What To Do
• You should absolutely wear long under-armor underneath your costume! This will help keep your suit dry and sweat free, as well as protect your skin against the sometimes rough backing of fur.
There are many kinds that work well, such as lycra, or even 1-piece suits, but I recommend HeatGear [an example] - It is designed for warm-weather sports to keep the wearer cool, as well as wick sweat away from your body. They are breathable, and much more comfortable to wear under a fursuit than a T-shirt and shorts.
Be sure to get long sleeved and legged under-armor, as this will protect the entirety of you and the costume. It is also important to wear socks! Keep your feetpaws protected from sweat. If your head sweats a lot, you can also wear an extra balaclava or under-armor cap underneath the fursuit head to protect it further. No matter what you choose to wear under your fursuit, you should make sure it covers your limbs fully and breathes well. Its much easier to wash your under armor and socks after a sweaty fursuit session than to wash the whole fursuit each time!
If you wear a bra normally, I recommend investing in an under-armor sports bra as well- a standard bra will get very sweaty, as your upper body usually sweats the most. Plus, a sports bra is just more comfortable to wear while fursuiting anyways!
There are many kinds that work well, such as lycra, or even 1-piece suits, but I recommend HeatGear [an example] - It is designed for warm-weather sports to keep the wearer cool, as well as wick sweat away from your body. They are breathable, and much more comfortable to wear under a fursuit than a T-shirt and shorts.
Be sure to get long sleeved and legged under-armor, as this will protect the entirety of you and the costume. It is also important to wear socks! Keep your feetpaws protected from sweat. If your head sweats a lot, you can also wear an extra balaclava or under-armor cap underneath the fursuit head to protect it further. No matter what you choose to wear under your fursuit, you should make sure it covers your limbs fully and breathes well. Its much easier to wash your under armor and socks after a sweaty fursuit session than to wash the whole fursuit each time!
If you wear a bra normally, I recommend investing in an under-armor sports bra as well- a standard bra will get very sweaty, as your upper body usually sweats the most. Plus, a sports bra is just more comfortable to wear while fursuiting anyways!
• It is important to brush your costume, especially after wearing it! This will help prevent it from matting and keep it looking better! High friction areas such as under the armpits, the hands and feet, between the legs, and the butt will need the most attention as they are most prone to matting.
A Slicker Brush, such as what is used on cats and dogs, is often provided when you purchase a fursuit. Brush gently and don't rip through the fur! This type of brush is perfect for smoothing out the fur to make your suit look photo-ready. However, if used frequently and aggressively, it can eventually take a lot of fur out of your suit. If you wear your suit a lot and are worried about potential bald spots, a metal pet comb or regular plastic hair brush will help get tangles out gently, without shedding quite as much fur.
• Your fursuit should be disinfected after any time you sweat into it. This will help extend the life of your costume, as well as prevent it from getting smelly! Disinfecting is not a replacement for washing it, but if you disinfect it thoroughly, you won't have to fully wash your suit as often. More information can be found on the disinfecting page!
• At some point, your fursuit will need to be washed. When and how often to wash will vary from person to person, with factors to take into account such as how much you sweat, amount of time worn without washing, if it is stained or visibly discolored, and if it has an odor at all. If you just got back from a convention, and you only wore your suit for a couple of hours while walking around and socializing, you might not need to wash it, depending on how much you sweat. But if you were wearing your suit for many hours each day while being very active and rolling around on the ground, its probably best to get it clean. For more information on washing your fursuit, see the washing page.
• Your suit should ideally be stored in a closet, hanging up and out of direct sunlight. You'll want to make sure it is in a safe, dry location where it can stay clean. A damp basement where mold could grow or an open area where pets could potentially damage it is not recommended. A sealed container is not the ideal way to store it, but if you must, be sure your suit is fully dry and clean before storing it away! More information on this can be found on the storing page.
A Slicker Brush, such as what is used on cats and dogs, is often provided when you purchase a fursuit. Brush gently and don't rip through the fur! This type of brush is perfect for smoothing out the fur to make your suit look photo-ready. However, if used frequently and aggressively, it can eventually take a lot of fur out of your suit. If you wear your suit a lot and are worried about potential bald spots, a metal pet comb or regular plastic hair brush will help get tangles out gently, without shedding quite as much fur.
• Your fursuit should be disinfected after any time you sweat into it. This will help extend the life of your costume, as well as prevent it from getting smelly! Disinfecting is not a replacement for washing it, but if you disinfect it thoroughly, you won't have to fully wash your suit as often. More information can be found on the disinfecting page!
• At some point, your fursuit will need to be washed. When and how often to wash will vary from person to person, with factors to take into account such as how much you sweat, amount of time worn without washing, if it is stained or visibly discolored, and if it has an odor at all. If you just got back from a convention, and you only wore your suit for a couple of hours while walking around and socializing, you might not need to wash it, depending on how much you sweat. But if you were wearing your suit for many hours each day while being very active and rolling around on the ground, its probably best to get it clean. For more information on washing your fursuit, see the washing page.
• Your suit should ideally be stored in a closet, hanging up and out of direct sunlight. You'll want to make sure it is in a safe, dry location where it can stay clean. A damp basement where mold could grow or an open area where pets could potentially damage it is not recommended. A sealed container is not the ideal way to store it, but if you must, be sure your suit is fully dry and clean before storing it away! More information on this can be found on the storing page.
