Unfortunately the neoprene in dive gear does fall apart - even without use!
Not much you can do about it.  You'll probably have to buy new ones!

Neoprene is very susceptible to weather conditions in your home - humdity,
heat, etc.

Patty Jansen wrote:

> Dear All,
>
> This is remotely shell-related, but I have a question.
>
> After a spell of more than nine years we have started to get back into
> snorkelling, and will in time get back to scuba diving as we did before the
> children were born.
>
> Before our daughter was born we had the sense to sell our expensive dive
> equiment, but kept our wetsuits, masks, fins, gloves etc. Imagine trying to
> squeeze yourself into a wetsuit you haven't used for nine years and that is
> supposed to be tight to start off with,  with a body that's gone through
> three pregancies. Well, it still fits (sort of), but what my question is
> related to is the dive bootees. Nine years of disuse have made the zippers
> so terminally stuck that no matter of pulling or pushing will budge them.
> It seems as if the zipper has corroded onto the zipper fabric, although it
> isn't rusty, but some sort of white stuff that isn't salt. Before I trow
> them in the bin and buy new bootees, maybe somebody knows a way to get
> these infernal zippers unstuck.
>
> Shell-related bit: I need the bootees to look for shells!
>
> Patty