# Fursuit Maintinence Suggestions



## Shino (Aug 11, 2009)

It's been a while since there's been one of these threads, and I think we could use it as a sticky here. Plus it'll be a good counterpoint to the constant "help im making a suit" threads.

Tell us about your maintinence habits for your suit: how you take care of it, what products you use, if and how you wash it, and any mods/repairs you've had to make to it.

Fire away!


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## RoseHexwit (Aug 11, 2009)

The tail of my self-made partial is ripping in a few places. I'm either going to resew it or just glue the holes together. One hole is about the size of a pencil eraser, and the other is even smaller. No big deal.

I have to re-glue the shoes every so often because I wear them for long periods of time. XD.

As far as washing goes, I haven't done that yet. I just leave everything out to dry on my bed before retiring it to my closet. The only product I've used so far is lots and lots of deodorant. XD.


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## Duality Jack (Aug 11, 2009)

Fasbric fresheners help allot to keep it bearable, I did not fur suit though unless you count being a mascot for a Rugby team (the fabreze shit is awesome, apply it like 10 mins before you put it on though or it stinks of the stuff when you wear it)


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## Beastcub (Aug 11, 2009)

turn the suit inside out and spray on antibacterial feebreeze and let dry after every use as this will defunkify the suit and allow it to go longer without being washed

put dryer sheets in the shoes, hands, body and head when storing for long periods of time so it smells fresh

spot wash the fur with teddy bear soap which you use by wiping with a damp cloth, spray the stuff on, rub it in, and wipe off

learn to do a simple overhand stitch for reparing seams as they will tear in stressed zone eventually due to the nature of the fabric (i find this happens after a lot of use, or if you tend to abuse the suit and rough house)

NEVER USE HEAT fake fur is thin strands of fabric so a clothes dryer or hair dryer will curl the fibers and once this happens there is no saving it

do not leave your costume anywhere hot like in a car in the summer, most makers use hot glue for the heads! and it WILL melt, i have heard more than one horror story of some one going back to their car and finding their head melted into a pancake.

suits are best washed in a tub of lukewarm water with a cup of woolite. i have machine wahsed short furred bodies before but long fur, air brushing or hand sewn parts = you REALLY should hand wash. wring out as much water as you can, lay on a pile of towles and roll it in the towels to get most of the water out, then lay flat to dry (fur is really heavy when wet, hang drying could stretch it) if you can put it on a rack or something so both sides dry at the same time that would be best (i took our screen door off the track and put blocks of wood under it then layed the suit on it) and you can blow a fan on it.


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## Ozriel (Aug 11, 2009)

Also, (not meaning to offend) becareful with Febreeze. It covers up the Odors and does not kill them and it also doesn't neutralize the oils. Most suiters I've talked to had issues that their suit head smelled like Flowery funk, instead of flowers. If you had to use Febreeze Use the Aerosol, not the one that comes in the plastic spray bottle, and let it air out. 



For places where the Pits touch, you can mix 1/4th of amonia to 3/4ths of water in a spray bottle. Turn the bodysuit inside out and spray the pit area. 

There's also a organic based deoderizer (can't remember the name) that works very well. I'll pass on the name when I can find out.


If you have to spot dry fur with a blowdryer, cool setting only.


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## Beastcub (Aug 11, 2009)

^
key word "antibacterial" feebreeze
the rest does just cover the funk
the key thing is you want to kill the bacteria in the sweat so the suit does not smell like BO

speaking of which WEAR DEODERANT
ue a dorderizing body spray before suiting up and wear something under the suit.
if you wear a dive skin (the kind ment for tropical water) under armor or a lycra full body leotard not only will it keep your sweat and body oils off the suit but it wicks moisture away which believe it or not keeps you cooler by wearing this extra layer.


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## InuAkiko (Aug 11, 2009)

These are all really great tips, and I agree with Shino that it should be a sticky. 




Zeke Shadowfyre said:


> There's also a organic based deoderizer (can't remember the name) that works very well. I'll pass on the name when I can find out.



Nature's Miracle, Stain & Odor remover? I remember Trpdwarf mentioning it in another thread.


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## Sabian (Aug 11, 2009)

^^^ Natures miracle, we use about a gallon a month in our house for spills on carpets. It was the only cleaner to kill the funk on pee spots from our animals.


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## Shino (Aug 12, 2009)

Heh, just occured to me that I didn't post my own tips, and I'm the OP.

