Foggy visors.
There is nothing more annoying during a hockey game.
Have you ever been in the middle of a hockey game when all of a sudden you realize you can’t see the puck?
And, this is all thanks to a visor or face shield that’s fogged up?
I feel your pain.
That’s why I created this resource to help you in two ways:
1. How to defog your hockey visor during a game and…
2. How to prevent your visor from fogging up in the first place.
I’ll show you a step-by-step method to overcome a foggy visor—and even include a couple of affordable tools you can use that will help a ton.
And, if you’ve also got some vision-impairing scratches on your visor, this article will show you how to remove them.
Let’s begin.
Here’s How to Make Your Hockey Visor Not Fog Up:
1. Get a cloth. 2. Wipe your visor down 3. Apply shampoo. 4. Wipe the front of your visor. 5. Wipe the inside of your visor. 6. Remove smudges. 7. Test out your visor. 8. Keep a rag on the bench.
Step 1: Get a Cloth
Before we get into this method, keep in mind that this fog prevention method works for both visors and face shields (fishbowls).
Grab a dry cloth. You can also use a rag. Just make sure it’s clean so you don’t mark up or leave a streak on your visor or face shield.
Step 2: Wipe Your Visor Down
Sometimes you can have streaks, dirt, or other debris on your visor.
The first thing you’ll want to do is do a quick wipe down of your visor. Just use a dry cloth if you can. If you absolutely need to, you could wet your cloth and give it a good wipe down.
Just remember if you choose to wet your cloth—grab another dry cloth for the next step.
Step 3: Apply Shampoo (or Lysol)
Grab any standard shampoo you have in the house. If you don’t have any, you should get baby shampoo as it tends to work best.
Another option is using Lysol (or a knock off brand equivalent).
Squeeze out just a tiny amount of shampoo onto your cloth. A small dot should be enough (about the size of the end of your pinky).
Step 4: Wipe the Front of Your Visor
Next, wipe down the front of your visor (or face shield) with the shampooed cloth.
Wipe down your visor in a circular motion very gently.
You don’t need to apply a ton of pressure. You’re just trying to apply a very thin coating of shampoo to your visor.
Step 5: Wipe the Inside of Your Visor
Once the front of your visor is done, it’s time to wipe down the inside.
Wipe down the inside just the same as you did the outside.
If you need to dab a bit of extra shampoo onto the cloth, feel free to do so. Just use a tiny amount.
Use a dry corner of your rag to get smudges out
Always remember to keep a rag on the bench
Step 6: Remove Smudges
Once you’ve wiped down the outside and inside of your visor, it’s time to remove any shampoo smudges.
Use a clean part of your cloth (usually the corners of the cloth are clean) and wipe off any shampoo smudges.
if you need to grab a new cloth, do so. You’ll want any smudges removed as they can negatively impact your vision during a game.
Step 7: Test Out Your Visor
Once you’re done, test out your visor.
Put your helmet on as you normally would and test out your vision.
Is it clear?
Make sure you can see, otherwise use dry cloth again. If there are still a few smudges, then repeat step 6 to get rid of them.
Step 8: Keep a Rag on the Bench
As a bonus step, once your visor is good to go, you’ll want to bring a rag with you on the bench during your next game.
Even with this fog prevention method, your visor can still sometimes fog up on the bench—especially if you have a fishbowl or you breathe heavily.
Keep a rag near your water bottle just in case you need to do a quick wipe down during a game.
Here’s a helpful video that shows you how to prevent your face shield or visor from fogging up:
How to Stop Your Fishbowl from Fogging Up?
Do you have a face shield—otherwise known as a fishbowl?
Does it keep fogging up when you’re on the ice?
Well, you’re not alone. Fishbowls are more prone to fogging than visors since they trap condensation in from your breathing. The harder you play, the more heavily you breathe—leading to poor visibility.
That can get really annoying, especially if you can’t figure out how to keep it from fogging up.
Here are a few tips you can try to keep your fishbowl from fogging up:
1. Use Baby Shampoo
Take a dry cloth and add a drop of baby shampoo and wipe your fishbowl down on the outside and inside. Remove any smudges and you’re good to go.
2. Try Regular Shampoo
That is, if you don’t have baby shampoo. Or, you can use a block of hand soap. Get it really wet and rub it on the outside and inside of your fishbowl and rub it in with a dry cloth
3. Use DON & JON’S Antifog Extreme Spray
This is a great spray formula that you can use right on the bench if your shield fogs up. It’s great when you need a quick fix during a game. It’s versatile enough that it can be used for everything from hockey visors to windshields, scuba gear, bathroom mirrors, and more.
4. Use Windex or Pledge Before a Game
Simply spray down your face shield with Windex or Pledge (or Lysol) and wipe it dry.
5. Try No Sweat Hockey Liners
These are handy liners you can place in your helmet to soak up sweat and moisture in your helmet.
6. Breathe Downwards on the Bench
In between shifts, try intentionally breathing downwards to prevent moisture from attaching to your fishbowl.
7. Switch to a Cage
If, after trying these tips out, you’re still finding that your fishbowl keeps fogging up, it might be time for you to try out a cage.
Many people are reluctant to use a cage instead as they’re afraid it will drastically limit their visibility (or doesn’t look good on the ice).
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
While cages can reduce a small level of visibility, it’s hardly noticeable after some time. Overall, cages can give you more visibility on the ice since they can’t fog up at all—giving many players better vision.
Most people who switch from face shield to cage have a very short adjustment time period before the visibility feels the same as a face shield.
Another option is to use hybrid facial protection. You could get a Cage & Shield combo. This is a half face shield that covers your eyes and a lower cage combo that covers your mouth and jaw.
This is a great choice if you’re wanting to reduce fogging but still protect your face (and you’re not willing to give up the visibility advantage of a clear plastic shield).
Or, if you’re confident enough, you could just use a straight cut visor. Obviously the lower part of your face will be unprotected—so it’s recommended to wear a mouthguard if you go this route.
How to Defog Your Hockey Visor
There are a ton of ways to prevent a fogging hockey visor. Make sure to read our tips up above!
But, if you’re in the middle of a game and your hockey visor fogs up, what do you do?
Well, the best solutions during a game are:
- Bring a dry rag to keep by your water bottle. Simply wipe down your visor when it fogs up.
- Keep DON & JON’S Antifog Extreme Spray with your rag and water bottle. This is an ever better option than just a rag. Use it if your visor fogs up during the game.
- Direct your breathing downwards. On the bench, consciously try to breathe downwards so you don’t fog up your visor more. This will give your visor time to defog.
Do you have a tinted visor or you’re looking to tint your visor? It’s even more important you follow the above tips as it can be a bit harder to see on the ice with a tinted visor. Feel free to check out our blog post on everything you need to know about tinted visors here.
And… if you wear glasses, and you’re trying to figure out how to play with them on, then you’ll definitely want to check out our popular blog post: Wearing Glasses and Playing Hockey: 11 Answers You Should Know.
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