Care Guide | Tortiarts

Caring for Your Fursuit

DISCLAIMER: This is just a compilation of general advice that I have gathered from doing research on fursuit care & maintenance. I have not tried all of these care tips on my own fursuits, although I have tried most of the cleaning/drying tips and had no problems. Still, you may want to do some of your own research on fursuit maintenance and experiment with different cleaning techniques in addition to observing the guidelines listed below!

Basic Care

Always brush your suit's fur before and after wearing it with a comb or a pet brush to avoid tangles and matting.
Always wear a balaclava under your fursuit's head, even if one is already built in. This will keep the inside of the head dry from sweat.
Always wear socks with your fursuit's feetpaws.
For full-body suits, always wear long-sleeved Under Armour (or clothing of a similar brand) to keep the inside of your suit free from sweat (as well as to keep your body comfortable against the rough backing of faux fur).
Avoid exposing your costume's fur to heat when cleaning, as this can melt the fur's fibers and cause permanent damage. NEVER dry clean your suit!
Unless they were made for outdoor environments, try to avoid wearing your feetpaws outside, especially in muddy areas. They can be washed if they do get dirty, but cleaning them can take a lot of time and effort. Consider investing in a pair of fursuit sandals if you plan to wear your feetpaws in areas where they can get dirty.
Never consume food or beverages (besides water) while wearing your fursuit. Remember to take your costume off before you eat or drink anything to avoid potential spills!
The foam part(s) of your costume may become discolored over time. This is normal, and it will not impact the effectiveness of the foam.

Washing

Body suits, hand paws, and tails can be hand or machine washed with cold water using a light detergent. If machine washing, use a gentle cycle.
Make sure that your body suit is turned inside-out and zipped up before washing. If possible, remove any foam padding from the suit.
DO NOT submerge your fursuit's head in water or put it in the washing machine. Heads will need to be gently spot-cleaned using cold water and a towel. Avoid washing the eyes. Be especially careful if your head has any dry-brushed markings on it, as the paint may fade when washed.
Always brush your suit's fur immediately after washing it.

Drying

If your dryer has an Air Fluff (no heat) setting, you may use this setting to dry your fursuit. NEVER expose your costume to heat while drying, as this will damage it!
If air-drying is required: Get as much water out of the costume as you can by carefully squeezing it, then lay the suit flat in an open area with a fan blowing. Turning the costume inside-out and right-side-out periodically will help it dry faster and more evenly. Once the costume is damp, but not wet, you may hang it up until it is fully dry. Brush your suit's fur periodically while it dries. (Note: It may take a couple of days for your costume to dry this way, so be patient!)
Do not store your fursuit in any sort of container until it is 100% dry. Storing your costume before it is fully dry can cause bacteria and mold to grow.
NEVER use a hairdryer on your suit's fur, as the heat will damage it!
ALWAYS remember to brush your suit's fur after drying!

Disinfecting

A 50/50 mix of water and isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol is a good way to disinfect your suit. Use a spray bottle with this mixture to clean your suit, paying special attention to areas that get especially sweaty, such as the armpits and neck.
Be extremely careful if your costume has any airbrushed or dry-brushed markings, as the rubbing alcohol can cause the paint to become runny. Try to avoid spraying near painted areas.
When washing the inside of the head: Dampen a washcloth with your water/alcohol mixture, then use the cloth to wipe down the inside of the head. DO NOT get the eyes wet, as this can damage them! (You may even want to cover the eyes with foil or plastic to protect them). Set your head in front of a small fan to dry, with the inside of the neck facing the breeze.
If your head has a resin base, you may only need to wipe it down with a damp washcloth or a disinfecting wipe. (Note: I do not use resin in my fursuits)
Off-the-shelf disinfecting products, such as Febreeze, Lysol, EnBac, etc. are not recommended for disinfecting your fursuit. The harsh chemicals can break down your fursuit's foam structure and other materials over time, and they can also leave behind a sticky residue.
Be sure that each component of your fursuit is 100% dry before storing or wearing it!

Storing

For long-term storage, keep your suit in a cool, dry place.
It is best to keep your fursuit (with the tail and padding zipped up inside the body suit) in a gown-length garment bag, hung up on a wide hanger.
For short-term storage, your suit can be kept inside a storage bin, loosely folded. This is not recommended for long-term storage, however, as it can cause your suit to get wrinkled over time.
Avoid storing your fursuit in direct sunlight, as this can cause the colors to fade.
Keeping dryer sheets stuffed inside your fursuit's body, head, and hand paws is a great way to keep it smelling fresh, and it also reduces the build-up of static electricity!
To save space, you can keep your fursuit's hand paws and tail (if detachable) stuffed inside the head.
Rolling or compressing your suit is fine for up to one week, but it is not recommended for long-term storage, as it can cause the suit to get wrinkled.

Traveling

Keep your suit stored in something heavy-duty, such as a plastic container.
If traveling by car, make sure that your vehicle is properly air conditioned. Do not leave your costume in a hot car or in the sun for long periods of time, as this will damage it.
To save space, it is possible to vacuum pack your suit (including the head) for up to 24 hours. Give your fursuit's head at least two hours to pop back into shape after being unsealed.