Storage, care, and preparation?

[pentrep]

So...I'm expecting my fursuit, finally, in May and I have a few questions about what I should do to prepare.
1. What kind of storage should I buy? I'm assuming I shouldn't put it in one of those clear storage bins but I also can't put it in my closet. The sheer weight would probably rip it out of the wall. I also can't leave it out hanging on one of those industrial hangers unless I put it in guest room? So in short where should I keep it once I get it? I want it to last as long as possible.
2. What kind of cleaning stuff should I buy? I have heard people make their own cleaning supplies. Now I don't plan to use it until August...which is the fur con I attended to last year so I likely won't need it until then. So what kind of stuff do you guys recommend? I think people make fursuit cleaning stuff?
3. Can someone recommend a heat shield or a fan for the inside of the fursuit? I'm assuming I could fit a fan inside of the snout? My character is a fox but I've not seen it yet so does this seem like a realistic assumption?
Let me know guys....thanks in advance.

[guest22811]

1) As for storing your fursuit, it's really up to you on where you want to store it.
However, I do suggest that you store it somewhere away from light; that is, any light.
Sunlight, LED's, your houses' lamps, they can all damage the fur on your fursuit.
Fur tends to 'yellow' when exposed to such things.
I prefer storing all my fursuit parts in storage bins; they actually work wonderfully and I highly suggest it.
I store my heads on a table covered by a cloth to prevent color damage.
All my feetpaws are stored on a shoe rack.
Lastly, all my bodysuits are in fact, hung up. This is probably a horrid way to store them but it's really the only solution that I have.


2) Disinfectant. After every suiting session, flip your bodysuit inside out and spray that stuff allover, especially at areas where you sweat a lot. Same with the head and paws. Don't spray the fur, spray inside the garment. Disinfectant can leave a stain on fabric.
As for washing your suit, I highly suggest that you hand wash it. Seek a liquid detergent that is for delicates and is 'whitening'. They usually get the job done. Avoid powders and powerful detergents at all costs. Test scraps to be safe.


3) I, in fact, don't use any heat shields as they are too pricy for me to afford and I generally cannot be bothered. I just simply only go suiting on colder days. Sorry.
For fans, you usually ask the suit maker to implement them for a price. I don't know if it's possible to install one yourself.


Good luck!

[Nori]

Pretty much what Euharmonics said!

1. I store my suits in my closet, but since that's out, a cheap door hangar rack works fine for mine when I'm preparing for an outing. Suits aren't that heavy unless you cannot take out the padding, or the tail or something is attached to the body. My door rack hold my bodysuit with my padding, and my tail perfectly fine Using a wooden hangar is a good idea, they're normal hangar size, just made out of wood instead of plastic, so the hanger doesn't snap. If I run my suit through the wash I let it drip dry outside draped over a chair, but I put it inside as soon as it's just damp, not dripping.


2. There's tutorials online of how to mix your own cleaning stuff, I personally fill a small spray bottle like pictured here, Odoban is what I use instead of essential oils for good smell-ness, and it doesn't have all the chemicals febreeze has.


3. For a vest or something, I use a preformer's vest from EZ Cooldown (http://www.ezcooldown.com/ezcooldown-complete-performers-pcm-vest.html) As you can see they're pretty expensive But talk to your maker about installing a fan, its challenging to do so after the fact, especially for a foam head. There's kits online for fursuit head fans, or you can do what I do and get a cheap necklace fan and shove it in your mouth when you need it (https://www.amazon.com/O2-Cool-Necklace-Fan-Assorted/dp/B00X8AQ8P0/ref=pd_lpo_201_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZQN75Y67X5AFA9A8VB28)