Ok, for day-to-day maintinence, after use, I usually spray the inside with Lysol spray (with extra focus on the foam the gets skin-contact), spray the outside _lightly_ with Febreeze (lightly 'cause I don't wanna smell like flowers), then hang the bodysuit over my high-back office chair, since I don't have a closet or anything to hang it on (low-ceiling loft apt).
I give the head, paws, and footpaws the same workup, only lighter on the sprays. To get the dirt the builds up on the bottom of the footpaws off, I brush the fur out with a toothbrush, brings it right back to life.

Once my suit is dry (usually just before use) I take a soft-bristled dog brush and brush the suit and tail down to get rid of the matting of the fur that happens over time.

Usually wear a thin white t-shirt and boxers (clean, obviously) as well as my usual anti-persprant when suiting, and try to find as cold an environment possible to minimize sweating.

To deal with the rips and tears that comes with using the suit on a regular basis, I simply turn the suit inside out and carefully re-stitch the damaged area, making sure not to catch any actual fur in the stitch. Had to make minor repairs to both knee joints and to the rear tail opening so far, as well as re-gluing a couple of smaller teeth that fell out of the jaw.

I think I'm gonna need to make a repair to the tail at some point too, since the batting keeps sinking to the bottom of the tail, leaving the top third empty and floppy, and fluffing it up isn't working anymore. Might just need to re-stuff it or something.

Given how much use the suit sees, though, I'm suprised it's held up as well as it has. I'll probably be able to get another couple of years out of it before I have to retire it and get a new one.


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## Ozriel (Aug 12, 2009)

Beastcub said:


> ^
> key word "antibacterial" feebreeze
> the rest does just cover the funk
> the key thing is you want to kill the bacteria in the sweat so the suit does not smell like BO



But you do have to be cautious with Febreeze anyway. Febreeze is a "Water based" deodorizer that is meant to dry out in open air. If people do not let their head air out for a good dose of time, it will mildew regardless of being antibacterial or not.

So....flowery mushroom musty odor. :}

Thanks Sabian and InuAkiko. I used Nature's Miracle, Stain & Odor remover on my suit at AC, especially in the head. It worked "Miracles".


Anti-perspirant like Axe works well.


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## Irreverent (Aug 14, 2009)

Shino said:


> It's been a while since there's been one of these threads, and I think we could use it as a sticky here.



Done!


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## Texywolf (Aug 14, 2009)

Wells, I need a 10 list of tips for taking care of a fursuit, as I'm about to order myself one and I want to make sure I know what to do. The list can include what I should wear underneath it, what I should use to sanitize it, what I should do to store it, etc.


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## RustyFox (Aug 14, 2009)

Texywolf said:


> Wells, I need a 10 list of tips for taking care of a fursuit, as I'm about to order myself one and I want to make sure I know what to do. The list can include what I should wear underneath it, what I should use to sanitize it, what I should do to store it, etc.



Many fursuiters use a lyrca suit or UnderArmor. A great cheaper alternative (about $20 total) is to look for Dri-Star (Starter brand UnderArmor clone at Wal Mart). It's the same material as UnderArmor only MUCH cheaper. $10 for the top, and $10 for the bottom. CHEAPER if you can find it on clearance. I have several pairs of these and some of the I got for $3 a piece. SUPER nice to wear under the suit, and even one as thick and poofy as mine you stay nice and cool and don't get your suit as nasty. The material is slick too so it improves your mobility immensely. I used to try wearing gym shorts and a regular t-shirt under mine, but I wont be doing that ever again after trying the Dri-Star suit. You can find it in the the men's athletics department in clothing at Wal Mart.

Sanatizing: some great responses above about anti-bacterial febreeze.

Storage: I have a large heavy plastic and lockable storage crate I keep my entire suit in. I'll take a picture. 






Made by Sterilite. It has roller wheels on one side and a carrying handle as well for side carry. It is very strong. I can sit on it without it having any issue. I think it was $40 when I bought it 2.5 years ago.

EDIT DAYS LATER: I checked at Wal Mart today and found out this crate is actually just $20. GREAT investment to protect your suit.


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## Texywolf (Aug 14, 2009)

Thankies =3


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## Idlewild (Aug 14, 2009)

I have just a quick maintenance question on partials:

-How do clean out leg and arm sleeves? Do you just fold them inside out and spray them with the antibacterial spray (like Nature's Miracle)?

-Any other maintenance suggestions for partials? How do they differ in care from full-body suits?


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## BlackCatOrian (Aug 14, 2009)

have any of you had to remove accidental sains from food or anything like that? if yes how did you?


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## Ozriel (Aug 14, 2009)

Violet Virtue said:


> I have just a quick maintenance question on partials:
> 
> -How do clean out leg and arm sleeves? Do you just fold them inside out and spray them with the antibacterial spray (like Nature's Miracle)?
> 
> -Any other maintenance suggestions for partials? How do they differ in care from full-body suits?



For Deoderizing, Spray a bit of "Nature's Miracle", and to clean spots on fur, Teddy Bear Cleaner. 

For PArtials, it is about the same as Full body suits, except there's less work with a partial, almost less work.


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## KarabinerCoyote (Aug 18, 2009)

To re-attach loose paw pads, I've used an adhesive called E6000. (Available at JoAnn's.) Apply with a tooth pick or bamboo skewer. Clamp the parts together untill the glue sets.Simple Green is a non-toxic product good for spot cleaning. Spray the area with water, then Simple Green, then wipe off. I've cleaned up my footpaws with it. Also brightens the dingy soles of footy pajamas.
I store/transport my suit in a wide medium-size fibre-pak drum. The greif-lock locking ring takes a luggage-type padlock too. Many manufacturers recieve materials shipped in such drums. These usually get recycled, but could be had for the asking. My drum was used to ship plastic pellets for injection molding. So no toxicity issues. Pickle canneries are another good source as they receive ingredients in such containers, often by the semi-load.It doesn't hurt to ask. The worst they can do is say no.


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## Shino (Aug 27, 2009)

Ok, I've got a maintinence question / problem for you guys.

The fur on my suit has been slowly starting to matt up and clump over time with all the use it sees. I spray it out (AB Febreze and Lysol) and brush it regularly, but it's getting harder and harder to maintain the fur. I'm trying to avoid actually dunk-washing it, since it's got a lot of foam padding in it that shouldn't get wet and I'm worried about the airbrushing running. Is there any alternatives here that I could do at home? Is this something I can take to a dry-cleaners? Or is the suit simply beginning to wear-and-tear and there's nothing I can do about it?


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## Uro (Aug 27, 2009)

Shino said:


> Ok, I've got a maintinence question / problem for you guys.
> 
> The fur on my suit has been slowly starting to matt up and clump over time with all the use it sees. I spray it out (AB Febreze and Lysol) and brush it regularly, but it's getting harder and harder to maintain the fur. I'm trying to avoid actually dunk-washing it, since it's got a lot of foam padding in it that shouldn't get wet and I'm worried about the airbrushing running. Is there any alternatives here that I could do at home? Is this something I can take to a dry-cleaners? Or is the suit simply beginning to wear-and-tear and there's nothing I can do about it?



You just simply need to wash it, especially if it's seeing a lot of use. Are you also turning it inside out and letting it airdry after use? It's really important to maintain it and brush it after suitin.

But yea, I'd recommend washing it. No way to get around that.


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## ScrapeGoat (Sep 15, 2009)

Hiya!  chiming in late on this thread... 
Having been a costumer for a good few years, I have some spiffy tips to help keep yer suit fresh and un-funky (or at least far *less* funky).

I personally cannot stand the smell of Febreze or any other fabric softener type product (chemical-based odors make me gag, even Lysol) so after trying a few things I can recommend the following: 

This is more of an overall care list...

1) Wash and dry yourself THOROUGHLY before you even think about putting that thing on (and wear deodorant!).  Having less skin debris and sweat on you before suiting means that much less that will adhere to the foam and fabric to provide a growth medium for scuzz.

2) After wearing, spray everything on the inside surfaces with a 50/50 mix of Everclear (grain alcohol= non-toxic, no residue) and tap water in a schpritz bottle.  This will help kill anything that might decide to take up residence in there like mold and bacteria.  The alcohol also helps the drying process immensely as it will help pull the water out of the foam.  Spot-check your suit for compatibility in a few hidden places first to make sure the ethanol doesn't make anything stain, run or come apart (it should not affect most fake furs or adhesives, I've never had a problem).   This is also a good way to remove minor stains from the exterior without ruining the pile of the fur.

