C4 new Absolute Cleaner & Extreme Antifog

It is most probably one of the main issues with masks, at least some of them, especially since facials/skirts have been produced in Silicone instead of natural rubber. Softer and more resitant than natural rubber, silicone has though the issue that it looses small particles of oil that during the production phase, even with the best precautions, lay and are even absorbed by the lenses of the mask, in particular with frameless solutions. But this is not all. Even if the mask is deeply cleaned from these particles, or even if the production phase is so attent that no particles actually lay on the mask lenses, still this can happen with time once the mask is used. This is the reason why fog on the mask is eternally an issue, and this is why C4 Srl has worked with the n1 company producing cleaning products, REAL CHIMICA Srl, producer of the famous Chanteclair, to setup two products, Absolute Cleaner and Extreme Antifog, that promize to solve definately the problem. The first, the Absolute Cleaner, seems to be a real novelty, substituting processes like cleaning lenses with brush and toothpaste, burning them with a windproof lighter, putting the mask in the washing machine using degreasing soaps and so on. The second, the Extreme Antifog, is not a real novelty on the market, as many antifog sprays are available, but indeed it promises to be one step ahead of the others in solving fog issue. Let us check what C4 and Chanteclair indicate in their press release and how they describe first the problem and then the way the two products solve it. Below their communication. As soon as we receive the products, as always we will test them and let you know if they confirm what they promise !!!

(source C4 & Chanteclair press release)

WHY DO MASK LENSES GET FOGGY?

In the past twenty years, because mask skirts have been manufactured in synthetic liquid silicone rather than natural rubber, the problem of the fogging of the lenses has greatly increased. Silicone oils must be added to the basic silicone material to be able to mould the mask skirt at high temperatures (over 150C). During and after moulding these oils migrate on the lenses creating a sort of film which causes the fogging.

WHY DO CERTAIN MODELS OF MASKS SEEM TO HAVE A GREATER FOGGING PROBLEM?

The fogging depends on the type of liquid silicone used (there are different types produced by many companies in the world) and on the percentage of silicone oils contained in them, which influences the percentage of fogging. Furthermore, masks where the silicone skirt is printed over the lens holder band (latest generation masks – so called frameless) are more affected by the migration of silicone oils on lenses rather than mechanically assembled masks (masks with silicone skirt printed separately from the lenses).

WHY SAME MODEL MASKS HAVE A DIFFERENT FOGGING PROBLEMS?

The mixing of silicone oil and silicone material is rarely uniform and can vary greatly even among same model masks. Also in the same production batch, sometimes some masks have a much greater migration of silicone oils from the skirts to the lenses.

WHICH HAVE BEEN THE SOLUTIONS ATTEMPTED UNTIL TODAY, TO SOLVE THE FOGGING OF MASKS LENSES?

• Applying antifog products on the lenses which do not solve the problem of the silicone oils but (if they are good products) can solve fogging caused by other causes of fogging.
• Burning the glass lenses with a lighter. This could be effective in some cases but it involves great risks of damaging the mask plastic parts.
• Using detergent or degreasing products which are intended for other household use. This can be very dangerous too as they usually contain chemical components that are harmful to plastic parts and if applied for too long and/or in great quantity they will certainly damage the mask.
• Putting the mask in the washing machine or the dish washer. This also can have serious consequences for the integrity of the mask.
• Applying a mix of water and Coke on the inside of the lenses. This is a highly corrosive mix and on the long run it will certainly damage the mask too.

Often the above methods are applied simultaneously with some effect on the short run, not solving the problem indefinitely and often with serious consequences for the product. The cooperation between C4 Srl, manufacturer of diving products, and REAL CHIMICA Srl, world leader in the creation and manufacturing of cleaning products, such as the renown “Chanteclair”, has started a year ago with the intent of solving, once and for all, the fogging
problem on diving products.
The main objective has been to create, for the first time in the history of diving, A SPECIFIC AND EFFECTIVE PRODUCT to remove silicone oils from the lenses of new and used masks without any counter effects.

C4 & Chanteclair Absolute Cleaner 50 & 250 ml

A further objective has been to create a specific antifog product, for masks with glass lenses and swimming goggles with polycarbonate lenses, which have already been treated with ABSOLUTE CLEANER product, that prevent fogging problems caused by:
• The use of skin lotions and sun blocking products.
• Sudden change in temperatures which cause a frequent fogging problem especially in the swimming pool.

C4 & Chanteclair Antifog 50 & 250 ml

After a year long cooperation between our companies and after having conducted hundreds of tests, we are proud to introduce to the market two products: ABSOLUTE CLEANER and EXTREME ANTIFOG .

Absolute Cleaner & Extreme Antifog ADV