Note: this is not intended to be a handbook of any type. I don’t take any responsibility for anything said below that might not work for you. Take everything as opinions and experiences, you are the one to take your own decisions.
Taking care of leather
Important: I don’t take any responsibility on any damage done into your garnment. Check always with the manufacturer of your leather for cleaning and maintenance information
There is not a one-rule-for-all in regards of products to take care of leather. There are different type of leather depending on the animal and the part of the skin used. Leather community tends to look for heavy motorbiker outfit which is usually full-grain or top-grain cowhide, so this is what I’m referring here.
Pretty much treating leather is how you would treat and care your skin. My way here:
- Don’t clean leather by soaking it with water. Never washing machine. If wet from rain, let it dry in a ventilated area
- Remove mud and dirt stains before storing the jacket. I use a lightly damped cloth and let it dry well
- A brush can be used, just make sure it’s a very soft brush. You can know by brushing your skin – if it hurts, it will ‘hurt’ the jacket, pants or chaps
- Occasionally condition leather, so it doesn’t get dry and ends cracking. This depends on the usage, but for occasional usage, I condition leather twice per year, for jackets, pants and chaps usually 3-4 weeks before an event like Folsom. I use Mister B Leather Cream can. I used to apply with a cloth, but I have a soft brush that works well and I apply very gently so all leather is covered, I leave for the night and brush out the next day.
- I also condition slings and harnesses, the frequency depends on the usage. In this case I use TRG Leather Renovating Balm.
- Be careful of wrinkles when storing or bringing in suitecases, they tend to become permanent if the skin is dry
- Hang garment on a wide hanger, never those iron narrow ones you might use for shirts. Make sure it’s a dry dark environment – leather needs to ‘breathe’, so don’t store inside plastic cover or bag, and ventilate
Additional info:
- Types of Leather: Your Perfect Leather Guide
- wikihow’s How to care for a leather jacket
- LeatherCult’s How to Brush Your Leather jacket (The Right Way)
Taking care of latex
JT’s Stockroom includes the following guide when buying their products, and it’s a nice simple one:
- Liberally coat your body with a cornstarch based baby powder, a silicone based lubricant or a water based lubricant before putting on latex
- Latex is easiest to shine when you’re wearing it, use a silicone based latex polish and a lint free cloth, sponge or even your hand and apply in small circles over the latex
- Handwash in lukewarm water with one drop of oil free dishwashing soap and rinse with cold water. Do not use anti-baterial soap
- Hang dry and coat with cornstarch based baby powder
- Latex should be kept in a light tight bag and stored in a dark closet
- Always avoid exposure to oil-based products, natural light, and metals that contain brass
Adding my 2 cents now.
Baby powder is affordable and makes it easy to put on latex and to maintain it, however it will leave white stains and it will cause irritation if in contact with your eyes. For rubber hoods and masks, I go for Vividress or Eros silicone. For rubber clothing, if it’s opaque you might go with baby powder in the inside, but if its transparent rubber, use Vividress or Eros silicone as it will reinfornce the contrast and make the colors gloom. Extra recommended to use silicone or Vividress if you have tattoos.
For shining, I prefer to go for Vivishine or silicone based that is not a a concentrated lube. But if rather than a night of dancing you are preparing for rubber sex, being a huge silicone-lubed rubber dildo can be a fabulous experience for you and your partner(s). Make sure you have some towels around to help leaving the play area.
For storing, many people picks a black plastic black that is totally soaked of silicone, and let the cleaned and dried garnments to soak there while stored. I prefer doing the same but with lots of baby powder, and regularly to add more and shake everything inside the bag. It’s cheaper and for me works better.
Taking care of rubber and vinyl toys
- Use silicone-based creams for play, don’t use oil/grease creams like Crisco, as the toys will start melting (and once they start…)
- After play, clean well with wash up liquid. Make sure there is no rest on any hole or hollow area
- Leave them 10-30 minutes in a ‘milky’ solution of water and antiseptic like Dettol
- Store them in a dark place (e.g. wardrobe or drawers), I recommend surrounding each by towels and avoiding the contact among them. When a toy starts deteriorating, the towels will isolate them and don’t let them spoil each other
- Toys tend to retain humidity. I recommend adding dehumidifier boxes or hanging bags if you live in a place where humidity and mould is a problem (e.g. Ireland)