3) When you finally do take your suit off, and it's soaked in hot, sticky sweat, dry it under a fan IMMEDIATELY!  I wear full-body suits with a ton of padding and they absorb enough sweat to practically wring out-  Prop the pieces like the sleeves that are prone to collapsing open with debris (cardboard, or bits of wooden dowel and blow the air -through- the suit.  This will strongly discourage the growth of organisms and keep the stank from happening nearly so fast.  Generally if I put it under a big box fan when I go to bed at a con it's completely dry by the next morning, and smells just fine despite repeated wearings.  Then, when it's completely dry, brush the fur surfaces out with a soft, blunt-tipped hairbrush to fluff  'em back up.

Nothing is gonna get every bit of funk out of your fur, but this will go a long way to extending your suit's long term wearability.


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## KarabinerCoyote (Sep 28, 2009)

Care instructions with my first mascot suit included brushing the fluffy parts of the suit. A suede brush or horsehair brush works well.

I wonder if boot dryers sold in some sportsman's catalogs would adapt nicely for drying out fursuit parts.


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## Fay V (Sep 29, 2009)

My first time fursuiting we bought a can of oust antibacterial spray. Made the whole experience much better. I forgot to spray the head once after using it and I will never make that mistake again, it's unwearable. 

As for repairs, I hand stitched the entire suit, so stitching up anything is pretty easy. Right now i just need to fix a hole in the armpit where a seam popped from stress. 
any other repairs i just hotglue back together.


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## nobu (Sep 29, 2009)

Use this

http://www.fugly.com/view_video.php?viewkey=5ea6b17e80258dee231f


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## Kellan Meig'h (Sep 30, 2009)

Heard this one too many times during the panels at FC2009

http://www.lawardrobesupplies.com/END-BAC-II-p/4705.htm

Endbac II disinfectant spray.


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## Billy Pup (Oct 30, 2009)

I have a quick and simple question.

Is it ok to take your suit to the drycleaners every now and then to get a good deep down cleaning. I know dry cleaners are meant to clean with out doing any damage with heat but I am not sure if that will work with the fake fur.


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## onai (Nov 1, 2009)

Things that I do:
- I generally keep my heads out for display in my work area, on a shelf that's well away from anything that could get on or damage them in anyway. The rest of the suits (aside from bodysuits, which i hang up to keep wrinkles and such out) I store in their travel containers, which are 24 gallon action packers. This size is accepted by all airlines, and I can easily fit a fullsuit in one, or two partial suits.
-As far was what i wear undernieth, generally a bandanna on my head to keep sweat somewhat under control and out of my eyes. As for the rest of me- underarmour. though i use the stuff from ewalmart. it protects the suit, wicks sweat, and keeps you cooler ^-^
- i stuff dryer sheets inside the heads, and make sure to throughly disinfect them and dry them, along with all other parts of the suit, after each wearing.


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## Aero_husky (Nov 9, 2009)

So far, I have only worn my fursuit once (debuted it on Halloween). I just used LOTS of deodorant while in the costume, then let it air out over night before putting it away. I still need to re-glue parts of the feet, since I did alot of walking and the foam on one side has started to detach from the shoe. I learned the hard way that I should have trimmed the bottom of the legs where they were too long (I got home and realized I had been walking on the fur!!!) I will need to trim that, and I desperately need to give my suit some major liposuction, since the seamstress that helped me made it too big. I have definately learned from my mistakes, and hopefully I can repair everything and make my fursuit look good. But this is my first one, so I didn't expect it to be perfect. Oh yeah, what should I use to cover the bottom of the feet? I can't just leave it exposed anymore :/


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## ScrapeGoat (Nov 10, 2009)

you could glue some thick leather over the bottoms of the feet, or use some kind of durable foam pad.  Concrete is hell on soft material.  Or, you could build some huge oversize sandals..


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## bearetic (Jan 12, 2010)

I don't have a fursuit, but I do have a tail. I also have the flu. What's the best way to disinfect it so I can wear it to my furry themed birthday party on Saturday?


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## ScrapeGoat (Jan 27, 2010)

You don't need to disinfect your tail. The flu virus is droplet-borne (Sneezing and coughing) and is only viable for a brief period of time outside the body


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## ScrapeGoat (Jan 27, 2010)

Doublepost-  

Re:  deodorizing suits....I bought a suit at FC, first time I've ever bought one but this one was speeeeecial.  Anyway, the guy who had it before me let someone else wear it for the fursuit parade.  I already have issues with wearing someone esle's suit or letting anyone else wear mine-  my suits are personal, kind of like my underwear and when I put someone else's on I feel kind of like I'm....never mind.  Doubleplus ungood. 


