Kids who never go near a field get dirty, too! Dancers have their own unique problems. What happens if they forget their shoe polish or get stains on their costumes?
Shoe Maintenance
- To keep shoes shiny, spray furniture polish on a cloth and buff the shoe (figure A).
- Baby wipes can also be used to buff and shine shoes.
- To remove shoe odor, sprinkle baking soda into the shoes. Place the shoes in a plastic bag (figure B) and place in the freezer overnight. Defrost the shoe the next day; it should be odor-free.
Costume Care
- A soot and dirt removal sponge, which resembles a large yellow eraser can be brushed over costumes to remove dirt and dust.
- Baby wipes can be used to remove stains from costumes that can't be dry cleaned due to delicate trims and embellishments (figure C).
- Rubbing alcohol, shaving cream or vodka can be used to remove makeup stains from costumes or necklines. Apply, blot the stain and rub lightly against the fabric grain if needed to remove the stain (figure D). Use a blow dryer to dry the wet area to prevent circular rings from forming on the cleaned area.
- Perspiration stains can be alleviated by spraying the inside fabric of the underarm area of the costume with vodka. Allow the costume to dry before wearing.
- Baby wipes will remove lipstick from fabrics.
- Wash acrylic wigs with shampoo and warm water. Squeeze the shampoo through the wig and rinse. Add a little fabric softener to the rinse water to keep the wig soft and prevent static electricity. Soak for several minutes, then roll in a towel to remove moisture.
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