Thread: Your Favorite Post Performance Drying/Airing System for Your Costumes?

I've realized my 'drape costumes all over the living room furniture' is probably not the most effective (or appreciated) method of letting my costumes dry/air out after a performance and I wanted to know what y'all do.

I want to set up a system for myself. What do you recommend?

*note, I live on a 3rd floor apartment with no deck or yard.

I have one of those sweater drying racks that's mesh with a wire hoop frame. I lay out my costumes to dry on that for a day or two and then the rack folds flat to store.

Because I live in the woods, I can spread stuff like this outside. I lay some towels over a bench on my porch and lay the costumes inside out. Meaning the inside of the costume that I've sweated on is getting most of the fresh air exposure. If possible I leave this in the sun for awhile.

I have taken curtain rods and mounted them on the door to my pantry. Bra and belt go over one, skirts over the other. Allow to air dry then if necessary, spritz with either vodka water or fabreeze and allow to dry again.

{{{HUGS}}}

I absolutely love Fresh Again for preventing sweat and mildewy odors to set in. I've tried vodka and the FA just works better. Has a light odor when sprayed on, but completely disappears once dry (and I'm very sensitive to scents and chemicals). Have observed no degradation of fabric and I've been using it for years.

How about buying a tension-mount rod and mounting it in a doorway or your bathtub to hang your costumes over? Too long for a standard doorway, but would work for your bathtub: Tension Painted Steel and Plastic Shower Rod - 804WW at The Home Depot

can you find Fresh Again in stores, or did you buy it online? Which kind did you get- I'm assuming the costumes one ,not something like the pet one- but I had to ask.

I am having a problem now with a costume. Bought it from someone, but it SMELLS SO BAD from her sweat. I've washed it 3 times but that bra still is so bad I can't bring myself to wear it, because as soon as I start sweating in it, I'm gonna be Stinky Belly Dancer.

I have a laundry drying rack, which I either set up at the balcony or inside the room at the fully open balcony door (I prefer to keep my costumes away from the sun/rain/whatever the upstairs neighbours might want to throw off their balconies). I spread the costumes out and every now and then turn them around or adjust them, so all the bits get aired. And sometimes the vodka-water spritzing is necessary.

Originally Posted by theothershimmytwin

I am having a problem now with a costume. Bought it from someone, but it SMELLS SO BAD from her sweat. I've washed it 3 times but that bra still is so bad I can't bring myself to wear it, because as soon as I start sweating in it, I'm gonna be Stinky Belly Dancer.

Is the smell in the padding or lining that could be changed, or on the outer layers where it would be difficult to replace? There are all sorts of household hints for removing persistent odors (vinegar, baking soda, borax, salt, biological neutralizers for pet accidents, charcoal, etc.), and Carbona (who makes the best stain removers in the world, AFAIC) has a Stain Devil for perspiration, but I don't know whether they would damage the costume. On the other hand, if you've got a costume that isn't fit to wear, you're converging on the point where you've got little to lose in terms of laundry experimentation. Unless you want to pass the costume along to someone else like the videotape in "The Ring"...

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

Is the smell in the padding or lining that could be changed, or on the outer layers where it would be difficult to replace? There are all sorts of household hints for removing persistent odors (vinegar, baking soda, borax, salt, biological neutralizers for pet accidents, charcoal, etc.), and Carbona (who makes the best stain removers in the world, AFAIC) has a Stain Devil for perspiration, but I don't know whether they would damage the costume. On the other hand, if you've got a costume that isn't fit to wear, you're converging on the point where you've got little to lose in terms of laundry experimentation. Unless you want to pass the costume along to someone else like the videotape in "The Ring"...

I don't want to pass this costume on. I think it will go the grave with me. But I still think that before I can wear it, it needs a little more odor repair. I wouldn't touch vinegar to the outfit, but I may try baking soda if an odor remover doesn't work.

A: I store them in fabric bags during transit so the "stink" doesn't get trapped.

B: Hang them up on the shower rod before taking a hot shower to wash off the 'post performance funk'. the steam helps with the odor and wrinkles, and then I leave it in the bathroom overnight to dry. I live in the city so I don't have a porch :P

Originally Posted by shems

I've realized my 'drape costumes all over the living room furniture' is probably not the most effective (or appreciated) method of letting my costumes dry/air out

*looks to the right at the skirt peaking out from under a jacket (protect from cats)* *looks to left at sparklie pallietes sticking out*

errr ooops ahha i guess i come from that camp too,....bad manda bad!

I own more wire shelving than a large deli. I've got walls of it, plus rolling tables made out of it. Reserving a long shelf or two for things that need airing works very well.

I hung two hooks by a window...spray the lining of the costume with febreeze and hang bra on one hook, belt and/or skirt on the other. Now that my baby took over my "dance room" I've been relegated to the basement. No hooks by windows anymore, but doorknobs seem to do the trick!

I use a foldaway laundry rack and put it underneath one of the skylights (I live above a store) but when I get home late, I sometimes spread the costumes out on the dining table.

Originally Posted by theothershimmytwin

can you find Fresh Again in stores, or did you buy it online? Which kind did you get- I'm assuming the costumes one ,not something like the pet one- but I had to ask.

I am having a problem now with a costume. Bought it from someone, but it SMELLS SO BAD from her sweat. I've washed it 3 times but that bra still is so bad I can't bring myself to wear it, because as soon as I start sweating in it, I'm gonna be Stinky Belly Dancer.

I bought mine online from the original distributor (years ago-bought an entire case which was way too much!). However I did a search a few months ago and found a few vendors carrying it. Yes, I use the costume one. I also used the smoke one when restaurants here still permitted smoking (worked fantastically). I found that if I sweat a lot, I would moderately wet the costume, then only lightly spray if I didn't perspire. Works really well on velvet. However, I don't know if it will get out existing stains/odors.

And just today I saw a fabric refresher made by NatureClean (I think it's Canadian, not sure if it's sold in USA). All natural and scent free. Will try when I run out of FA.

Hope this helps...

a drying rack sounds like a good idea to me. Any recommendations as to preferred brands or styles? There are so many out there.

Personally I favour the "drape all over the furniture" method, because it allows for costumes to air flat, rather than hanging (whether on rails, or a clothes dryer).