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Dennis asked: How do I clean Santa Claus clothes. I need to clean a santa costume, beard and clothes.
Most Santa suits are designed to be dry clean only, but dry cleaning will take some of the fluff from the plush suit, so it’s best to spot clean on a yearly basis and save the professional cleaning for the big messes. With that in mind, here’s how to freshen up a Santa suit so it will be ready to wear next Christmas!
You Will Need:
- Gentle laundry detergent
- Soft cloths
- Brush
- Baby shampoo
- Cold water
Steps to Clean the Suit:
- Make a solution of cold water and laundry detergent. Go easy on the detergent to avoid leaving a soap residue behind on the fabric.
- Spot test the detergent solution in a hidden area before you proceed.
- Dab one cloth in the detergent solution and work a soiled spot on the suit. Start in the red colored areas and make sure not to allow the moisture to seep through or run into the white areas.
- Allow the red to dry completely before proceeding.
- Repeat the process with a clean cloth on the white portions of the suit. (Do not use the same cloth you used to clean the red portions of the suit).
- Allow to dry.
- Gently brush to restore the fluff.
- To clean the beard and wig, first brush gently to remove loose hair and debris.
- Next, hand wash with baby shampoo and cold water.
- Allow it to hang freely as it air dries; this will give it the most natural look.
- Dry completely then finger comb to style before storing for the year.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Remove stale odors by spraying with a fabric refresher such as Febreeze. Always spot test first and allow the costume to dry completely before storing.
- Avoid body odors from setting when your suit receives a lot of use by blotting or gently wiping the inside with a cloth treated with mild soap or detergent. Avoid soaking it so the red fabric won’t run and stain the white areas.
- If your suit receives a lot of wear, annual dry cleaning might be a good idea. However, don’t send it to the pros more than once a year or the chemicals will leave it looking considerably less than jolly and bright.
- Store your Santa suit on a padded hanger that matches the natural shape of the garment. Cover it with a garment bag and store in a cool, dry place. Avoid hanging it in a cramped closet; air circulation will prevent stale odors and allowing some room will prevent wrinkles.
I purchased a pair of Santa face slippers. They have rubber soles; the rest looks like Santa Claus. How do I clean these? They are soiled.
Linda,
Inspect the rubber soles to determine if they are glued onto the slipper or sewn on.
The safest way to clean them is by hand, either spot cleaning only, or if they need a full wash, doing so by hand in the sink. If the soles are glued on, the exposure to excess water in a washing machine could cause them to become unglued. Washing by hand in the sink, you can hold them upside-down to wash only the top slipper area and keep the soles out of the water for the most part. Here is a guide for hand washing items: How to Hand Wash Clothing.
If the soles are sewn on, it is safer for them to be in the water. It would be a good idea to put them in a lingerie washing bag or a pillowcase to protect them from the agitation of the machine if they have any small sewn-on parts like the eyes. Use cold water only, mild detergent, and the gentlest cycle.
Another trick you could try is a dry shampoo using baking soda. Sprinkle a generous amount of the powder over the slipper and inside if they’re dirty inside as well, then let the powder sit for an hour or two. The powder will absorb the dirt and oils, and then it can just be brushed off. This process can be repeated if needed, and the powder can be rubbed into any particularly dirty spots if needed.
For a spot cleaning on the outside of the slipper, you can just treat it like upholstery. Use just a cloth with some soapy water (mix a couple drops of laundry detergent in a bowl) to gently scrub the area and then blot with plain water on a cloth to rinse. You could also use white foam shaving cream instead of water for a more dry spot cleaning and that doesn’t need to be rinsed. There are some other tricks in the guide How to Clean Fleece-Lined Non-Washable Slippers that you can try as well if preferred.
Good luck!
Rather than using anything wet, is there a process using a dry method rather than having to take it to the cleaners?
Jan,
You could sprinkle the suit with baking soda. Allow the baking soda to sit overnight to absorb any odors, dirt and oils, then simply brush the baking soda away. Also, instead of taking the suit to the dry cleaners, you could use a home dry cleaning kit.