Latex Care
Eustratia latex care instructions
Latex is a beautiful and flattering fabric that can last a lifetime if treated properly and looked after.
As a general rule, avoid contact with :
• Direct sunlight (discolours and degrades)
• Smoke (discolours)
• Oil/wax (degrades)
• Perfume and scented products (degrades)
• Metal, particularly copper and nickel (stains) • Sweat (degrades)
• Water/humidity (rots)
• Heat (melts/degrades)
• Sharp objects/long nails (tears/damages) • Sun-cream (discolours)
• Leather (production oils can degrade)
• Greasy food (degrades)
Wearing:
Always use dressing aid when putting on latex garments, talc and water based lube are most commonly used and best!
Shining:
Latex can be worn as is but is more commonly shined to give the distinctive wet-look appearance we all love. New items will absorb more lube and can take a few applications to build up their shine. Silicone lube or spray is most commonly used, you can get products like Pjur cult that doubles up as dressing aid and shiner and vivshine which is recommended to be used while washing the latex but can also be applied by hand.
Washing:
Wash your latex as soon after use as possible.
As a general rule, wash your latex by hand, in a bowl or bath tub of lukewarm water using a mild detergent or soap, then rinse with fresh water. At this stage, if you would like to add silicone oil (pjur/vivishine) to your wash and save yourself having to shine it later on, you can fill the bowl/tub up again with fresh water and add a few drops of your selected oil, along with the latex. Swoosh the latex around the bowl/tub with your hand make sure all areas come into contact with the oil to ensure an even shine.
Drying:
When you have finished your final rinse, dab the latex with a towel to get rid of excess water and hang on a plastic hanger to drip dry. Try to avoid metal clothes maidens as they can become rusty and stain your garments. Also anything that causes your garment to be doubled over is not advisable as it can stop it from drying properly. As latex is a natural product and can rot, it is preferable that it is allowed to dry as quickly as possible. When areas of the latex have retained excess water you may notice discolouration, commonly referred to as “water marks”. These are usually temporary but could develop into something more serious if the latex isn’t allowed to dry.
Packing:
Always make sure your latex is dry before packing.
First of all, dust your newly washed garment with talc/corn starch to absorb any excess moisture. The powder should also stop it from sticking to its self, however, I also wrap it in tissue paper at this point. The tissue paper stops the latex from sticking to its self as well as the outer packaging and also minimises creasing and offers some protection from the sun in the event of transportation. I recommend buying the white/natural tissue paper so you don’t have to worry about it staining lighter coloured items.
After wrapping, slide your item into a clear, zip-lock or grip seal bag.
Special care should be taken to ensure any metal components don't come into direct contact with the latex, especially where lighter colours are concerned.
Storing:
Everyone has their own storing preferences; wardrobes, drawers, boxes... But here are a few guidelines based on experience.
It is best to store the majority of your items in their packets so choose somewhere cool and dry that can accommodate that. Large, thicker grade and mixed media items might be better off hanging in a garment bag in your wardrobe.