Anyway, when I put it on later I was like *sniff sniff* and realized the guy had TOTALLY pitted it out.  I mean like bad enough that I had to wrap the bodysuit in plastic so it didn't contaminate my other luggage with the smell.  Bad enough that I almost couldn't bear the thought of putting the suit back on. 

So.  It's totally funked out and I'm kinda whining about it in the FC lobby and asking around on how to best get armpit-soaked fursuit stench out.  A couple people suggested Woolite or Febreze.  Trouble is I hate the smell of Febreze almost as much as I hate the smell of sweaty furry armpits.  

The best suggestion I got was from some helpful fur who recommended using baking soda and water. He said it was better than using Woolite due to soap's tendency to leave a filmy residue on the fabric which will later attract more dirt.    When I asked him how he came by this knowledge he stated that he cleaned carpets professionally, which was enough of a tip to me that I should at least try it before exploring other options.  So, I got a fresh box of baking soda, and wet just the armpitty portions of the suit with cold water.   Then I took a small handful of the baking soda and rubbed it into the pits, squished it around for a couple seconds and rinsed it several times.   I repeated this twice.  It's now drying on a hangar under a fan and there is NO ARMPIT ODOR AT ALL.  Zero. Nada.   

No apparent damage to the fabric either.   Wow.   Tell everyone.


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## Hyasinth (Jan 28, 2010)

ScrapeGoat said:


> Doublepost-
> 
> Re:  deodorizing suits....I bought a suit at FC, first time I've ever bought one but this one was speeeeecial.  Anyway, the guy who had it before me let someone else wear it for the fursuit parade.  I already have issues with wearing someone esle's suit or letting anyone else wear mine-  my suits are personal, kind of like my underwear and when I put someone else's on I feel kind of like I'm....never mind.  Doubleplus ungood.
> 
> ...



Wow... that's awesome. Although- a question. I'm not underage myself but what would you recommend for a fursuiter under 21 (or 18 depending on where they're from) who can't go out and buy Everclear?


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## ScrapeGoat (Jan 28, 2010)

Hyasinth said:


> Wow... that's awesome. Although- a question. I'm not underage myself but what would you recommend for a fursuiter under 21 (or 18 depending on where they're from) who can't go out and buy Everclear?



I suppose you could always ask your parents or adult friends to buy it for you and use it under supervision.

You *might* also try a denatured alcohol solution like rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol or methanol. I would imagine it would have similar properties but I have never tried it so I don't know if it would leave any sort of residue or be any more or less likely to affect adhesives or fabric dyes.  Your mileage may vary,   You'd want to be real careful with any of that stuff around painted parts.

Maybe one day as an experiment I will gather up a bunch of fursuit materials,  do a cross-compatibility test and then post the results.


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## Amethyst (Jan 28, 2010)

I'm worried about the colours mixing if I wash it ( Its yellow and red). Should I gently hand wash it?

And how about washing tails? Mines a stuffed rat like thing, I don't want it to go soggy and have stagnent water in it.


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## ScrapeGoat (Jan 28, 2010)

Amethyst said:


> I'm worried about the colours mixing if I wash it ( Its yellow and red). Should I gently hand wash it?
> 
> And how about washing tails? Mines a stuffed rat like thing, I don't want it to go soggy and have stagnent water in it.




Kinda depends on how the colors were applied.  If it's the original color of the material it is likely colorfast/permanently dyed. If anything was airbrushed, well...there's a good possibility it could run if hit with any kind of solvent. 

Recommend you test your cleaning methods in an inconspicuous area first, or contact the maker and tell them what you intend to do. 

Never use heat to dry, air dry works even for bulky stuff as long as you drip-dry or gently hand wring it, then put a huge fan on it and turn it periodically.


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## allenjohnson (Mar 8, 2010)

If anyone is interested.  Old thread now.  I successfully washed a NFT pure white fursuit body in a washing machine.  Delicate cycle, cold water with the designated amount of woolite. I also put in 2 cap fulls of bleach.  Yep the nasty chlorine bleach.  Went thru spin dry cycle too.   Then I hung it up with a fan inside it for 24hrs.  The tail took the longest to dry.  It came out beautiful.  I don't recommend this practice to anything colored though. But the big thing is that the NFT did not shrink.  I remember though, the water got really dirty. And it was a white suit with no visible soil.  So the moral here is wash your suits.  They get dirty whether you see it or not.


