How To Clean the Head, Feet, or Uni-body Structure of Your Mascot
When
it comes to proper mascot care, a wet/dry vacuum will be your best
friend. Prepare two spray bottles: One with warm water and about a
teaspoon of mild detergent. The other bottle should have plain room
temperature or cold water to use as a rinse.
Spray the soapy water on
soiled areas and gently scrub to remove dirt. Vacuum up the soapy water
and spray the area with the clean water. Continue spraying and
vacuuming the water until you’re confident that all of the soapy water
is removed. If you don’t manage to remove all of the soapy water you
will find that that the area feels filmy to the touch once dry, and it
may cause that area to collect dirt faster due to the presence of
residue.
If your mascot has airbrushed details you will want to be careful not to remove too much of the paint in those areas.
Depending
on what material your mascot is covered with, you may notice that an
area that gets wet will dry with a ring around it. If that happens,
spray the entire piece with clean water and vacuum out the excess to
ensure that everything dries together and avoids rings.
Eyes
and other plastic parts of your mascot can get scuffed and dirty. To
clean plastic parts, first try wiping them off with a damp cloth. If
that doesn’t work, you might have to use something a bit stronger. Small
rubbing alcohol wipes can be purchased from most local drug stores and
are excellent for removing more stubborn scuffs and other small marks.
Just be gentle and always test a small section of any painted area
first, as the alcohol may remove paint.
Mascot feet are made in a
variety of different ways. If your mascot feet have removable covers,
you can detach and wash them just like the jumpsuit and gloves and then
secure them back to the foot forms. If your mascot feet don’t have
detachable covers then you can clean the outside in the same manner as
the head and uni-body mascot costume cleaning instructions above.
Cleaning the Jumpsuit, Gloves, Clothing, and Inner Body of Your Mascot
The
jumpsuit, gloves, and clothing of your mascot can usually be machine
washed in cold water and then hung to dry. If your mascot has a
removable tail then you should detach the tail from the jumpsuit and
clean it the same way you would the outside of the head. If your mascot
has hand sewn spots or details (spikes, lumps, claws, etc.), you are
better off to hand wash these pieces and use a washing machine to spin
the excess water out before hanging the items to dry.
Mascot inner
bodies can usually be machine washed in cold water and hung to dry. If
your inner body has tubing, you should ALWAYS remove the tubing before
washing and then return the tubing into the inner body after it’s dried.
NOTE:
If you are not sure whether parts of your mascot clothing have been
dyed, it’s a good idea to wash all parts separately to avoid color
bleeding. Dry cleaning a mascot is almost never recommended as the
chemicals used in the dry cleaning process can harm the mascot.
General Mascot Cleaning and Care Tips:
If
your mascot is made of Antron fleece (Muppet type fabric), you may find
over time that the fabric gets very matted and needs a bit of a lift.
You can use the hook side of a piece of Velcro and work it over the
fabric gently to lift the “fuzz” and bring the fabric back to life. See
the image below where the bottom image has been refreshed and the top is
still matted down. DO NOT brush Antron fleece when cleaning a mascot,
as it will damage the fabric and make it very difficult to achieve the
Muppet type of look again.
Faux fur mascots regularly need
their fur brushed (especially after washing) in order to maintain a
fluffy fresh look. This can easily be achieved by using a wire pet brush
and gently going over the head and body parts. Just be careful not to
over-brush, or you may end up with bald spots!
If your mascot
has Velcro closures, you may find over time that the hook side of the
Velcro gets filled with lint or fur from the mascot. You can clean the
hook side of the Velcro by using a wire pet brush and gently brushing
the Velcro.
It’s always a good idea to wipe the soles of your mascot feet after each use to keep them looking clean.
Gum
and other sticky treats are a common problem with mascot costumes so
it’s a good idea to have some Goo Gone on hand to remove them. Just be
sure to first test an area of the fabric that is on the inside of a hem
to make sure the product won’t negatively affect the fabric.
Give the inside of the head a wipe with a damp cloth after each use to keep the mascot fresh between professional cleaning.
ALWAYS
lay your mascot out to dry after using it. Let air circulate and dry
the costume completely before packing it up. As a general rule, your
mascot should only be packed up to get it from point A to point B. If
you have the space, keep your mascot out and exposed to air at all
times.