What not to do
• The #1 rule to remember is never use heat on your fursuit! Faux fur is made out of very thin strands of plastic. Heat can melt these fur fibers, causing the suit to look very matted and disheveled. It will permanently ruin the texture of the fur, it will no longer be soft and fluffy. This is NOT reversible! It won't go away with brushing! So, never put your fursuit in a dryer, and don't wash it with boiling hot water either!
• Even putting your suit in the dryer on "Air Fluff" or no heat is dangerous, for a number of reasons! For one, the dryer could malfunction and use heat when it is not supposed to, or a family member or roommate could restart the dryer without knowing better! Also, faux fur should be brushed straight when drying. If the fur dries while being all tangled and tumbled around, the fur will eventually stay this way and become ruined. I have seen all of these situations happen to fursuit owners I know, so I will always warn against using a dryer for any reason.
• Do not have your fursuit dry cleaned. This will ruin it.
• Also, never store your fursuit in a container immediately after wearing, disinfecting, or washing. The moisture in an enclosed space could cause bacteria or mold to grow. Always allow plenty of time for your fursuit to become fully dry in front of a fan.
• When brushing your costume, be sure to brush gently! Keep in mind that the fur will not grow back!
• Even putting your suit in the dryer on "Air Fluff" or no heat is dangerous, for a number of reasons! For one, the dryer could malfunction and use heat when it is not supposed to, or a family member or roommate could restart the dryer without knowing better! Also, faux fur should be brushed straight when drying. If the fur dries while being all tangled and tumbled around, the fur will eventually stay this way and become ruined. I have seen all of these situations happen to fursuit owners I know, so I will always warn against using a dryer for any reason.
• Do not have your fursuit dry cleaned. This will ruin it.
• Also, never store your fursuit in a container immediately after wearing, disinfecting, or washing. The moisture in an enclosed space could cause bacteria or mold to grow. Always allow plenty of time for your fursuit to become fully dry in front of a fan.
• When brushing your costume, be sure to brush gently! Keep in mind that the fur will not grow back!
• Never hang a sopping wet bodysuit up to dry! The weight of the water can actually cause the fur itself to stretch over time, permanently damaging the costume. A fully submerged fursuit body can weigh more than 20 or 30 pounds! If you are washing your bodysuit by hand in the tub (to get stains out, etc.), you should then turn it inside out and put it in the washing machine, to help rinse out soap and spin the water out. The spin cycle is very effective at removing the water, and most machines will leave a fursuit body just slightly damp, perfect for hanging in front of a fan to finish drying. If you do not have access to a washing machine, or if your fursuit is too large to fit inside of one, draping the wet suit over some plastic crates or chairs in the tub with a fan will help get the suit dry enough to hang.
• Never submerge your fursuitsuit head in water without first checking with your fursuit maker! Not all heads are built to withstand the stress of being washed. In many cases, the eyes will need to be removed first, as water could cause the material to warp or the paint to run. There are other methods of washing a fursuit head that don't involve submerging it. A portable upholstery cleaner such as this one is one of the best ways to safely wash a fursuit head! [Tutorial coming soon!]
• Try to avoid overly muddy or dirty areas, as well as puddles. It is perfectly possible to wash out, but its still better to save the effort! If you have indoor feetpaws [feet with paw pads and furred bottoms] - keep them inside like the name suggests! It is very easy to stain or damage the bottoms just by walking around, even in a hotel. This type of fursuit foot is better suited for photos only.
• Do not use Febreze, Lysol, Endbac, or other harsh cleaning chemicals on your fursuit. See the Disinfecting page for more information!
• Avoid storing anything on top of your fursuit head. When traveling, pack the head at the top of the bin or container, or keep the head separate entirely.
• Don't store your suit in direct light. Light can actually discolor fur over time, including turning white fur more yellow.
• Never leave your suit in a hot car or area! A car can easily reach 120 degrees F or more on a hot day. This can damage both the fur and could even melt the hot glue, causing things to fall apart.
• Try to stay away from consuming food or drinks that can stain your costume. Just stick to water! It's also best to avoid hugging or interacting with people holding open beverages, especially if they're under the influence of alcohol. It will likely result in your suit getting spilled on.
• Never submerge your fursuitsuit head in water without first checking with your fursuit maker! Not all heads are built to withstand the stress of being washed. In many cases, the eyes will need to be removed first, as water could cause the material to warp or the paint to run. There are other methods of washing a fursuit head that don't involve submerging it. A portable upholstery cleaner such as this one is one of the best ways to safely wash a fursuit head! [Tutorial coming soon!]
• Try to avoid overly muddy or dirty areas, as well as puddles. It is perfectly possible to wash out, but its still better to save the effort! If you have indoor feetpaws [feet with paw pads and furred bottoms] - keep them inside like the name suggests! It is very easy to stain or damage the bottoms just by walking around, even in a hotel. This type of fursuit foot is better suited for photos only.
• Do not use Febreze, Lysol, Endbac, or other harsh cleaning chemicals on your fursuit. See the Disinfecting page for more information!
• Avoid storing anything on top of your fursuit head. When traveling, pack the head at the top of the bin or container, or keep the head separate entirely.
• Don't store your suit in direct light. Light can actually discolor fur over time, including turning white fur more yellow.
• Never leave your suit in a hot car or area! A car can easily reach 120 degrees F or more on a hot day. This can damage both the fur and could even melt the hot glue, causing things to fall apart.
• Try to stay away from consuming food or drinks that can stain your costume. Just stick to water! It's also best to avoid hugging or interacting with people holding open beverages, especially if they're under the influence of alcohol. It will likely result in your suit getting spilled on.