Costume Character Cleaning & Preservation

These are steps for proper cleaning and preservation of Costumed Character parts.

Fabrics

Faux Fur

For restoring matted/tangled fur of any; length, color, or size, you will have to wash by hand. Start by applying soap to the fur, this can be any type of soap such as dish soap or Woolite but make sure you don't use any type of harsh bleaching detergent that can cause discoloration. For extremely dirty and matted fur the only bleaching agent advised would be 70% antiseptic isopropyl rubbing alcohol, this acts as a low-grade bleaching agent that won't cause any discoloration to your fur.

Second step is cleaning your fur with cold water and make sure all the soap is washed off the fur, once you do that, you're ready for the final step, hang up your fur, blow dry on warm heat and high intensity. While you're drying, brush the fur gently with a pet brush, go against and with the nap but mostly you will be going with the nap of the fur. Once you're all done refer to the example pics to see how it should look.

Before
After

Stretch Knit Polyester

Cleaning any stretch knit polyester fabric only requires you to wash with cold water and a gentle detergent such as woolite. Do not machine dry on hot, its recommended you hang up your item to dry but if you do machine dry only do tumble dry on a cold setting. Every outfit can be washed like this except for, 1992-2001 tuxedo, black Helen dress.

Vinyl Plastic

Vinyl plastic can easily be cleaned by hand, for stains on colored vinyl all you need is dish soap and a good sponge, make sure you don't use the abrasive side, or you will risk tears or smoothing of the fabric. For white vinyl that has yellowed, rubbing alcohol can be used to clean the vinyl and restore the original white color.

Dry Cleaning

1992-2001 Tuxedo and pants, black Helen dress, and black sequin dress are dry clean only.