# Dirty Up A Costume?



## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Hey folks, as many of you may know, I'm doing a large circus/fun house themed haunt this year and I've ordered quite a few clown costumes for all my actors and props.

I was just wondering if any of you may know how I could "dirty up" the costumes to make them less than fresh looking... I want the whole haunt to seem old and run down so having bright fresh clown costumes might take away from the look.

Anyway, I was thinking about just spraying them down with a mist of spray paints and stuff... which may get the job done... But I was wondering if any of you had any better, more creative ways of getting a dirty, grungy look.

What do ya think guys?
:lolkin:


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Spray paints work great! Smelly at first, tho, so give them time to air out. There are lots of sites online showing how to distress clothing. I like to watch a distress-heavy movie like Pirates of the Caribbean for inspiration. Basically, put the fake wear marks where the wear would be: elbows, knees, cuffs...dribbles on the chest, etc. And don't forget to splatter a bit of paint as well. You need diff types of distressing, both in/of the fabric as well as on surface (paints & dyes/markers) to make it convincing. I've beaten the hell out of fabrics with a hammer, too...rubbed it with a wire brush, ripped holes with a nail..all good.


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## thealmightyzenk (Jul 7, 2010)

Mix brown, or black latex paint with water until you get a nice thin consistency. Put it in an old spray bottle, or use a brush and just smear it on and let it run!! This method looks great, especially on fabrics! It kind of soaks in and gives it that old rotten/moldy look I'm assuming your going for! Happy haunting!


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## rottincorps (Jun 1, 2008)

The cheep way and works realy well is burry them in the ground.....a little water....wate for a bout 2 weeks or longer dig them up and wash them, works vary well.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Soak them in a strong solution of tea. Buy the cheapest tea you can find and use the whole box in a large pot. Let the costume soak for a few hours and let dry or wash to reduce the effect. Tea is a natural dye.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

something dingy sounds right, loose stitches.
you can soak the costumes in coffee.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Check out this thread for ideas as well:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=23375


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## Bone To Pick (Oct 23, 2007)

For a quick fix you can try the colored hair sprays that everyone has around at Halloween - especially if you have gray, white and/or black. I've used them to help dirty up a zombie outfit more than once.


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## sickNtwisted (Sep 29, 2010)

Sandpaper and thinned fabric paint.

I've heard of some people actually burying their clothes.


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

Spray paint works best for me


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## Dungeon Keeper (Sep 25, 2009)

The dig a hole and through them in method works well, we do this for lots of our props. A belt sander to the elbows and knees helps add to the effect.
If it is for darker colors like brown and black baby powder gives a good effect. Just sqeeze it on and rub it in. I did this a few years ago on a brown suit and kept a small bottle in the inside chest pocket to reaply as needed. I would pat an my chest or arms and puffs of smoke would come off.


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## Acid PopTart (Oct 29, 2007)

I've used all these methods for various shoots and film works. I also advocate using a watered down dye solution, just like RIT dye and lightly spraying it on and gradually building up layer upon layer. I use a brown and a tan dye, watered down solutions of each and then mixed together so you'll have a lot of depth in the discolouration. Start experimenting towards the bottom and edges of your costume and see if you're going in the right direction. 

Teas and coffees work well too, my only issue is that some newer coated fabrics will repel the tea and coffee and I've had more success with commercial dyes (as long as you don't wash them afterwards).

After dying, I usually run 'em through the mill - i.e. run them through the dirt. Sometimes I wear them to get the "worn parts" in the right places, toward most of the joints.


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## BrainSkillet (Oct 2, 2010)

It's going to depend on what color the fabric is and and what the fabric is made of. I had a dark suit that i distressed for my zombie costume. I used a grey latex paint and then drybrushed it directly on the suit. You can distress the fabric by lightly snipping with a scissor and then sandpaper to distress.


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