Tips & Tricks for cleaning your items!
So you want to consign your items, but maybe the costume has an odor after being worn a few times, the dance wear has a spot, or the shoe has a scuff, what is your safest way to clean them?
COSTUMES
DO NOT DRY CLEAN
Dry cleaning will damage specialty fabrics and adhesive applied finishes such as hologram, foil, vinyl, rhinestones, spangles, or sequins. Protect the brilliance of your costume by hand washing, the safest and most recommended washing technique.
SPOT CLEAN
Use a solution of 50% Dawn dish soap and 50% hydrogen peroxide. Avoid using Shout or similar products. Before spot cleaning, first test your fabric in a hidden area, like inside the collar, or request a fabric swatch from us for these purposes! Apply directly to the stain with fingertips, let soak for 2 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
HAND WASH
Hand wash using cold water with a small amount of mild soap. Free and Clear detergents are recommended to safely wash your costumes and uniforms. Wash garments individually, inside out to avoid abrasion. Rinse thoroughly in cold water. Do not wring, rub or agitate. Do not soak or leave unattended during the washing process, and remove garments promptly. Leaving costumes to soak can cause embellishments to fall off, colors to bleed, and mildew to form. Also consider using color catchers to catch any color bleeds but be very careful to avoid as much color bleed as possible.
HANG OR LAY FLAT TO DRY
Thoroughly blot excess water from garment using towels (this may require using several towels). Make sure there is no additional water left in the garment; water should not be dripping from the garment. Hang to Dry unless it is heavily embellished then laying flat will be the best option. Do not place in dryer.
DO NOT IRON
Spandex fabrics will melt if an iron is applied to them, leaving burn marks. Use a garment steamer to release wrinkles if needed, and hang garment to avoid further wrinkling. Store in a breathable container, like a pillowcase. Avoid plastic or nylon garment bags, as these trap odors.
DANCE WEAR
WASH WITH LIKE COLORS
Washing with like colors on delicate will help prevent fabric abrasions and breakdown. Utilize cold water only! Implement color catchers to prevent color bleeding when washing with free and clear detergents.
HANG DRY OR LOW HEAT
Dry on low heat or hang to dry to avoid break down of elastic and spandex in fabrics.
DANCE SHOES/ACCESSORIES
For leather dance shoes and accessories spot washing or hand washing is always recommended. Mr. Clean Magic erasers are great for removing scuffs. Lysol/Clorox sanitizers will help with the smell inside the shoes and always sit out to dry DO NOT USE HEAT TO DRY
Still not sure if you are ready to tackle cleaning your items on your own? We will clean them and replace any embellishments for a small fee prior to listing for sale. Please feel free to email us for any further tips and tricks.