Suit Care — That's Furred Up

Storage

Proper storage can help keep your costume looking its best for many years of fun and travel.

Store in a cool area, out of direct sunlight (heat and sunlight may warp or fade fabric and parts).
Use wide, strong hangers for your costume body. This will help support the weight of the costume and prevent hanger puckering in the shoulders.
Garment bags are an optional storage accessory that can help keep your costume clean and organized.
To avoid fabric creasing or distorted parts, store heads and other costume parts in areas where they aren’t too cramped, squished, or bent. Shelves and large storage bins are great options.

There are two main methods for cleaning your costume: spot cleaning and machine cleaning.

This method involves cleaning costume parts by hand, without the use of a washing machine.
While using a machine is quicker, spot cleaning is gentler and better suited for delicate or intricate costume parts.
Options for spot cleaning include plushie or carpet cleaners (such as Folex®), baking soda, or dish soap. It is important to read all instructions and directions for cleaning products, and to use small amounts of the product so that it is easy to rinse off or wipe away.
Folex® is a great cleaning product for faux fur, and we recommend keeping some on hand for general spot cleaning needs.
A warm, damp rag with a small amount of dish soap (such as Dawn) can help remove oily or greasy stains.
A warm, damp rag with a mixture of baking soda and water, or baking soda and vinegar, can help keep whites bright and remove tough stains.

Washing machines can make cleaning your costume quick and easy. This method is recommended for parts with light or no stuffing, as parts with heavy foam or stuffing can absorb more water and take additional time and effort to dry.
Warning: It is important to note that consistent high heat can cause permanent damage to your costume.
While machine washing is safe for your costume, be sure to double check that your machine is set to cool or cold – do not use hot water, as this can cause damage to the costume fibers.
Costume parts can be washed on a normal setting in cool or cold water with the same detergents that you would use for normal clothing.
Spin dry costume parts to remove excess water, as an over-saturated costume can be heavy and potentially cause warping or damage to parts from additional weight when hanging.
Because heat can be so damaging to costumes, some people prefer to avoid the dryer altogether. However, if you are confident that your dryer can run a complete cycle with little or no heat, a quick air dry cycle can help remove excess water and fluff the fibers.
After washing, hang your costume to dry. Gently brush the costume occasionally while it dries using a slicker brush to ensure complete and even drying.
After your costume has dried completely, you can re-insert padding and return the costume to storage.

Heads can be spot cleaned to keep the exterior looking fresh. It is not recommended to machine wash your costume head. The head’s interior can be wiped down with a warm, damp rag, or disinfected with a mixture of equal parts isopropyl alcohol and water in a spray bottle.

Hands can be spot cleaned, or washed in a machine using a delicates bag or pillowcase.

Tails can be spot cleaned, or washed in a machine if the stuffing is removable. Some older costumes do not have tail zippers to remove the stuffing – these tails should be spot cleaned unless they are looking extra dirty, in which case they can be washed using a machine and then hung in front of a fan to dry. Be aware that these older tails may take a day or two to dry completely since the inner stuffing will absorb a large amount of water.

Costumes without padding can be turned inside out and washed in a washing machine.
Costumes with padding include snaps and zippers for removing and/or opening inner padding. Stuffing can be removed and the body can be turned inside out and washed in a washing machine.
Older costumes may have removable pillows, or sewn-in pillows which can be washed along with the body in a washing machine.
After washing your body, it is important to hang it to dry and brush the fur occasionally during the drying process to keep fibers straight and prevent creases or frizz.

Some styles of feet include zippers for removing inner stuffing, and can be easily washed in a washing machine.
Feet without a way to remove inner stuffing should be spot cleaned unless they are looking extra dirty, in which case they can be washed in a washing machine. Be aware that these feet may take additional time to dry completely since the inner stuffing will absorb a large amount of water.

How to wear your costume with care

Wearing sweat wicking Under Armour® or a similar brand of sportswear can help keep you cool, comfy, and clean. It can be helpful to have sweat wicking socks and a headband, cap, or balaclava in addition to a shirt and pants. For long weekends or outings, we recommend having multiple sets of these garments.

A quick brush before and after wearing your costume can help you stay looking your best!
After getting out of costume, hang damp parts to dry. A fan can help speed up the process.
A small fan to set your costume’s head on after wearing it can help air out the tight space quicker.
To disinfect the inside of your costume’s head and other parts after wearing them, use equal parts isopropyl alcohol and water in a spray bottle

Costumes can be bulky, but with proper planning travel can be simple!

Large duffel bags such as hockey bags are great for traveling with your costume.

Other options include hard shell luggage or large plastic storage bins.
We recommend brands such as Pelican™ hard cases. These containers tend to have reliable locks and strong walls. Avoid storage containers with thin walls and lids that snap on. These are useful for ordinary storage, but area easily damaged or opened during travel.
Vacuum storage bags can make costumes more manageable for packing. However, we recommend not keeping a costume compressed for any longer than one to two days as the fabric may crease or deform.
Heads should not be stored in a vacuum bag. All other parts can be compressed, but some may need additional brushing or fluffing after unpacking.
Avoid storing costumes in hot cars, as direct sun and high temperatures can cause permanent damage.

Like any garment, costumes can begin to show signs of wear and tear after many years of use and love.

It can be helpful to keep a hot glue gun handy in case a detail comes loose or shifts.
Familiarizing yourself with simple hand-sewing techniques like the blanket stitch can be useful in the event of small seam pops or tears.
If your costume’s fur develops creases, they can be removed with controlled heat from a hair dryer and gentle brushing.
When in doubt or if you are concerned about your costume’s condition, please feel free to reach out to us through any of our standard contact methods for additional guidance.
Additional trusted resources:
- Fursuit care on matrices.tumblr.com
- How to clean fursuits