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## KarabinerCoyote (Apr 23, 2010)

If you do dry clean a fursuit, then airing it out would be adviseable as the fumes could put you down. I have seen such warnings about dry-cleaning sleeping bags.


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## Shukie (May 21, 2010)

this threads been especially useful to me o.o As i should be getting a fursuit within the next six months so i'm out seeking as much info as i can to take care of it when i get it.  It'll be a partial, as i have a tendancy to overhead in normal everyday conditions and me+ bodysuit would likely end in a hospital visit. but this thread is VERY VERY informative and i want to thank EVERYONE who has given information to this thread so that we can all give our suits a long long life with them still looking and smelling nice.


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## KarabinerCoyote (Jul 24, 2010)

Military Surplus stores can be good sources for containers to store fursuits. Just saw a couple plastic footlockers this afternoon. There's also canvas duffle bags and quartermaster bags. These too can be locked.

To disinfect/deodorize I just use a spray disinfectant aerosol.


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## mrs.ferdo (Aug 19, 2010)

What is the best way to maintain the inside of a balaclava based head?


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## KarabinerCoyote (Sep 1, 2010)

After an outing, I lightly spray it with disinfectant, then place the head piece over both towers of a boot dryer for at least an hour. I picked up a cheap boot dryer from Menards for under $10 that runs on D batteries or AC with adapter included.


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## Deo (Sep 2, 2010)

SCRAPEGOAT! I missed your panel at Anime Iowa! :C


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## Tsun (Nov 14, 2010)

Hey guys, anything i should know about washing foam?
Ignore all the problems with fur/glue/paint/anything else.

But how does foam handle washing? can i put it in the washing machine? If so then what temperatures can it take?
Will it flatten if i wash it many times?


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## Penumbra Noct (Dec 4, 2010)

Logically it would be dry cleaning that affords the best cleaning and least amount of damage to a suit.  I have no idea the price or even if all dry cleaners will take something like a full suit.  The headpiece seems problematic, however if they were able to dry clean a fursuit I'm sure it would be the most effective in both ways.  Anyone willing to bring a full suit down to the dry cleaners and ask..?  I'd be curious to find out.


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## Chesh (Jan 19, 2011)

I have a pair of foot paws I bought off of furbuy a while back, second hand technically (only worn once and arrived in mint condition). The outdoor soles are now starting to come loose. What do most suiters use to adhere the soles to the paws?


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## Birdeh (Mar 28, 2011)

What's a good way to keep white fur white? I'm planning on making a full-white bodysuit with coloured accents... but I don't want it to get dingey yellow (my parents smoke).


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## Flarveon (Apr 28, 2011)

Question: I have a fullsuit, with unattached hands/feet, but the tail (a red panda x raccoon tail) is completely attached to the body. How would I go about washing this?

For more detail, the front chest floof is longpile MM black fox fur (female fluff kinda thing), rest is short pile cubby fur, and the tail is tightly stuffed and made of MM black and white fox fur.

I'm not entirely sure how to go about washing this :/ I mean the tail does not REALLY bend unless I willingly make it and hold it like that.  Also, in Australia we don't have woolite, any other washing products I could use?

Edit: Picture to help explain: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5598332/ and http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5609383/
You can see the chest floof and the attached tail.


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## widdlyscuds (Jun 13, 2011)

I have a question!
I recently bought a partial from another person off of FA. This is my first fursuit, so even though I've read up on how to clean them, I'm afraid to mess up (especially the head!). So, what I was thinking- Could I take a washcloth (soaked in Woolite then squeezed to get the rest out of it), LIGHTLY hand wash the head with that, then get another washcloth (soaked in cold water), do the same thing, then dry it?


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## Ozriel (Jun 13, 2011)

widdlyscuds said:


> I have a question!
> I recently bought a partial from another person off of FA. This is my first fursuit, so even though I've read up on how to clean them, I'm afraid to mess up (especially the head!). So, what I was thinking- Could I take a washcloth (soaked in Woolite then squeezed to get the rest out of it), LIGHTLY hand wash the head with that, then get another washcloth (soaked in cold water), do the same thing, then dry it?


