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Care about your costumes

© Kathryn Morton

I have a whole drawer full of them. Actually more than a whole drawer. I have a drawer, several bags, boxes, and hangers full of them-- dance costumes and clothes.

Almost anyone who has spent even a year on a drill team has similar collections of leotards, lyrical dresses and sequin bands. Costumes and clothing come with the territory, as does care and maintenance of them.

Most drill teams do not provide cleaning services for all dance wear. My high school team paid for a uniform cleaning every few games, but that was because the field uniform was owned by the school district. Other uniforms and costumes, and certainly practice attire, were up to us.

So what happens when you don't have a parent who has time or is willing to do all your drill team cleaning and repairing for you? That's the question I set out to answer this week because sometimes it's not a good idea to chunk certain costumes into the washing machine and dryer.

To assist with cleaning questions, consult the Label Talk for Consumers page. This site features a guide to the common laundry care symbols. The table can be downloaded and printed or printed straight off the web. It contains the symbols and explanations of their meaning and how to care for such garments. The web page also includes a Stain Removal Answers to Common Care Questions section.

Still stumped on stains? Try the Tide Stain Detective. The site says that "The Stain Detective provides personalized solutions to the tough stains you encounter in your laundry. You choose the stain, the fabric, and the fabric color, and let The Stain Detective present you with simple step-by-step advice customized to your needs." I tried it out, and it seemed pretty neat.

Just as you have to take the type of stain into consideration when caring for costumes, you have to know the type of fabric. The Fabric Care Tips site provides short descriptions of fabric varieties and problems you'll encounter and instructions for keeping those fabrics looking performance-ready.

On my quest for the aforementioned websites, I stumbled upon a wonderful place called Learn2.com. The site has simple instructions for activities ranging from upgrading your computer to juggling. If you're not familiar with basic uniform care and repair procedures, be sure to check out Learn2 Sew a Button and Learn2 Fix a Zipper. If you're long-legged (as am I-- my pants are ALWAYS highwaters), don't feel you have to look at the Learn2 Hem Your Pants article, although it is quite interesting. Learn2 also has advice for removing stains.

The copyright of the article Care about your costumes in Dance/Drill Team is owned by Kathryn Morton. Permission to republish Care about your costumes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.