How to Stop Your Swimming Goggles From Fogging Up

By Phil Gerrard, Updated 22nd of May 2021

Preventing swim goggle fogging can be a battle, and lead to frustration in the pool. So is it realistic to expect your goggles to be fog free? YES! I swim over one hour in training swims, and once my goggles go on, they are fog free for the entire session. No taking on and off, no constant clearing fog. With a few tips, you too can be swimming fog-free in no time.

Key points to keep your swim goggles fog free

1. Use quality swim goggles with anti-fog coating

2. Ensure good swim goggle fit

3. Care for your goggle anti-fog coating

4. Prepare your goggles before for each swim

If you don’t pay attention to each of these key points, unfortunately you are likely to fog up, sooner or later.

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A common complaint from swimmers is that their new goggles are fog free, but only for a few weeks after purchase. This is normally an indication that additional care and preparation of the goggles is required. Or potentially you have a poor quality set of goggles...

If you suspect goggle quality is the problem, be sure to check out our review of quality swim goggles that won't let you down. Alternatively check out our swim goggle top pick (that I have no hesitation recommending as a goggle with an excellent antifog coating - and doesn't cost a fortune), the TYR Tracer-X swim goggle.

The anti-fog coating that is present on the inside of most quality swim goggles is, sadly, very fragile. Any damage to this coating, and you are out of luck. The goggles will just keep fogging up, and there isn’t anything you can do. A new pair of goggles is required.

To avoid any potential damage to the anti-fog coating, I recommend a simple rule: Never touch the inside of your goggle lens with your fingers. NEVER! Yes there is the temptation when you have fog to try and clean the lens during a swim, but it will just make things worse. If you must clean your goggles during a swim, spit in them, and use your tongue to ’wipe’ the lens. You can’t damage the lens with your tongue! After this, quickly rinse your goggles with a quick dunk in the water, and keep swimming.

So how to you get a fog free swim? You need to prepare the goggles before each swim. This can be with an anti-fog product, but i find spit work just as well. While the goggles are dry, apply the anti-fog spray, or spit. Use a microfibre cloth to rub the lens if you used anti-fog spray, or your tongue for spit. Then give the goggles a quick rinse in water, shake them off, and you are good to go (don't dry them before your swim). If your goggles fit well, and you have quality goggles you should be fog free.

Often swimmers attempt to keep their goggles perfectly dry inside, thinking this will prevent fog. It doesn’t. A little water actually helps.

In addition to before swim preparation, be sure to rinse your goggles with fresh water after your swim. I take my goggles into the shower with me after each swim, to make a habit of rinsing them after every swim.

I hope with these tips, you can forget about fog in your swim goggles.