 
There's a teddy bear cleaner out there called Siege, and it is gentle to use on most fursuit heads.
You can also use some spot treatment on it to get rid of some dirt stains. 
What I do for getting grime and oils out of my head is a mid of Alcohol, water and amonia on a cloth and gently get the inside. It gets rid of oil and bacteria. 

I would avoid hand-washing fursuit heads.


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## widdlyscuds (Jun 15, 2011)

Awesome! Thanks. I did pick up a teddy bear cleaner the other day and used it and it got all the stains out, but it left a slightly weird residue. o_o; Is that normal, or..?


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## Ozriel (Jun 16, 2011)

widdlyscuds said:


> Awesome! Thanks. I did pick up a teddy bear cleaner the other day and used it and it got all the stains out, but it left a slightly weird residue. o_o; Is that normal, or..?


 
Did you spray it on, or put it on a cloth and dabbed at it?


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## Origamigryphon (Jan 29, 2012)

Flarveon said:


> Question: I have a fullsuit, with unattached hands/feet, but the tail (a red panda x raccoon tail) is completely attached to the body. How would I go about washing this?



I hope it's not too late to respond here, as this thread hasn't gotten a lot of replies recently. 

My Gshep bodysuit has an attached tail; when you look inside, can you see the opening for the tail? If you can, you can simply turn it inside out halfway and dig out all of the stuffing by hand. Once it's all out, you can completely turn the bodysuit and the tail inside out and throw it in the tub :3 That's what I do. 

Another thing I wanted to mention (even though it's been said several times) is to PLEASE brush your suit! Before you suit, after you suit, after you clean it and it is dry; at every opportunity I am brushing my suit out. But unfortunately I still see people with matted, mangy looking suits running around (Room 366 anyone?).

Granted I know that while running around your suit will get a little matted, especially if you sweat a lot, but I've seen way too many who don't even give their suits the time of day.


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## Daggerjaw Bloodwolf (Jun 30, 2012)

Hey there huys and girls I have a problem. I bought a partial.. I have only tail and paws.. The thing is I just try it out for first time. It fits me well and all. The problem is that when I looked carefully I could see stitches poping like crazy all over the places. On my paws there are like three holes and on my tail one. I can fix that.. But any suggestion If it would be o.k and poping after when I sew it two times just for caution meassure?


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## Lejonet731 (Jul 6, 2012)

[h=3]During Use[/h]

Be very careful when putting on your suit. These are not clothing  and should not be treated as such. Carefully pull the suit over your  body. Do not force anything in. The backing of the material is fragile.  When zipping up, go slowly being sure to not catch anything in the  zipper. It is always easier to have a second person to help you in and  out.

We recommend wearing Under ArmorÂ® or some form of spandex under your  suit. This allows for the best movement and helps greatly on keeping  you cool.

Be extra careful when handling the head. Do not hang on by the ears or nose.
  [h=3]After Use[/h]

Fur brush - We  recommend using this before and after each time you perform. This keeps  the fibers in the best shape.

Turn your suit inside out and spray thoroughly with disinfectant spray.

Always hang your body until it dries, then it can be folded or stored away.

Spray down the rest of the suit as well. You can turn paws inside out to help them dry.
  [h=3]Washing[/h]

Bodies with minimal airbrushing are machine washable. Make sure you use cold water and a delicate cycle.

Use fabric softener, but never use bleach.

Do NOT put anything into a dryer! This  will melt the fibers and destroy your costume! Always air dry and brush  out any fur periodically until it's dry.

Paws and tail can be hand washed with cold water and laundry detergent.

Be very careful with any airbrushed spots.

Do NOT ever use a blow dryer. This can burn and melt fibers on your suit very easily. Always air dry.

Always be careful when cleaning any part of your costume, especially  the head. It is the most fragile piece. Wash with a cold cloth. Do not submerge completely in water.
  [h=3]Storage[/h]

Never store the suit unless it is completely dry and sprayed with disinfectant.

Always try to hang the suit right side out on a hanger. It can also be stored neatly folded.

Make sure there is ample room for the head. Never store anything on top of any part of your suit.

