Washing Instructions
Even if you disinfect your suit after each wear and always treat it with care, there will come a time when it will need a more thorough cleaning (e.g., after a convention!).
In general: Body, tail, and hand paws can be safely machine washed. This does not apply to feet paws and head, but more on that later. Many are afraid of putting the suit in the washing machine, but in my experience, this is the easiest option. As long as you follow a few guidelines, you can’t really go wrong.
As preparation, you should turn the body inside out as shown in the image, so that the inner sides are outside.
Next, place the body and hand paws in a laundry bag. If the tail fits in there too, even better. You should definitely use a (vegan) liquid laundry detergent. Many swear by wool detergent, but they are relatively expensive compared to other options and not necessarily required in my experience. Optionally, you can add a disinfectant cleaner as long as it’s not too aggressive. I would personally advise against using fabric softener, but opinions vary on this. The fur will become fluffy again without it 🙂
You can also add a spin cycle towards the end (600-800 rotations) to speed up the drying process. Under no circumstances should the suit be put in the dryer. Faux fur is made from non-heat-resistant plastic, and the dryer can damage the fur significantly.
Depending on how heavy the suit has become, you can hang it on a wide hanger. Otherwise, lay it out on a drying rack to dry.
You can also hang the tail on a hanger. Sometimes you just need to get a little creative. I built a structure out of clips for this purpose 🙂
Once you have hung the suit, don’t forget to brush the fur. Make sure to do this before the fur is completely dry. Brushing the fur will make it fluffy again.
In the image, you can see the difference after brushing and how neat the fur looks again. For this, you should use a pet fur brush, as it won’t pull out the undercoat and is gentle on the fur. By the way, what applies to animals should also be considered for suits: don’t brush against the grain 🙂
Another tip to further preserve the fur: if you turn the brush 180°, it will glide gently through the fur and protect the undercoat. You’ll notice the difference after a few months, but it’s worth it!
The feet paws can be treated externally with water and soap in a tub or sink. Just rub thoroughly, then rinse and brush. If you have a wet vacuum cleaner as an alternative, you can also use it to treat the feet paws. Unfortunately, I don’t have one, so I can’t provide further tips on this 🙂
Afterward, you can place them as shown in the image to let the water drain off. Unlike the suit, which is almost dry on the same day for me, feet paws usually take several days to dry. So, start early with this :p
The head, like the feet paws, should not be put in the washing machine, as it often contains airbrushing or built-in technology. I’ve never had to clean the outside of the head, but some also swear by wet vacuum cleaners for this. On the inside, wipe the head after wearing it and treat it with disinfectant.
If you follow these few guidelines and rules, you’ll still enjoy your suit for many years to come!