How to: Costume Care & Repair
- Ash McKay
- Feb 9, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 13, 2023
Whether the pole dance competition season is over for you, or you just finished performing in your pole studio showcase, you probably had a rad new costume that you got to show off as part of your routine. Now it’s time to clean up and put everything away.
Maybe you took one look at it and went, “I don’t feel like dealing with this.” Maybe you shoved your costume into the back of the cupboard. Maybe you found it months later smelling so bad it could be smelt from the space station.
You’re not alone, we’ve all been there. No? Just me then? Well anyway, here’s what I wish I knew when I started Cosplaying 15 years ago. Fortunately for you, we can apply what I learned then to care for our pole costumes now. Learn from my mistakes!
Index
In a Dresser
In a Storage Totes
In a Closets
Cleaning
Stain Removal
Always remove stains as soon as possible. I recently pulled an old Sakura (Naruto) cosplay out of my closet, only to find that the collar was still covered in my foundation. From 5 years ago. Gross!
Removing almost any stain
Keep a laundry detergent pen in your bag for emergency spot removal.
Stain remover spray - Follow the instructions on the bottle and use it before washing the stained garment.
A drop of dish soap can be used instead of stain remover. Rewet the stain with a little bit of cool water and rub a drop of dish soap into it. Let it sit and repeat the process, gently working the soap in and the stain out.
For Makeup, you can use most make-up wipes or oil-free makeup remover.
Oil stains can be removed with baking soda or cornstarch. Blot the stain with a paper towel and then sprinkle the powder on it. Let it sit flat for a while before washing. (The old advice was to use baby powder, but due to talc powder’s association with increased risk of cancer, those products have been discontinued and I would not recommend it.)
Pro tips with Ash:
Wash stained clothing in cold water and repeat the process of stain remover, washing as many times as it takes to lift the stain. NEVER put stained clothing in the dryer; it will bake the stain into the fabric.
Before we get any farther, we’re going to have to establish what can and can’t get washed.
If costumes have beading, sequins, rhinestones, glitter or fabric painting. They might be hand washable.
Fabrics: pleather and ‘holo’ fabrics - they might be hand washable.
Silks, furs, feathers, leather, corsets with boning and anything with metal hardware including metal zippers are not washable.
This is not an exhaustive list of things that should not be washed. Always check the internet or with your friendly local costume designer if you aren’t sure.
Ok now that we’ve set aside all the things that can’t be washed, what do we do with what’s left?
Handwashing
I recommend handwashing for most (but not all) of your pole costumes.
Fill a clean sink or tub with cool to lukewarm water. Add a small amount of laundry detergent. Place each piece in at a time. Separate the dark-coloured items from light-coloured items to avoid staining from colour bleed.
Swirl the items around for a couple of minutes.
Remove items and rinse them in clean water until all soap residue has washed out.
Lay flat on a towel or drying rack.
Machine Washing & Drying
I only machine wash items when I feel very confident they will survive. I’m going to have to be frank with you, I machine wash all my training polewear and some of my less complex costume pieces. This does greatly reduce the lifetime of the garment, but if the difference is accessibility vs. a shorter life for a garment, accessibility will win. Sometimes we just don’t have the time or energy to handwash everything and that’s ok.
Pro tips with Ash:
I don’t recommend this if you have a top load machine, as the agitator is very hard on fabrics.
Place the items in a lingerie bag, and wash them on the delicate cycle in cold water.
Do not put the garments in the dryer. Instead, lay them flat on a towel or drying rack.
Sanitizing those tricky items with alcohol spray
This is an old theatre trick that works great for items that can’t be hand-washed, including corsets, some fabric-painted items and costumes with extensive beading or sequin work.
Before trying alcohol spray, test the spray on an inconspicuous part of the garment.
Spray each side with diluted alcohol (I do a 1:1 of Isopropanol alcohol or vodka and water.)
Hang the item over the back of a chair.
Let it air dry overnight.
If the garment still smells in the morning, hit it again with the alcohol spray and let it dry.
Repeat as necessary.
I also found this works great for smelly shoes and knee pads. To avoid the stink, remember to let those puppies air out after class!
Dry Cleaning
I don’t have any personal experience with dry cleaning, so I can’t speak to it. Your trusted local shop will be able to help you with it. They’ll be able to help you with furs, some silks, things with feathers, beading and lace.
Repairing
Ok, everything is clean, what’s next? Well, during the cleaning process, you probably noticed damage to some of the pieces. Don’t fret, we can repair it! Don’t wait for your next competition to pull out your costume and realize it’s busted. Here are some simple repairs you can do yourself at home that require no or minimal sewing skills.
No-sew repairs with Glue
Frayed edges can be fixed with fabric fray glues (like Fray Check.)
E6000 glue for reattaching sequins and rhinestones
Fabric glue or super glue can be used to fix small holes, hems and seams.
How to do a Ladder stitch
This is a great way to fix a ripped seam if you don’t have a sewing machine.
For an invisible fix, use a thread that matches the fabric. I recommend 100% polyester thread, like the brand Gütermann.
Thread your needle, doubling the thread. Tie the end.
Your project needs to be right side out.
Fold the hems into the opening.
Insert your needle inside the opening, where the previous stitching ended. Pull it up through the fold crease, hiding the knot inside.
Insert your needle through the right side of the fold.
Make a 1 ½cm - 1cm stitch into the inside fold on the right side. Pull it through.
Make a small, equal stitch through the inside fold on the left side. Pull it through.
Alternate right and left stitches to form your steps up a “ladder.”
For a detailed explaination of the Ladder stitch see this WikiHow article.
Storage
Proper storage will protect costumes from damage and keep everything organized. There’s nothing like getting ready for an event, only to find out one of your pieces has brand new holes thanks to unwelcome visitors or is just straight up missing.
During my recent closet digging, I realized I was missing a wig and a pair of shorts. I don’t know what happened to the shorts, but I think I got rid of the wig because I hated it and had been planning on replacing it. If you find yourself in possession of a lot of costumes and want to get real-fancy with it, consider starting an inventory system to track what is where.
Pro tips with Ash:
Always clean and dry your costumes before storing them. Never store damp or dirty garments.
You have a few options for storing your costumes:
You can store them folded in drawers.
You can keep them in storage totes. Use tissue paper between layers to protect from dust and tangling. (Don’t forget to label the boxes with what’s in them!)
For items that can’t be folded, hang them in the closet. Note that hanging up heavy items may cause fabrics and elastics to stretch out.
Never store clothing in plastic bags - yes, that includes those plastic dry cleaner bags. The plastic will degrade and damage the clothing.
Also, consider getting mothballs, cedar blocks or lavender bags for your closet or storage totes. This will prevent bugs from destroying your favourite clothing. Bugs like silverfish are not picky in the kind of fibres they will eat, including synthetics like polyester.
Conclusion
Why would I tell you how to repair your own costumes? Wouldn’t I make more money offering my services repairing them for you? Because I believe in the Right to Repair. I think repairing clothing is a bad@$$ anti-fast-fashion, anti-capitalist thing anyone can do. Does this make me a bad salesperson? Maybe. I’m ok with that.
If you do have a repair job or alteration job, I’m available. I’ve adjusted straps on tops, hemmed skirts and pants, added collars and bra bands to tops. Send me an email or submit a forum through my website.
This blog is for education and is general advice only. Always do your own research and use your discretion when testing new products.
Comments