Tutu Care and Keeping

"Because beauty and quality are timeless."

Handmade, custom ballet tutus and tunics for your professional
and competition needs.

Martha Howard, Head Designer and Owner
509 Park Road • Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 • 805/570-1705 • info@timelesstutus.com

Caring For Your Timeless Tutu

Bodices and Tunics -
If detachable from the skirt, the bodice should be washed separately from the tutu skirt. If bodice or tunic décor is detachable, any trims or stones that might be damaged from washing should be removed prior to washing. It is important to wash bodices and tunics after use. Sweat and body oils can stain and break down fabric over time. The life of a tutu can be severely shortened by not washing it often enough. Tunic undershirts, usually made of a stretch fabric, should be washed regularly to get the sweat and body oils out of them. If the bodice or tunic fabric is washable, the color will not run, and it will not shrink, and may be washed in cold water on the gentle cycle of your washing machine with a gentle detergent. However, hand washing in cold water with Woolite or a similar gentle detergent is strongly encouraged. Never machine-dry your bodice or tunic! Always air dry flat or carefully hang to dry. If you are washing a bodice that is attached to a skirt, be aware of colors! Be wary of the possibility of bodice colors running on to skirt netting. The bodice or tunic will, no doubt, need ironing after washing. Be sure to use caution with heat settings and use of steam with any unfamiliar fabrics before you jump right in on the front!

Tutu Skirt -
Panties are usually made with a net or other stretch fabric. It is very important to wash the crotch area to eliminate sweat, oils and odors from these that can loose their shape, break down, and deteriorate over time. You can "spot wash" the panties by dunking them in a sink of cold, soapy water and then rinsing well, without washing the whole skirt.

Pancake skirts need to keep their shape while being washed. If there is a detachable plate on top of the skirt, detach it and wash it separately. Watch the stones…anything not sewn down runs the risk of softening up and coming loose. Some people use little round kiddie swimming pools to wash their pancake tutus! I find the bathtub works well (the skirt has to be gently bent and swished around a little to get it all in). Important note: a steel hoop will rust! Though it is quite a chore, it is best to untack the tutu and remove the hoop before washing. Dry the skirt as flat as possible (this is a good way to store a pancake skirt, too). Wrinkles can be steamed out with a fabric steamer (my preferred method), or ironed carefully.

Romantic skirts can be dunked in the tub and stirred about. Be gentle with the tulle! After a thorough rinsing, gently shake the excess water out (don't wring the skirt!). Hang the skirt upside-down to dry (this is a good way to store a romantic skirt, too). Important note: tulle can't be ironed - it will melt! A fabric steamer is the best way to get wrinkles out (a steamy bathroom is good, too).

Dry cleaning is not recommended. The chemicals can adversely effect the trims, embellishments, and stones and any glue holding them in place. It can also soften tulle and net and effect the shape of a tutu skirt.

Storing your Timeless Tutu or Tunic

It is best to store Pancake Tutus flat, either on a shelf or hanging. I use (and recommend) RG Pearl Tutu Hangers to hang my tutus (and even hang them flat against the wall as "art!"). Belle and Romantic Tutus do well being stored hung by the panties (the side hips, not the crotch - it will stretch out). If hanging tutus on a rack or in a closest, make sure they are not stuffed or smooshed together; allow enough room for them to get some air and not loose their shape.

Do not use dry-cleaner plastic to store your bodices, tunics or tutu skirts! Plastic bags are petroleum-based and can down over time, giving off chemicals and fumes that can discolor and destroy fabrics.