Excellent defoaming performance means using the right type of defoamer (like silicone, polyether, or ester-based) for a specific application (laundry, inks, industrial fluids), achieving rapid foam breakdown and long-lasting control with minimal impact on product quality, requiring properties like low surface tension, good compatibility, and insolubility in the foaming medium for effective bubble collapse. The key is finding a balance: strong enough to defeat foam but compatible enough to avoid surface defects like craters. 

This video explains how to combine different defoamers for the best results:

This video shows the effects of adding too much defoamer to a hot tub: