Most latex care guides are longer than they need to be. They list seventeen products, warn you about fourteen things that will ruin your garment, and leave you feeling like owning latex is a part-time job. It isn't. The actual routine is short, and once it becomes habit, it takes about five minutes.
Here's what you actually need to do.
After every wear
Turn the garment inside out and rinse it under lukewarm water. Not hot — heat degrades latex over time. Just lukewarm, running water, working it through the inside of the piece. This removes sweat, body oils, and any silicone lubricant residue from dressing.
If there's anything more stubborn — makeup transfer, a mark near the collar — a small amount of mild soap on the inside surface, rinsed thoroughly. Nothing with alcohol, nothing with solvents. Plain soap, plain water.
Then turn it right side out and rinse the outside briefly. Pat dry with a soft cloth or a clean towel. Don't wring it. Don't hang it in direct sunlight to dry. Lay it flat or hang it somewhere shaded and let it air dry completely before storing.
Before storing
Once it's fully dry — and it needs to be fully dry, not just surface dry — apply a thin layer of silicone polish to the outside. This does two things: it protects the surface from oxidation, and it keeps the latex from sticking to itself in storage. A little goes a long way. Buff it in with a soft cloth until the surface is even.
Store the piece flat or loosely rolled, away from light. Not folded sharply — sharp folds held over time can crease the latex permanently. Not in a bag with other latex pieces touching each other without a layer of protection between them.
What to avoid
Copper and bronze. These metals cause a chemical reaction with latex that permanently stains it — dark, irreversible marks that appear where jewellery or fastenings have been in contact with the surface. If you're wearing latex, check your jewellery.
Oil-based products. Body oils, oil-based lubricants, certain hand creams — all of these degrade latex. If you use a body moisturiser, let it absorb fully before dressing. If you're using lubricant to get into a tight piece, use silicone-based only.
Sharp edges and rough surfaces. Latex punctures and tears more easily than most people expect. Rings, long nails, rough seating surfaces — all worth being aware of when you're wearing it.
Direct sunlight and UV exposure over time. A single afternoon won't ruin a piece, but repeated UV exposure yellows latex, particularly lighter colours. Store it away from windows.
The polish question
Silicone spray or silicone-based polish is what gives latex its high-gloss finish when worn. It's also what you use for storage protection. The same product does both jobs. You don't need a separate dressing lubricant and a separate polish — one bottle of silicone spray covers it.
Apply it before wearing for the shine. Apply it before storing for protection. That's the whole system.
How long latex lasts
Looked after properly, a well-made latex piece lasts years. I have pieces that are four or five years old and still look the same as when they arrived. The ones that don't last are usually the ones that were stored damp, left in sunlight, or came into contact with something they shouldn't have.
The care routine isn't complicated. It just needs to be consistent.
Mayfair Latex — Made in Britain, fully bespoke.