FURSUIT CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

When to Wash/General maintenance:

It is recommended that all parts of your suit should be brushed with a slicker brush before and after wearing them in order to maintain the look and feel of your fursuit. Make sure you brush in the direction of the fur.
For parts that are made of minky we recommend brushing in the direction of the pile with a tooth brush or soft bristle brush to keep it soft and smooth.
Heads and parts should not have to be cleaned often, usually only after big events, conventions, or major outdoor activities. This is to minimize fur loss and bald spots. Wash only when the suit smells, or is entirely dirty. Otherwise, use disinfectant or spot wash specific areas.
Bodysuits should be washed more regularly after every extended wear
Cleaning a suit is a half to full day process, be prepared to check on suit parts regularly throughout the drying process.
When washing, wash with cold water, never use hot water. When using fans to dry the suit, they must blow cold air. This is to prevent the melting of the synthetic plastic fibers of the fur. This also means NEVER PUT YOUR SUIT IN THE DRYER!
To keep your suit as clean as long as possible we recommend that you wear a balaclava, socks when wearing your feet paws, and clothing that wicks away sweat when wearing your bodysuit.

Disinfecting:

Disinfecting should be done often. We recommend that you disinfect after every wear.
It is more important to disinfect the inside than the outside of the fursuit part. If you disinfect the outside, brush the fur after spraying.
Homemade fursuit spray can be made or bought. (when spraying your head be careful to not spray the eyes as it may ruin them)

Spot Treatment:

Take a damp, soapy (unscented laundry detergent) washcloth and scrub the dirty area until the spot is gone.
Do not use bleach or other chemicals, they will eat away and discolor your fur.

Washing the Head:

Brush the head to make sure there are no twigs, grass, or anything else attached to the suit.
Our eyes are waterproof so do not worry about submerging the eyes. Do not directly scrub the eyes as it could ruin the print!
Fill your bath tub or container with just enough water where the head isn't all the way submerged and add fursuit soap (can be found at conventions) or unscented gentle laundry detergent to the water. A little goes a long way!
Soak the head for about 20 minutes, pouring soapy water over unsubmerged parts and into the mouth and gently scrubbing the surface with a wash cloth
Drain the rub of any soapy water and refill the tub with clean water. You can use a detachable shower head or a cup to remove any/all soap that is left on your head. You want to make sure all the soap is off of your suit otherwise it will feel gross and greasy. When fully rinsed, ring out the neck area and ears and squeeze the head with a dry towel. At this point, the head should be damp and no longer be dripping water.
When lifting the head out of the water we recommend carefully lifting from underneath evenly holding the weight. Fursuit heads will be very heavy when soaked and letting parts hang can result in popped seams or damage
Take a brush, and gently brush by following the direction of the fur. The fur always goes in the direction leading away from the nose. It's recommended to brush holding the slicker brush upside down because it pulls less. Faux fur is more prone to losing fur when wet.
For drying, you can keep the head in the bathtub, or move it to a different drying area on the object chosen to be used as a drying rack. While the head is air drying or the use of fans(never use heat on fur as it can ruin the fur), periodically check (once per hour is recommended), and gently brush the fur. Brushing during the drying process prevents the fur from becoming coarse and wrinkled. Do not brush hard, lightly glide the brush across the surface of the fur to maintain the fur's direction. In areas with thicker/longer fur (such as the back of the head), a bit more pressure can be applied to detangle the fur.
For the drying process, we highly recommend the use of fans that are placed around the head. They can blow in any direction, but blowing in the direction of the fur is best.(drying can be a long process and may take 3-4 days before its fully dry)
Be patient. Pat the inside of the head to make sure it's dry, and run your fingers through the long fur to make sure there are no wet spots.(please make sure your head is fully dry before storing it away)

Washing the Bodysuit

Brush the suit to make sure there are no twigs, grass, or anything else attached to the suit.
Unzip the suit and turn it inside out. Re-zip the suit while it is still inside out. Add nonscented gentle detergent before placing the suit in the machine. Avoid directly pouring detergent on the suit because it can cause staining. Do not use fabric softener!
Set your machine to a delicate cycle setting and set the water temperature to cold. hot water can and will melt the synthetic fur fibers irreversibly.
Once the cycle is complete, remove the suit to dry. Do not hang it, as this will stretch your suit from the weight of the water. Place your suit flatly on a drying rack, or along the tops of chairs, to air dry. Brush in the direction of the fur until the fur is detangled.(I repeat do not put your suit in the dry it will ruin the fur)
While the suit is air drying or the use of fans, periodically check (every hour or so) and gently brush the fur. Suits with longer fur are very likely to lose fur during this process.
Fans can be placed around the suit. They can blow in any direction, but blowing in the direction of the fur is best.

Washing the Hand Paws:

Brush the hand paws to make sure there are no twigs, grass, or anything else attached to the suit.
Place the paws in a mesh laundry bag, or pillowcase, and place it in the washing machine. The same washing instructions as suits apply.
Paws may also be hand washed if you are worried about them getting ruined. Use cold water to soak with fursuit soap or a non scented detergent. Rinse fur until all the soap is gone.
If handwashing paws please wring out as much water as possible before hanging to dry.
Remove the paws from the bag and place them on a drying rack. Paws can be hung to dry, as they do not weigh as much as a bodysuit.
While the paws are air drying, periodically check (every hour or so) and gently brush, following the direction of the fur. You may also use a fan to dry them, it is recommend to blow in the direction of the fur

Washing the Feet Paws:

Brush the feet paws to make sure there are no twigs, grass, or anything else attached to the suit.
Indoor and Outdoor feet paws can follow the same instructions as hand washing the hand paws.
Take the feet paws and place them in a bathtub. Soak the fur with cold water and unscented detergent using a wash cloth and/or cup. Rinse, and proceed to air dry in the same manner as all other parts, the use of fans is recommended

Washing the Tail:

Brush the tail to make sure there are no twigs, grass, or anything else attached to the suit.
For super motion tails we don't recommend you put them in the washer! When washing the tail in the washer we recommend putting it in a pillow case. Place it in the washing machine, following the same instructions as other parts.
Your tail may also be hand washed in the same manner as instructed on other parts.
For smaller tails, place them in a mesh laundry bag or a pillowcase. If the tail does not fit in a bag it will be okay, just keep an eye on it.
proceed to air dry in the same manner as all other parts, the use of fans is recommended.