Life jackets are a prime example of essential water safety equipment that is often neglected. Always check and maintain your life jackets, flotation pillows, and other emergency equipment when you return to the dock, and you’ll always be well equipped and ready for your next sail. Just visit https://www.vaikobi.com/ and get the best life jacket.

As with most boating equipment, it only takes a few moments to inspect and properly store your swimming equipment. Follow these simple maintenance and storage tips, and your life jackets will be safe and ready to use for many, many years.

• Never keep a life jacket that is not in good condition. Quickly inspect for cracks, tears, mold, powdery mildew, and worn spots after each use. Discard any flotation equipment that appears to be in poor condition. What appears to be just a slight crack or worn area can separate under stress and put the user’s life at risk. Cut open any lifebuoys or vests that you throw away so that no one is tempted to use an unsafe item.

• Always rinse each life jacket and swim pillow well at the end of the day. The salt in sea spray and even in sweat attracts moisture. This moisture, in turn, attracts powdery mildew and rot. Removing salt helps keep this vital device dry in storage. Rinse out all of your swimming gear well after you stop using it for the day.

• If a life jacket or swim pillow becomes dirty and needs more than a quick rinse, wash it off with a mild detergent, then rinse it thoroughly. Never use strong detergents and never dry-clean a life jacket. These chemicals can weaken the fabric and reduce buoyancy.

• Let your gear air dry before storing it. Do not try to use a radiator, stove, hairdryer, or another direct heat source to speed the process up. Excessive heat can weaken or destroy the outer fabric and degrade the inner flotation material.

• Always keep your clean, dry vaikobi life jackets in a great-ventilated place that stays dry. Finally, bring all life jackets and other swimming gear ashore for winter storage.

• Never use a life jacket as a boat bumper, seat cushion, or cushion, and do not place heavy objects on your lifeguards. Unrelieved pressure can compress the air pockets in the flotation material and drastically reduce its effectiveness.

• Immediately replace a child’s life jacket that has become too small even in the off-season. A flotation device that is too small does not carry the excess weight in the water properly. A life jacket that is not worn because it has become uncomfortable or that does not swim high enough in the water is a life jacket that cannot do its life-saving job properly.

These seven simple maintenance steps will keep your life jackets and other swimming equipment in good condition for many years to come and ensure safety on and in the water.