LATEX CARE GUIDE

When your latex arrives

Your latex will arrive covered in talcum powder, this prevents it from sticking to itself and creasing in the box. Any creases in the garment will fall out over a day or two when it is hung up on a hanger. 

To remove the talcum powder to wear it you can wipe it off with a damp cloth after you put it on, or you can follow the full washing instructions below. 

How to wash your latex 

Latex needs to be washed after every wear. Dirt / sweat / body oils / lotions ect can stain and damage the latex if not removed after use. 

Fill a plastic bowl / sink / bathtub with lukewarm water and a few drops of neutral dish soap. 

Let the latex soak for 5 minutes and swish it around with your hands to remove any dirt. 

Take the latex out of the soapy water and rinse with lukewarm clean water to get rid of all the soap suds. 

Hang it on a plastic or wooden hanger (metal hangers can stain latex!) and allow it to completely dry. Once one side is dry, turn it inside out and allow the other side to dry.   

The time it takes to dry depends on the piece, but 1-2 days is normal. 

Sheer latex can look milky if it is left in water too long, this is when the water has soaked into the latex. Don’t stress, these marks will disappear once it has properly dried out. 

How to store your latex

Once your latex is clean and dry it will stick together, it looks weird but this is totally normal. From here you have two options on how to store it. 

If you are going to wear it again soon you can rub a small amount of latex polish into the garment so it’s shiny and ready for you.

If you are not planning on wearing it soon I recommend covering it in a little bit of talcum powder (like how you received it). 

Ideally you would hang your garments on a plastic or wooden hanger under a garment bag (a black bin bag is less cute but also works) and keep them in a wardrobe or somewhere totally away from sunlight. This is because sunlight discolours and bleaches the latex if it is left in it for too long. 

You can also put your latex in a ziplock bag and keep it in a drawer if you don’t have a place to hang it.

Make sure to not store different colours next to each other as darker colours can transfer and stain lighter / sheer colours. 

If you are placing latex next to fabric clothing, make sure the fabric pieces don’t have any metal accessories which can stain the latex.  

How to polish your latex 

To make your latex shine use a designated latex polish. I personally use BeGloss Perfect Shine. You can also check out Vivishine which a lot of people like. 

If you don’t have latex polish available you can also use a silicone based lube which does pretty much the same kind of job. 

Absolutely do not use water based lube / coconut oil / lotion / literally anything other than the above two things as this weakens the latex and glue and your garment will eventually fall apart. 

Important information 

Latex is a bit of a needy queen but once you get the hang of how to treat her she can last you a long long time. 

Lighter colours can stain from the below list of things so be aware of this when you’re wearing it. If you’re nervous about this I recommend buying black or a darker colour to try out and get the hang of wearing before you go for that gorgeous sheer lilac. 

I do not give refunds for stained garments. 

Household oils / cleaning products / solvents (just nah, keep away)

Copper / nickel based metals (if you wear a lot of jewellery shower before you put your latex on so there’s no transfer from your skin to the latex) 

Nicotine (if you’re in a chain smoking mood and you’re wearing light colours keep your hands off the latex, or wash them once you’re done)

Perfume / deodorant / body oil and lotion (you can wear these but just put them all on way before you wear your latex, never spray things over the latex)

Depending on what’s inside your body and what’s coming out in your sweat, sometimes sweat can stain the latex. It doesn’t happen often and it's super annoying but there’s nothing you or I can do about it. 

For smaller stains there is a method to try and suck them out with white latex. It’s not 100% or guaranteed but I’ve found it works enough to make an ugly orange spot duller and less noticeable. If you have some stains and want to try this I am happy to send you some white latex pieces and instructions for a small fee to cover the latex and postage. Email info@lupaeberlin.com to inquire.