Care

Latex care

The care of latex clothing is a very important topic, as the material requires proper care and following several rules. Everyone who wears latex has some habits in the whole process of handling it, but a few points of such a process should always be constant. So, let’s take a look at all the important aspects of care to learn useful nuances. Let’s get started!

In short

WASHING

STORING

Washing

Latex is washed by hand. Do not throw it in the washing machine, as it is a material that is sensitive to both chemicals and mistreatment. After removing the garment, it should be washed as soon as possible if possible. However, if we can not do this, it is worth taking care of the correct storage of latex before washing. Let’s not throw it just anywhere, and let’s make sure that it does not come into contact with metal (metal fasteners, clasps) or other things that can damage it. Leave it preferably in a shady place.

Step 1

Pour lukewarm water – not cold, but not too hot either – into a bowl, bathtub or some kind of dish. Add a latex cleaner to the water. Here the situation is similar to shaining aids, silicones and others – there are aids dedicated to washing latex. They are certainly the best, but in general you can try to replace them with, for example, dishwashing liquid. It is important that it is not a strong chemical, but as simple as possible in its composition and the most delicate. It is worth choosing hypoallergenic liquids.

Step 2

Place the latex in the prepared bath and wash it. This is basically the same procedure as for normal laundry. Remember to be careful not to snag the latex, not to damage it with e.g. zips, clasps or jewelry (it is advisable to wash without jewellery, wedding rings etc.). After washing one side, turn the garment inside out.

If the latex was very dirty or you have washed many large items in the same water, repeat the wash again in fresh water with detergent. The desired wash effect is to remove all silicone and dirt and produce a normal, slightly dull surface.

Step 3

The next step is rinsing. Pour clean, lukewarm water and rinse the clothes thoroughly to rinse out all the detergent.

Step 4

The next step is to rinse the latex in water with silicone. Prepare clean, lukewarm water. Add a few milliliters of silicone/latex polish to it. Then rinse the garment on both sides in the prepared mixture. The silicone will remain on the material. Rinsing in such a bath ensures even distribution of silicone on the entire surface of the material.

Step 5

The final step is to dry the latex. Hang the wet and siliconed garment on a dryer, hanger, or some other way. Undo the zippers, especially the lower parts, to allow water to drain. Remember that both the hanger and the dryer should be plastic, with no sharp edges. You can also use a towel and spread your clothes on it. It is best to leave the latex on for about 24 hours, turning the clothes over from time to time. The water will evaporate and the silicone will remain. Additionally, you can drain the excess water with a microfiber or towel. It is important not to wipe (because it will also wipe the silicone), but only to drain by gentle patting. The garment should be completely dry from water. Latex in this form is ready to be stored and the next garment.

The above steps are such a basic, but not rigid procedure for washing latex. You can, of course, adapt it to your needs, e.g. skip the rinsing in clean water and go straight to siliconizing. The amount of added silicone is a matter of feeling. It is better to add less at the beginning and see if the whole garment is covered with it, and if necessary add a little more. Everything is a matter of feeling and your own preferences. The most important thing is to take care of latex, clean it from silicone and impurities and dry it well.

Storing

Storing latex is a rather intuitive thing. Since latex is a natural material, factors such as sun and air have a negative effect on it in the long run. In order to enjoy the garment for as long as possible, it is advisable to limit their influence. Once the latex has been washed and dried, it is ready to be stored. Latex should be carefully folded and stored in resealable plastic bags, each item separately. Before closing the bag, remove any excess air from the bag. The resealable bag does not allow new air in and the whole thing is safe. You can use popular ziplock bags here, but they are usually quite thin and only last for one/two uses. So it’s worth looking for thicker versions, because these will last us longer. Of course, the clothes should be folded gently, without forcing them. Put the prepared clothes in a dark and rather cool place, do not leave them in the sun. It is worth considering an additional opaque box, which can be placed in the closet, although this is completely optional.

Proper storage of latex is not difficult, but it is worth doing it right, because most of the time the clothes will spend just in this state. If the clothes have elements which we are particularly worried about, it is worth protecting them additionally. Such elements may be metal fasteners or buttons, light latex pieces and others. Ordinary food wrap will come in handy here – you can additionally cover the metal fasteners of a shirt with it. This way you can be sure that they will not come into contact with latex after folding the garment. Well cared for and stored latex can serve us for many years.

Author: MrLatexDave
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