Thread: Hand washing costumes

Hi, just got a new (well new to me) beautiful costume but it smells a little musty. It is a Mussa. Has anyone every washed these. I mean the skirt that has a lot of beading and sleeves. Not the hard bra. I am afraid I will ruin it.

Believe it or not, but I've actually thrown several of my used Egyptian lycra costumes into the washing machine without a problem...and there's A LOT of beading on them. I put them in several layers of laundry bags and wash them in "Gentle" mode and spin dry. Never had a problem. My sequins kept their shine and all that.

I'm not familiar with Mussas though...but if you don't want to use a washing machine, you can do it ala Princess Farhana...fill your bathtub up with water and gentle soap and swish your costumes through them...drain and swish several times....then air dry your costumes :)

If you have time, you could also store the costume in a pillowcase or box or something for a few weeks with a few drier sheets. I had a really musty pair of endless wave harem pants w/ sequins all over and didn't want to wash them. So I locked them up with a few drier/fabric softener sheets for a couple weeks and they smelled nice and fresh after.

You could also hang it outside (where the sun doesn't beat on it), and let it air out.

Or, hang it in your bathroom, and an incense cone/wand.

Note: This advice is what I've read in BD magazines/web-sites.

I haven't tried them myself!!!

Anytime I can avoid getting beads wet, I will try it.

Some beads might turn dark (or black), lose their sparkle/luster, depending on the quality of the bead.

I am not familiar with your type of costume....so I don't know.

i hand wash in tepid water. use a special bin that has no chemicals or residue. use a natural tea tree shampoo if its very dirty and/or has bad smells. otherwise a clear baby shampoo is usually fine.

make a soapy water mixture and submerse the costume. let it get totally wet and gently swish it around. scrub and dirt spots, smelly spots gently with your fingers and extra shampoo.

rinse under a cold water shower. lay flat on white, colorless towels that have never been bleached (to protect fabric from bleach residue and color transfer) lay flat on a drying rack.

*please* spot test each costume individually before doing the whole thing. some beads and sequins are not color fast and will lose their shine/color when wet.

good luck!

I have used gentle dish soap because there is an oil removal component in them. But i agree, light on the soap, gentle movements in the water, rinse well, do not wring out excess water, blot. Allow to dry over white towels, turning frequently. (I tend to hang them over the shower bar and use big bath sheets.) Make sure the costume is completely dry before putting it away, especially if there are any metal fittings. Ask me how I know THAT one!

If you are just deodorizing / doing light sanitizing, vodka water spritz works. Get the cheapest vodka you can, put it in a spray bottle with equal amounts of water and spray that puppy!

One last thing: you might want to change out the lining. This is always a good freshener.

{{{HUGS}}}

I just can't help it- I keep seeing the title of this thread & an image of a costume made out of those "wash your hands before leaving the restroom" signs keeps popping into my head. somewhat disturbing. I think I need more sleep.

I washed a stinky smoky Noussa, bra and all, in my front loading washing machine a couple of weeks ago. I zipped it inside two pillow covers.

Three or four strands of fringe came off the bra but otherwise it looks and smells great. But since fringe came off, next time I'll wash it in the kitchen sink or bathtub. I've washed a vintage Pharaonics and a newer Pharaonics (the Apple Green one I'm selling on the Swap Meet) in the tub before with regualr He laundry detergent and they both came out great. No problems at all with the hard bra. However, you may have to reshape the bra a bit during the drying.

Fionna

Originally Posted by Lesedi

If you have time, you could also store the costume in a pillowcase or box or something for a few weeks with a few drier sheets. I had a really musty pair of endless wave harem pants w/ sequins all over and didn't want to wash them. So I locked them up with a few drier/fabric softener sheets for a couple weeks and they smelled nice and fresh after.

I've washed my endless wave harems in the machine on gentle cycle and hang to dry. They turn out just fine.

I've washed a Madame Abla dress in my frontloader machine on handwash. Put in a pillow case. Came out perfectly fine. But then Madame Ablas are pretty indestructable to begin with. I used the regular HE detergent as I was afraid to use anything else and damage the machine. But used a very small amount.

I have also turned costumes inside out and set them in the sun for an hour or so. Takes the odor out nicely but you wouldn't want to do that too often.

You might test a headband or gauntlet first to see what happens when you wash it.

I have a .doc file of "How To Give Your Costume a Bath" by Ruskahsa (professional theater costumer) that she wrote for me to put in the Daily Bellydance Quickies - so I know she's ok with me handing it out. If you'd like me to forward it , email me at mahin at cox dot net and I'll get it over to you :-)

(I don't get to check Bhuz often so please email rather than ask for it here.)

Originally Posted by MahinS

I have a .doc file of "How To Give Your Costume a Bath" by Ruskahsa (professional theater costumer) that she wrote for me to put in the Daily Bellydance Quickies - so I know she's ok with me handing it out. If you'd like me to forward it , email me at mahin at cox dot net and I'll get it over to you :-)

(I don't get to check Bhuz often so please email rather than ask for it here.)

Thanks just sent you an email.

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for the help. I washed the arm bands which have huge chiffon fluffys and are heavily beaded. They came out fine. The bra is the smelliest. I think I will wash tonight in gentle wash. Wish me luck.

Sorry what is HE detergent?

Originally Posted by Yolanda

Sorry what is HE detergent?

I was just about to ask that very question! :)

Mahin, just sent you an email request :))

HE = High Efficiency = concentrated detergent formulated for high-efficiency washers that don't use a lot of water. My front-loader uses between a teaspoon and a tablespoon of detergent, depending on the load. It took some getting used to at first -- suds everywhere!

There are some good tips here:
Bellydance Costume Care Basics - Fitness
I like Silk Wash, too.

Hi Everyone, well I put the bra in a double washing bag and the skirt in a pillowcase and set it on extra gentle hand wash. Came out beautifully!

Draped the skirt over a chair. I molded the bra over two coffee cups and it looks better than it did before. And the smell is gone! I used WoolLite. Thanks for all your suggestions. ..l;,

I definitely wash my costumes, the only thing to watch out for on Pharonics of Egypt costumes, is that she uses those crappy plastic beads mixed in with the glass ones and rhinestones, and they lose their color very easily, I actually started painting them all with clear nail polish when I first get the costume, otherwise I'll be repainting them later down the road!

So, I had an experience with a brand new white Pharonics costume, I had just picked it up from Audrena while she was visiting Vegas, I put it in my trunk, not remembering I had a bottle of concentrate cranberry juice, the kind you have to water down to drink.w.:Yes, my brand new costume, never worn was covered in red..cr.:
I soaked it in Oxy clean for several hours, and it came out beautiful, and no yellowing like bleach often does!

Glad they came out well!

To refresh my costumes after wearing I use the vodka/water spray and hang them out of the sun to air dry, and once in a while I hand wash them in water with a bit of Woolite to.

B

Originally Posted by Yolanda

Hi Everyone, well I put the bra in a double washing bag and the skirt in a pillowcase and set it on extra gentle hand wash. Came out beautifully!

Draped the skirt over a chair. I molded the bra over two coffee cups and it looks better than it did before. And the smell is gone! I used WoolLite. Thanks for all your suggestions. ..l;,