Why not wash?

Juniper · 09-11-2006, 03:43 PM

I don't own any professional (or even semi-professional) costumes, so I was wondering why most care and cleaning pages say to depend primarily on airing out the costume.

What exactly is the issue with (very gentle hand) washing? Is there something that will shrink? Will the lining get deformed? It kind of freaks me out to think of rewearing something that goes through approximately the same rigors as gym socks.

Zumarrad · 09-11-2006, 09:10 PM

Sequins discolour and lose their shine if you wash them (and really old ones, ie 1920s and earlier, dissolve!). Metal rusts. It's hard to get the soap out of a motif. And yes, I think a lot of costume pieces would lose their shape. How do you press a bedleh?

Some people recommend re-lining a costume in time, which is another way to keep things from getting too stinky.

luisa · 11-13-2008, 04:25 PM

hang costumes in the fresh air when used, then I store my in a cotton pillowcase, that tip was given to me by an Egyptian dancer.

Shanazel · 11-13-2008, 09:46 PM

I used to tack a thin cotton lining in bras and hipbands to keep my costumes from getting quite so icky, then replaced this extra liner when necessary. My skirts were either hand washable or dry cleanable.

Hi, Zummarad. Welcome back to the forum.

Salome · 11-14-2008, 12:29 AM

Looks like that was from 2006. This one got resurrected

Shanazel · 11-14-2008, 01:21 AM

Salome, I tell you, this is just not my week for exhibiting brains and good sense on the forum.

luisa · 11-14-2008, 08:15 AM

Sorry didn't look at the date, every now and then I have a read and there it was, I am sure no advice is ever too old if it works....

Tribal Belly Dance Malta · 11-20-2008, 08:30 AM

apparently incense kills off any bacteria from our bodily secretions, and the tip was to place the costume in a small room or closet and burn 6 - 10 incense sticks all at once and leave costume over night, bacteria is killed off and costume smells wonderful.
ps must be real incense not cheap stuff!

Amulya · 11-20-2008, 08:14 PM

Though an old topic, it's still interesting.

I actually did wash a costume (a Bella) and it worked fine. What I did was:

-took of the lining
-took out the wire
-gently washed costume with shampoo
-rinsed very well
-dried it quickly in warm room
-put new wire in costume
-put new lining

and got a fresh new costume!

but since I had a costume that had beads going off (the lenghty glass beads) I'd be more careful before doing such a thing. I didn't wash that costume, but it has been stored in a moist storage. All the other costumes with the same beads didn't have that issue though. Probably bad quality beads.

09-11-2006, 03:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Juniper Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 5	Why not wash? I don't own any professional (or even semi-professional) costumes, so I was wondering why most care and cleaning pages say to depend primarily on airing out the costume. What exactly is the issue with (very gentle hand) washing? Is there something that will shrink? Will the lining get deformed? It kind of freaks me out to think of rewearing something that goes through approximately the same rigors as gym socks.

11-20-2008, 08:30 AM	#8 (permalink)
Tribal Belly Dance Malta Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: In Beautiful Malta Posts: 137	apparently incense kills off any bacteria from our bodily secretions, and the tip was to place the costume in a small room or closet and burn 6 - 10 incense sticks all at once and leave costume over night, bacteria is killed off and costume smells wonderful. ps must be real incense not cheap stuff! __________________ Atlantis

11-20-2008, 08:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
Amulya Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Byron Bay, Australia Posts: 920	Though an old topic, it's still interesting. I actually did wash a costume (a Bella) and it worked fine. What I did was: -took of the lining -took out the wire -gently washed costume with shampoo -rinsed very well -dried it quickly in warm room -put new wire in costume -put new lining and got a fresh new costume! but since I had a costume that had beads going off (the lenghty glass beads) I'd be more careful before doing such a thing. I didn't wash that costume, but it has been stored in a moist storage. All the other costumes with the same beads didn't have that issue though. Probably bad quality beads. __________________ Blog: What Were They Thinking?

09-11-2006, 09:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zumarrad Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 84	Sequins discolour and lose their shine if you wash them (and really old ones, ie 1920s and earlier, dissolve!). Metal rusts. It's hard to get the soap out of a motif. And yes, I think a lot of costume pieces would lose their shape. How do you press a bedleh? Some people recommend re-lining a costume in time, which is another way to keep things from getting too stinky.

11-13-2008, 04:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
luisa Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: south west Posts: 17	hang costumes in the fresh air when used, then I store my in a cotton pillowcase, that tip was given to me by an Egyptian dancer.

11-13-2008, 09:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 4,578	I used to tack a thin cotton lining in bras and hipbands to keep my costumes from getting quite so icky, then replaced this extra liner when necessary. My skirts were either hand washable or dry cleanable. Hi, Zummarad. Welcome back to the forum.

11-14-2008, 12:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
Salome Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Corvallis, Oregon, USA Posts: 1,810	Looks like that was from 2006. This one got resurrected

11-14-2008, 01:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 4,578	Salome, I tell you, this is just not my week for exhibiting brains and good sense on the forum.

11-14-2008, 08:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
luisa Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: south west Posts: 17	Sorry didn't look at the date, every now and then I have a read and there it was, I am sure no advice is ever too old if it works....