Latex Care Guide

Looking after your latex comes down to a few basics: cleaning it, shining it, and dressing properly. In this guide we'll cover these basics.

Three varieties of Slick

Slick comes in three varieties which can be used for shining or polishing your latex, or as a dressing aid to make getting into your garments an easy and stress-free experience. Whether you choose Light, Regular or Thicc is very much down to your peronal preference and what works best for you.

Slick Regular is the best, most versatile match for most people - indeed it was designed to cover as many bases as possible. We don't believe in selling you the same product in different packaging, so Slick Regular is formulated to do it all!

Getting Dressed

Coat the inside of your garment liberally with Slick, spreading evenly, then gently slide it on. Arms and legs can be gathered and gently pulled on - but be careful of your nails or any jewellery!

Pay special attention to high-friction areas – under arms, around hips and shoulders are all areas where special attention should be paid. You may find it easier to put some additional Slick on yourself in these areas prior to dressing.

Because Slick is silicone based, it can be absorbed by some fabrics, wallpapers and carpets. We recommend getting dressed on a towel or, even better, a play sheet. It's also fun to do it with the help/hinderance of a partner.

Cleaning your latex

Latex is a versatile and tough material, but it’s not invulnerable! Oils such as petroleum jelly, Vaseline, massage oil or even oils in your sweat can degrade latex over prolonged periods of contact and can lead to discolouration and splitting when stretched. Oils can also damage the glue used to join the seams of your garments. You should clean and treat your latex after every use – this will ensure your expensive and loved garments will last for many years.

Removing these oils, residue and any splattered liquids from your latex is the key to keeping it at its best.

Follow these simple steps to clean your garments:

1. Fill a clean bucket with warm (but not hot!) water
2. Add a soap- and fragrance-free, pH neutral detergent (we personally use Sanex Zero % body wash, but there are many alternatives). We do not recommend washing up liquid as this is often heavily perfumed and can leave your latex streaky
3. Submerge your garment in the water, gently agitating it until clean
4. Turn your garment inside out and repeat
5. Empty the bucket and thoroughly rinse your garment
6. Turn your garment the correct way around and rinse again

A thorough cleaning will strip all oils from the surfaces of your latex - this means once dried it will have a tendency to stick to itself and will have a slightly tacky feeling. If you are planning on using the latex in the near future, you should follow the steps in the next section.

If you're going to be storing your latex for an extended period, instead allow it to dry then lightly dust both inner and outer surfaces with non-scented talcum powder, then place in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. When you're ready to wear it again, give it a thorough rinse to remove all talc, then follow the steps in the next section.

Treating your Latex

Once you have thoroughly cleaned your latex, you will want to treat it.

Treating your latex is achieved by evenly coating the inner and outer surfaces of your garment in a thin layer of Slick. This will protect the latex and once dried will leave your garments with an even, beautiful shine. Treated garments are additionally much easier to put on - the thin layer of Slick dramatically reduces the frcition between your skin and the garment, meaning it will slide on with the minimum of fuss.

Once you've thoroughly rinsed your garment after cleaning, follow these steps:

1. Fill a clean bucket with warm (but not hot!) water
2. Add a cap-full (or two) of Slick (Regular or Light works best for this)
3. Submerge your garment, agitating it gently. You’ll feel the latex shine cling to the surface of the garment.
4. Continue to agitate until it feels well covered
5. Withdraw your garment, turn it inside out and repeat
6. Hang to dry naturally (still inside out), with a towel underneath to catch any drips
7. Once one side has dried, turn the garment the correct way around and finish the drying process

Doing multiple garments? You'll likely need to add another half-capful for each garment you add (depending on the garment, of course)