Baby shampoo is one of the oldest anti-fog tricks on pool deck. Ask any squad and someone will swear by it. So does baby shampoo stop goggles fogging? Yes, for one session. Does it sting? If you don't rinse it properly, absolutely.
Here's how to use baby shampoo on your goggles, why it works, where it falls short, and the alternative that lasts months instead of minutes: clear anti-fog patches that stick inside the lens.
How to defog goggles with baby shampoo
- Put a tiny drop of baby shampoo on your fingertip. Less is more.
- Spread a thin layer over the inside of each lens.
- Dip the goggles in the pool and rinse lightly, enough to clear the bubbles but not so much that you wash it all off.
- Put them on and swim.
Why it works
Baby shampoo is a mild soap. It leaves a thin film on the lens that stops condensation beading into tiny droplets, so moisture spreads out flat and you can see through it. That's the same basic idea as most anti-fog sprays.
The downsides
- It only lasts one session. The film washes off in the water, so you're redoing it every swim, and treating both lenses each time.
- It stings. Rinse too little and you get soap in your eyes. Rinse too much and it stops working.
- It's one more thing to pack. A bottle in the kitbag, every session.
- It can work against your goggles' own anti-fog. Speedo's goggle care advice is not to use soap or detergent for everyday cleaning. If your goggles still have some factory anti-fog left, regular soaping isn't doing it any favours.
Baby shampoo vs an anti-fog patch
- Baby shampoo: one session, redone every swim, can sting.
- FOG OFF!: one application, 3+ months of fog-free swims (based on 3+ swims a week), nothing to sting your eyes, nothing to pack or prep poolside.
FOG OFF! is a clear anti-fog film that sticks inside each lens. Remove any factory anti-fog first (that one-off clean is the only time your goggles need detergent), press the patch on, then dip and gently rub it before each swim. One size fits any swim goggle.
Keep your goggles, lose the fog
If baby shampoo has become your pre-swim ritual, your goggles' anti-fog has probably worn off. That doesn't mean they need replacing. Read how to restore anti-fog on swim goggles, compare the best anti-fog sprays for swim goggles, or see our full guide to keeping swim goggles from fogging.