Fursuit Care Guide
How to Put on Your Fursuit​
Here are the steps for putting on a full digitigrade fursuit!
If you’re wearing a smaller suit, like a partial, some of these steps will still be helpful.
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Attach your feetpaws and tail to the bodysuit.
Both the feetpaws and tail connect with zippers. Just line up the zippers and zip them together! Your feetpaws are interchangeable, so don’t worry about left or right; either one fits on either leg. -
Check your padding.
Make sure all the stuffing inside your suit is sitting where it should be. Add a little more if you need to or fluff it up if it’s gotten squished. You can access the padding through the zippers on the upper thighs. -
Put on your bodysuit!
Always wear a belt with your tail, even if it zips on; this helps keep it secure. Slide your feet into the feetpaws, pull the suit up over your shoulders, slip your arms in, and zip up the belly zipper. -
Put on your head!
Gently pull your head on and make sure the neck fur is lying nice and flat. -
Put on your handpaws!
Save these for last so you can make any final adjustments. Tuck the handpaws under the arm sleeves. Sometimes it helps to have an extra pair of hands for this part.
Fursuit care BEFORE Suiting​
To keep your fursuit smelling fresh and looking great for as long as possible, good personal hygiene is the first and most important step!
Bacteria love warm, damp synthetic materials so keeping yourself clean helps keep your suit clean too!
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Before you suit up:
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Take a thorough shower.
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Use a good body wash and rinse well.
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Apply deodorant or antiperspirant (and feel free to reapply while suiting if needed).
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Wear the right underlayers.
Choose tight-fitting spandex or athletic wear, like Under Armour or any fitness brand. These layers keep sweat, oils, and dead skin cells off your fursuit, helping it stay cleaner between washes.
A lycra balaclava is great for protecting the inside of your fursuit head, and thick work socks work well inside feetpaws. If you’re suiting for multiple days, like at a convention, bring several sets of Under Armour or handwash them and let them dry overnight.
You can also add shoes inside your feetpaws for extra comfort and longer wear.
Keeping yourself clean means keeping your suit happy, too!
Fursuit care WHILE Suiting​
Stay away from hazards.
Try to stay aware of your surroundings and steer clear of anything that could dirty or damage your suit. Things like fire, pool water, or messy areas can be dangerous for both you and your fursuit.
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Stay off the floor.
The ground is full of dirt and bacteria, so avoid rolling or lying on it. Keep yourself on your feet to help your suit stay fresh and clean.
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Avoid roughhousing.
While your suit is made to handle movement, too much rough play can lead to popped seams, matted fur, or even missing pieces. Gentle fun keeps your suit looking great for longer!
Fursuit care AFTER Suiting​
After each time you suit up, give your fursuit a quick check-up.
Look for dirt spots, loose seams, or any small damages. Fixing these early keeps your suit looking great and prevents bigger problems later.
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Hang your suit up to dry.
Make sure it’s completely dry before storing it away. You don’t want moisture trapped in a closed space. You can lightly spray the bodysuit with Kitsune Alchemy Fursuit Spray or any other fursuit-safe spray.
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Let the head breathe.
Prop the head up with the neck opening facing upward so air can flow through and help it dry. Give the inside a light spray with a fursuit-safe disinfectant.
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Take care of your paws and feetpaws.
Spray the inside of your handpaws and hang them to dry. You can do the same with your feetpaws before setting them out to air.
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Brush everything out.
A gentle brushing keeps your fur smooth, pretty, and fluffy, perfect for your next adventure!
Purchase Kitsune Alchemy Fursuit Spray HERE
Cleaning your FURSUIT HEAD​
To keep your fursuit head clean, fresh, and looking its best, it’s important to give it a full wash every few wears or after a big event.
Here’s how to do it safely and easily!
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1. Get your fursuit head ready for washing.
Most Astris Fursuit eyes are dye-sublimated, so they’re completely waterproof but it’s still important to protect them while you clean.
Remove any piercings, accessories, or detachable decorations from the head before you begin.
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2. Wash your head.
Use liquid laundry detergent only, and dilute it with some cold water.
You can clean your head using a soft cloth or a carpet spot-cleaner machine. Be sure to clean every area including the inside of the head, the mouth, and the neck, too.
When you’re done, rinse thoroughly with fresh cold water to remove all the detergent.
Remember: Only use cold water!
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3. Finishing touches.
Brush the fur so it lies neatly in the right direction and stays fluffy and smooth.
Set your head in a well-ventilated area to dry, with the neck opening wide and the eyes facing upward to allow plenty of airflow.
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Your fursuit head will be clean, fresh, and ready for your next adventure!
Cleaning your BODYSUIT, ARMSLEEVES and HANDPAWS​
Preparing your fursuit parts.
Turn your fursuit inside out. This includes the bodysuit and arm sleeves. If you have a digitigrade suit, remove all padding and stuffing first. Zip up every zipper. The handpaws do not need to be turned inside out.
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Time to start washing!
Place your fursuit parts in the washing machine. A front loader or top loader works fine! Set your machine to COLD and GENTLE/DELICATE. Add a gentle detergent. Fabric softener isn’t needed, skip it! the spin cycle twice, this helps remove as much water as possible and speeds up drying time.
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After the wash.
Turn everything right-side out and hang to dry. Use a coat hanger with a wide collar to support the shape of the neck of your bodysuit. You can clip handpaws and sleeves to a hanger so they dry evenly. Every so often, gently brush the fur from top to bottom, following the direction of the fur.Make sure everything is completely dry before storing.This keeps your suit clean, fluffy, and safe from mildew.
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Cleaning your FEETPAWS and TAIL​
Fursuit tails and feetpaws should only require spot cleaning. The same steps taken to clean your fursuit head can be taken to clean both your feetpaws and tail. Your feetpaws and tail can be washed in a sink or tub with liquid laundry detergent if they have gotten very dirty.
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Feetpaw deep cleaning should only be required if your feetpaws get extremely dirty and spot or tub/sink cleaning will not cut it. Place your feetpaws in your washing machine on cold and gentle/delicate like you would your bodysuit and let the machine work its magic! Brush your feetpaws gently while wet and set to dry for roughly 5-7 days. DO NOT DEEP CLEAN OFTEN!
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If any popped seams occur or the soles detach from the fur after washing, please contact Astris Fursuits for instructions on repair. Damage to feetpaws occurs when incorrect washing machine settings are used.
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