual spit in the mouthpiece and the other
exterior parts. Most of it will be trace to begin with then diluted with
ocean / lake / pool water until there's not much left. Back at the shop,
it will be rinsed with fresh water.

Once it gets rinsed out and dried, it's clean, or clean enough.
Stainless steel is a very hostile surface to germs. Rubber / silicon are
not. That's why I used bleach wipes.

The snorkel is a different story. Rinse it and the mask with warm water
and soap and you'll be good. You can probably use the restroom at the
shop if you're getting the gear that morning. You could always buy the
mask/snorkel if you're that concerned about germs.

If all else fails, just assume that the last person to use the gear was
hot.

--
Magnus McElroy
Electrical Engineer (EIT)
HABIT Research
(250) 381-9425

Thus spake Magnus McElroy <"[myfirstname]"@habitresearch.[com]> :

>
>
>Johnny Thunders Jr. wrote:
>> I'm new to SCUBA. Sorry.
>>
>> Can someone tell me if I need to buy my own mouthpiece before the trip
>> or the rented ones have some kind of sanitary insert. (I don't feel
>> like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)
>
>No on both counts.
>
>When I rented gear, I wiped the mouthpieces with a bleach wipe. It made
>me feel better.
>
>There isn't a lot of spit in the gear to begin with. The air enters the
>regulator via a one-way valve. The incoming air is under pressure. Any
>saliva would have to enter under at least 500 psi and overcome the
>valves. That's just not possible unless the equipment has totally
>failed. In that case, the equipment will be sitting in the coroner's office.

Intermediate pressure is anywhere between 120 and 140 psi, give or
take a little in personal preferences.

Supposedly (at least that's what the preachers preach) when a
regulator fails, it free flows. I've never heard of a case where it
didn't, but I can't prove that it won't.


>
>There might be some residual spit in the mouthpiece and the other
>exterior parts. Most of it will be trace to begin with then diluted with
>ocean / lake / pool water until there's not much left. Back at the shop,
>it will be rinsed with fresh water.

It's usually rinsed out when the diver spits out the reg while on the
surface.

>
>Once it gets rinsed out and dried, it's clean, or clean enough.
>Stainless steel is a very hostile surface to germs. Rubber / silicon are
>not. That's why I used bleach wipes.

Ugh.

>
>The snorkel is a different story. Rinse it and the mask with warm water
>and soap and you'll be good. You can probably use the restroom at the
>shop if you're getting the gear that morning. You could always buy the
>mask/snorkel if you're that concerned about germs.
>
>If all else fails, just assume that the last person to use the gear was
>hot.

Yeah, but his wife will cut his balls off if she finds out he's been
swapping spit with a hottie.


--
dillon

Pain is Nature's way of saying "that was stupid"

"Magnus McElroy" wrote in message news:tDQKe.195846$s54.37240@pd7tw2no...

> The air enters the regulator via a one-way valve. The
> incoming air is under pressure. Any saliva would have
> to enter under at least 500 psi and overcome the valves.

500 psi? Damn, I think you need to get your IP adjusted a bit...

"Johnny Thunders Jr." <johnnythundersjr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1123791928.571002.265840@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> I'm new to SCUBA. Sorry.
>
> Can someone tell me if I need to buy my own mouthpiece before the trip
> or the rented ones have some kind of sanitary insert. (I don't feel
> like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)
>
> Thanks
> Johnny
If you're concerned you can pour some mouthwash into the regulator and then rinse the
mouthwash out with water. We used to soak shared clarinet mouthpiece in mouthwash,
that's where that idea is from.

Adam

Johnny Thunders Jr. wrote:
> I'm new to SCUBA. Sorry.
>
> Can someone tell me if I need to buy my own mouthpiece before the trip
> or the rented ones have some kind of sanitary insert. (I don't feel
> like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)

Considering the state of some of the stuff I've seen at rental centres
I'd be amazed if they even service them, let alone wash them. Still, you
can't take your own mouthpiece because they are cable tied onto the
regulator and need to be cut off - dive centres don't take kindly to
people doing this.

"Johnny Thunders Jr." <johnnythundersjr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1123791928.571002.265840@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> I'm new to SCUBA. Sorry.
>
> Can someone tell me if I need to buy my own mouthpiece before the trip
> or the rented ones have some kind of sanitary insert. (I don't feel
> like ingesting someone elses saliva stuck up the tube.)
>
> Thanks
> Johnny

Stick to stamp collecting, fagboy.


--
An American friend of mine - living in Canada - says that in the US, greed
is acceptable but envy is a sin. In Canada it is just the opposite. I would
suggest that envy is our national sport. And no one inspires more envy in us
than our southern neighbor. It is a shame, because any legitimate gripes we
may have about America get lost in a sea of childish wolf-crying.