There isnt a lot of middle ground a far as rubber lovers are concerned; those entranced by this fetish typically find themselves gravitating more and more frequently toward the object of their desires; their closets brimming with catsuits and hoods, drawers filled with dresses and latex accessories – a sea of shiny black, vivid red’s, sparkling polish and that intoxicating aromatic of rubber wafting through their rooms. It’s unmistakable, and it’s frankly no wonder those of us who adore it, often end up hoarding quite a collection as the years go on.
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This post in particular is meant to simply serve as a loose reminder and guide to taking proper care of those well loved pieces.
Especially since the moment playtime is over – most of us are shaking off a flood of adrenaline; the last thing to likely be on anyone’s mind is clean up! No matter how badly you might crave the sweet siren song of a shower and a nap after a heated play date – just remember the absolute worst thing to do is to simply shove your rubber gear into a backpack and forget about it until the mood strikes you again. These items, while expensive, hard to find and delicate, should not become a simple afterthought once the heat of the moment has passed.
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And as I watched the other day when one beloved playmate pulled out a catsuit he had not taken care of in months, the limbs stuck together, the elastication given in, his very favorite article ruined, I realized that it was beyond time to share some of my incredibly easy tips and tricks to keeping our growing collections in pristine condition between heavy use and abuse. I never want any of you to experience the disappointment my sweet boy did that day!
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1 Don’t just rinse, but actually WASH your rubber.
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You’re going to need to jump in the shower anyway, no doubt covered in slick lube, body glide and sweat – so will your rubber be equally plastered in foreign substances.
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With silicone-based lube being the most popular on the market, most of us know it has one particular characteristic that makes it a crowd favorite… It doesn’t usually absorb and it’s not necessarily water-soluble with ease.
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Just as he wouldn’t stand under a cool shower and expect to rinse that stuff away without soap and a washcloth, your rubber has to be treated the exact same way. Anything less will leave behind sweat and other latex damaging fluids that are going to wreak absolute havoc on your beloved materials.
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Any mild antibacterial soap, or even an unperfumed shower gel and washcloth will be fine. While you’re rinsing yourself, take your item in the shower with you and just do it all in one go. You’re much more likely to take proper care of it right then and there.
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2 You don’t have to like it, but you have to dry your gear
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You can absolutely hang your items up to drip dry, but patting it with a towel will help avoid those little white hard water stains on your latex. Of course, if using a drip dry method, just be sure that every sleeve, leg hole, finger, grommet and metal against rubber area is totally dried out before taking it down.
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It doesn’t take much for mold and rust to accumulate and nothing is worse than sticking your arm into a glove you didn’t dry properly only to feel slimy white mold built up. It’s gross – I’ve seen it – believe me, it’s worth the extra step to avoid that!
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3 You’re going to have to give it some love!
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Whether you use talc, fresh silicone or vivishine – once dry, you need to make sure it’s protected if you want to have those items for years to come.
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A simple wipe with a rubber protectant, a coat of talc or a swish through Vivishine is all you need – just don’t attempt to do ore than ONE of these steps. It’ll end badly. Vivishine is my favorite of the 3 since it gets your gear 100% ready for the next time you need it and the shine last FOREVER!
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4 Keep it dry, protected and wrapped up before storing it.
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While storage tips will vary from person to person, I’ve found my gear lasts the longest when wrapped in tissue paper and enclosed in a ziplock bag (probably how it was shipped to you in the first place). Sure you can hang your items up in a fancy closet (though avoid wood and wire hangers) but you’ll add another couple years of wear and tear if it’s kept in a cool, dark and dry space.
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5 Know when it’s time to say goodbye
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No one likes to part with their latex, but no one wants to play with gross, unkempt gear.
If you can’t wash away the lingering smell of body odor, or if the rubber itself is cracking, discolored, dry or just not quite elastic anymore – it’s time to treat yourself to a much needed replacement. Have a moment of silence, but it’s time to throw it away.
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Depending on how much TLC you put into your rubber care, items should easily last 5-10 years, less if you’re a bit lax with things, but once the rubber goes south, it’s not going to be much fun for you or your partner to enjoy….and to be honest, it’s really turned into a breeding ground for germs.
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Now, I hope you all enjoy many years of shiny, rubbery bliss! But of course, if any of you need a hands on tutorial in how to play with or maintain anything, I’m always happy to indulge face to face!
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All excellent suggestions, just have one additionally one to add. I like to both towel dry stuff first and then hang them. The tricky part with hanging items like socks and gloves is how to keep the rubber from sticking to itself and ensuring air flow.
I found that the scuba diving community has great solutions to this, since they also need to hang stuff like rubber gloves and boots to drive. I picked up with special kind of hanger specially designed to hold gloves and boots/sockets to dry. (http://amzn.to/2gnAE0G)