Wetsuits are neoprene gloves built for your body, thin shells of rubber filled with air bubbles that insulate a layer of water against your skin. The water, warmed by your body heat, helps to keep you warm as you swim, dive or surf in cold water. A wetsuit must be cleaned after each use to remove salt residue and organic material stirred up from the ocean, lake or river bottom. If they aren't removed, salt and organic matter can break down the fabric of a wetsuit and cause odors. Because certain