Preventing Damage to Your Halloween Costumes

Your Halloween costumes are often a big investment. Store bought and custom made costumes for Halloween can often represent a large monetary investment, and even handmade costumes can represent a time investment. So how do you keep your Halloween costumes looking great year after year? Taking special precautions to prevent damage will allow you to keep your Halloween costumes looking great longer.
Stop damage
Sweat is naturally acidic and can cause stains and damage to your Halloween costume. Using antiperspirants that dry clear will help prevent white residue and keep sweat stains to a minimum. Along similar lines, avoid using perfumes and hairsprays that contain alcohol near your costumes as these can damage sequins and stain fabrics. If you need to do your hair after putting your costume on, drape your shoulders with a towel to prevent damage.
Stay clean
Halloween costumes can be difficult to wash, so it is essential that you keep your Halloween costume as clean as possible. The best way to do this is to shower before you put your costume on. Otherwise you are transferring the dirt and sweat from the day right to your costume. If you know you are going to be active and might sweat, consider wearing lightweight cotton tops or shorts under your costume to help absorb sweat.
Cleaning
Cleaning your costume can present a new challenge. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning costume. Some Halloween costume fabrics will fade when washed. Others can become damaged by the chemicals used in dry cleaning. If your Halloween costume is machine washable, try washing it inside of a pillowcase. Knot the open end of the pillowcase and wash the Halloween costume in the delicate cycle with cold water to cause as little damage as possible. Make sure that there are no remaining stains before drying, and consider air drying delicate fabrics.
Storing
The parts of your Halloween costume that cannot be washed or dry-cleaned should be allowed to air out once you are done wearing them. This is especially true for wigs, masks, and shoes. Allowing Halloween costumes to air dry will allow any remaining perspiration to evaporate and prevent further damage from occurring.
Some Halloween costumes can be lightly sprayed with an odor-eliminating spray before storage. However, you should always test the product on an inconspicuous area to make sure that it will not stain before you spray the entire Halloween costume. Alcohol-based products can damage some Halloween costume embellishments like sequins and beads, as well as fade some fabrics.
Always make sure that your Halloween costumes are completely dry before storage to prevent mold growth. Store away from direct sunlight and bright lights that might cause your Halloween costume to fade and age prematurely.
Heavy Halloween costumes should be stored flat instead of on hangers, since they can become permanently stretched over time. For costumes you do hang, use only padded hangers to prevent acids from being released.
Taking proper care of your Halloween costumes will keep them looking great for many years to come.