Latex isn’t just a material, it’s a declaration! Every shining inch is a lesson in sensation, denial and surrender. It’s not just fashion, it can be armour for those who wield power or encasement for those who surrender it. A few moments of shopping “research” will show you that latex isn’t a budget material. So, how do you master the art of latex care, to gain the most enjoyment from your investment in the long run? Ready for those high gloss highs? Read on.

Buying Latex

First of all, it’s worth investing in quality. Good-quality latex performs better, looks better, and lasts longer. It also has that satisfying latex perfume that true fetishists appreciate.

Quality latex garments have smooth, neatly glued seams and high-grade fittings. If you have a nickel allergy, be particularly careful when shopping and check what materials manufacturers use for zips, buckles and studs. Wearing latex will cause you to sweat, making any nickel allergy symptoms appear quicker and more severely.

Your New Latex: First Steps

Latex garments will not usually arrive pre-shined. They are generally lightly powdered and wrapped in tissue paper. Be sure to exercise care when opening the package; the last thing you want is for your delicate new latex to be damaged before you even get to enjoy it.

Don’t skip straight to shining your new latex. The residual powder can affect the shine ongoing, and if you love latex, you will almost certainly want maximum shine.

To remove this residual powder, it’s best to wash your new latex before shining and wearing.

How to wash your latex (this works for new latex and routine washing after wear)

You will need:

*Morning Fresh Original or a Specialised Latex Washing Product
*A smooth tub or sink to wash your latex in
*Vivishine or Silicone Diluent
*A microfibre or chux cloth
*A clean, soft towel
*Smooth, plastic coat hangers and a dark, well-ventilated place to air your latex

While there are specialist latex washing products (Vivishine make one), my weapon of choice is good old original Morning Fresh. This dishwashing product is mild and will not damage your latex. For this task, you need a mild, preferably unscented product that does not contain added oils or moisturising agents.

Simply place your latex in a sink (smooth surfaces only!), cover with lukewarm water (not too hot) and add a small amount of Morning Fresh. Agitate gently for a few moments.

Then lift your latex out, drain your water and replace it with clean, fresh water to rinse. Rinsing before shining ensures that detergent residue does not remain on the latex.

Drain again before refilling the sink or tub with lukewarm water again. This is where the magic happens! My personal preference for shining is either Vivishine or Silicone Diluent (which is much more cost-effective when you have a lot of latex to shine or wear it often). Add a small amount of product to the water and agitate. Some people like to soak their latex in this solution, but a quick agitation to ensure the solution reaches all surfaces of the latex is sufficient. Some latex makers and repairers express concerns that soaking can damage the glue in seams. With gloves, socks, leggings, catsuits, or similar, ensure the solution gets inside the garment, not just on the outer surfaces.

Lift your latex out of the solution, hold it above the sink or container for a moment, and then place it on a clean towel. Ideally, you will want your towel set up and spread out very close to the washing area, as you DO NOT want any drips of the shining solution on your floors.

Spread your latex out on the towel and gently dry with your chux or microfibre cloth. Turn the garment inside out and repeat with the other side.

Now it’s time to air everything to ensure it is truly dry before you wear or store it. I recommend at least a few hours for each “side” of the latex in an airy but safe and dark area. Depending on the type of garment, you can hang it on a smooth plastic hanger or spread it out on a clean towel.

Dressing

First, you’ll need silicone lube or a dressing aid. Yes, some people prefer powder. Some people also prefer McDonald’s to fine dining.

Before you start, spread out a towel to dress on. The last thing you want is silicone on your floor! It’s also best to remove watches and jewellery so as not to catch your fragile latex. If you have long nails, you’ll have to be extra careful. A pair of latex or nitrile gloves may help protect your latex garment as you dress.

Turn your garment inside out and apply silicone lube. It’s hard to tell you exactly how much to apply online. You want a very thin film of product evenly applied inside your garment. It’s best to apply the lube, turn the garment right side out, and rub it gently against itself to spread the lube inside.

Some people also apply a small amount of the lube or dressing aid to their bodies, especially when wearing long-sleeved garments, leggings, or catsuits.

The lube or dressing aid doesn’t just help you get into your garment; it also protects it and makes it more comfortable to wear. A garment that can glide a little over your skin is far less likely to be under the kind of stress that will cause a blowout.

With gloves, socks, long-sleeved tops, leggings or catsuits, it can be good to bunch your garment up, much like when you get into a pair of tights or stockings and then ease the garment up.

No matter your garment, you will need to ease yourself into it. Do not roughly pull or apply excessive pressure to any one part of the garment. Be gentle as you pull and smooth the garment onto your body.

An assistant is helpful for garments with back zips, but a zip-aid (Rubber Rescue make a simple and fantastic one) will undoubtedly come in handy if one is unavailable.

You’re in? I’m sure you’re looking shiny and fabulous!

More Shine?

You should already have a very satisfactory shine from your latex care process of washing and pre-shining. For shoots or special occasions, remember you can add spray silicone or buff some extra silicone lube onto the outside of your garment for extra shine using either a gloved or bare hand or a chux or microfibre cloth. This is a coveted job for a latex-loving assistant!

Be careful with your latex when you’re out and about. Avoid contact with rough surfaces or sharp objects. Be aware that latex, especially light-coloured, can discolour easily, sometimes from contact with unexpected items such as metals.

Getting Out

Again, patience and care will pay off when it’s time to get out of your latex. One delicious way to remove your latex that makes things easier, pre-rinses the latex and is FUN is to remove it in the shower. Just be careful of slippery lube residue on the shower floor.

If you don’t remove your latex in the shower, rinse it immediately. Ideally, thoroughly washing your latex as soon as possible after wear is best, as the oils from your body’s sweat degrade the material. Latex that’s been meticulously washed ASAP after each wear lasts much longer than latex, which you’ve let sit and marinate in sweat and body oil!

Latex Storage

Storage is most definitely a key component in the art of latex care. The most important thing to remember when storing your latex is that you MUST protect it from heat and light, both of which will break down and discolour it.

It’s a good idea to put some thought into organisation, especially if you have an extensive collection. It’s not fun going through bag after bag of black, amorphous shiny, trying to find the one piece you’re looking for.

Leaving garments hanging for extended periods will cause them to become misshapen, so try to avoid that unless the garment is particularly large or intricate and needs to be hung.

I’ve filed most of my collection by garment type and then by colour in a modular set of shallow, semi-opaque, labelled plastic drawers, which I then store in a dark wardrobe. Black plastic storage boxes are also a great option that will 100% protect your collection from light.

Smaller individual garments go in labelled ziplock bags, larger individual garments go in cotton bags.

Storing your garments shined is fine for the short term, if you’re wearing and using them frequently, but for long-term storage, I recommend skipping the shining step in your washing process and powdering them down before storage. You can also protect the latex further by strategically using tissue paper to avoid contact with metal fittings and to keep things from sticking together.

Repairs

If you wear or play in your latex, no matter how careful you are, sooner or later, a puncture, rip, or blowout will happen. Not everything is fixable, but many things ARE. It’s worth consulting a reputable, experienced latex repair person like Matt at Rubber Rescue to see if a repair is viable.

Now that you know how to select, care for, and store your latex, are you all primed to play in it? Visit my Apply To Serve page to secure your appointment with me.