If you are short on space, suits can be stored in a large tote.  These are easy to find and very cheap. They work great for quick  transporting too!
  [h=3]Traveling[/h]

When traveling by car, use a hard plastic tote to store your suit.  Fold everything nicely and don't overstuff inside the tote. Make sure  the head is on top and has room around it. Never place anything on top of the tote!
Don't forget your disinfectant spray!
Traveling by plane is tricky. If you can, mail your suit to a friend  or to your hotel. Otherwise find a large enough hard travel suitcase.  Type up directions on how to fit the suit back into your suitcase for  when it's inspected and taken out by the airline. Also putting a photo  of what's in your suitcase may help you. Suits probably look weird going  through the airline's X-ray machine.
Do not rely on taping your suit if you're on an airplane. Most  airlines will inspect taped packages. Make sure you use a suitcase with a  manual lock or something that clips closed.

**This is not my care guide. I found it online but I believe it's VERY helpful.


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## Inashne117 (Jul 6, 2012)

Lejonet731 said:


> Traveling by plane is tricky. If you can, mail your suit to a friend  or to your hotel. Otherwise find a large enough hard travel suitcase.  Type up directions on how to fit the suit back into your suitcase for  when it's inspected and taken out by the airline. Also putting a photo  of what's in your suitcase may help you. Suits probably look weird going  through the airline's X-ray machine.



I recommend a Rubber Maid action packer. It's large enough for  almost every head, except maybe those with abnormally large ears.  They're also just inside the size range for Southwest airlines to check  them for free at 61".


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## KarabinerCoyote (Sep 10, 2012)

For fursuit storage/transport I used a large fiberpak drum with a greif-lok ring which accepted a luggage lock to secure it. Now I use a Plano footlocker with rollers, bought from Dunham's with 20% off coupon. Lockable and easy to move about.


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## Tikaani (Oct 4, 2012)

Ok, I really need help. My cat decided it was a good idea to throw up on my armsleeves last night. How can I clean them?


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## xXSlaughteredXx (Apr 29, 2014)

Shino. Is the wolf in your profile picture inspired by Wolf's Rain even a little bit? even "Blue" reminds me of one of the characters in there ;P


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## LordMoonBiscuit (Jul 25, 2014)

extremely late comment is late 

For my partial, I use Lysol. After suiting I set my head out, and spray the inside of the head with Lysol. When spraying your head, make sure you spray the front area where it touches your face, the top, and the bottom of the back; these are all in almost constant contact with the most sweaty parts of your head! The fur on my head is really short (it's like cuddle fur or something), so i don't have to brush often, and really only brush it to keep the head looking nice. the maker of my partial didn't put a liner in it, so i always Lysol it twice to make sure it's clean. After spraying, i leave my head on a chair or something under my fan with the mouth open wide to allow air flow to dry it.

For paws, I also use Lysol. Generally, paws see more use than heads, and they get worn out more easily. I dance with my paws, so the fur on them is really old and worn. I've had to patch them up a few times, and one of them is getting another small hole. After i wear my paws, i flip them inside out and use a (clean) lice comb to get rid of what i call "Glove Fuzz" (it's essentially pilled up fur inside the paws). Then i spray them with Lysol and leave them out to dry. Every once and a while, i throw my paws in the washer so they can be cleaned a little more thoroughly. for the tail, i just brush it. Lice combs work wonders for styling and brushing fur, especially longer fur accents!


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## JRich (Jul 26, 2014)

I dare not wash my fur! I just let it dry out of the sun, put a little bit of talc and brushed a tiny little hairs to remove residue and let it brighter.


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## jorinda (Jul 30, 2014)

JRich said:


> I darenotwashmyfur!



Please do. The human skin always gives off some dead skin cells, fats, and such. That's why fursuits need washing, no matter how well you dry and disinfect them.


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## SteampunkJack (May 23, 2015)

I have foam digitigade legs that DO NOT turn inside out.  How do i go about washing theses?

I heard febreeze breaks down foam...to use alcohol? And....never to submerge the foam? Its a /lot/ of foam...i agree that wouls take forever to dry. Any ideas or advise for foam cleaning?


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## Maximus B. Panda (May 20, 2016)

Duct tape, duct tape fixes everything. If that doesn't work, then you're not using enough of it.


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## moonshadow2 (Jan 30, 2019)

good idea could u use an essential oil on the inside to get rid of the smell ? or u could put cardboard from tp and put a drop from essial oil to see if thay helps


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## KiokuChan (Oct 24, 2021)

Any suggestions for a painted raptor mask with fur for the back of head and mask? I don't need to wash him yet, just getting info fir when I do.


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