Swim goggles can definitely fog up—I get your skepticism there. I've tried them a few times, and honestly, I end up squinting through a cloudy mess half the time. Proper safety glasses with side shields usually do the trick for me, but you're spot on about long sleeves and gloves. Learned that the hard way when I spent hours installing insulation in a client's attic... spent the next two days feeling like I'd rolled around in poison ivy. Fiberglass itch is no joke, lesson learned.
I've had the same fogging issue with swim goggles—super frustrating when you're already sweating buckets in a stuffy attic. One trick that helped me was rubbing a tiny bit of dish soap inside the lenses, then rinsing lightly. Sounds weird, but it actually reduces fogging quite a bit. Also, totally agree on the fiberglass itch... learned my lesson after spending half a weekend scratching like crazy. Ever tried baby powder on your skin before suiting up? It seems to help keep those tiny fibers from sticking so much.
Dish soap trick works okay, but honestly, I've found it leaves a slight residue that bugs me after a while. Instead, I switched to anti-fog spray meant for ski goggles—bit pricier but way clearer vision overall. As for baby powder... tried it once and ended up with a weird paste-like mess from sweating. Long sleeves and duct-taping cuffs have been my go-to since then. Not glamorous, but keeps the fiberglass itch manageable at least.
"Long sleeves and duct-taping cuffs have been my go-to since then. Not glamorous, but keeps the fiberglass itch manageable at least."
Agree 100% on the duct tape trick—it's saved me more than a few itchy evenings after attic work. Couple extra points I've learned from experience:
- If you're going the long-sleeves route, pick something disposable or at least something you don't care about. Fiberglass fibers stick around even after washing sometimes, and you'll feel that itch popping up weeks later if you reuse clothes without realizing it.
- Definitely skip cotton gloves—fibers go straight through them. Nitrile-coated gloves work best for me; they're breathable enough to avoid sweaty hands but thick enough to keep most fibers out.
- Anti-fog spray is a solid suggestion; hadn't thought about ski goggles spray specifically, but I've used scuba mask anti-fog before (probably similar?). It does help clarity a ton, though you might wanna test it on your lenses first to make sure it doesn't mess with coatings.
- Baby powder...yeah, hard pass from me too. Tried cornstarch once (similar concept), and it was an absolute disaster after sweating set in—felt like I was breading myself for frying or something.
Also worth mentioning: if you're regularly spending time up there and the itch factor is high, consider investing in disposable Tyvek suits. They look silly as hell, but they're cheap enough if you buy a pack online, and they completely remove the hassle of cleaning fibers off your clothes afterward. Just toss 'em when you're done.
Something else that helps: cold showers. Hot water opens pores and seems to drive those fibers deeper in...cold water rinse-off right after working seems to minimize irritation significantly.
Anyway, nothing beats just getting the job done quickly and efficiently so you spend less time rolling around in itchy insulation dust...easier said than done sometimes though.
The duct tape trick is definitely a lifesaver—learned that one the hard way after my first attic insulation adventure. I remember thinking, "How bad could it be?" Famous last words. Spent the next two days feeling like I'd rolled around in poison ivy.
Interesting point about the nitrile gloves. I've always just grabbed whatever cheap gardening gloves were lying around, and yeah, fibers go right through those suckers. Might have to give nitrile a shot next time.
Funny you mention the baby powder/cornstarch thing—I had a buddy swear by it once. He convinced me to try it when we were insulating his garage. Let's just say it ended with both of us looking like powdered donuts and feeling twice as itchy. Never again.
Tyvek suits are a good call too, but man, those things get hot fast. I wore one once while crawling around an attic in July, and I swear I lost five pounds in sweat alone. Still, beats itching for days afterward, I suppose.
One thing I've found helpful is using a shop vac with a HEPA filter attachment afterward to clean up any stray fibers around the attic hatch or ladder area. It doesn't solve everything, but it cuts down on the lingering itch factor when you're going up and down repeatedly.
Cold showers though...I dunno. I've always gone straight for hot water thinking it'd wash everything off better, but now you've got me second-guessing myself. Maybe I'll brave the cold next time and see if it makes a difference.
Honestly, every time I deal with fiberglass insulation, I find myself wondering if spray foam would be worth the extra cost just to avoid this itchy nightmare altogether. Anyone here ever made the switch? Curious if it's really worth it or just trading one headache for another...
