Checked August 2026 · Opens Amazon · we may earn a commission, at no cost to you
How we test: We own and travel with most of the gear we recommend and put it through real con weekends; the rest we vet with suiters we trust or draw from their first-hand reviews. Where you see photos of a unit in a review, those are our own or friend's and blog supporters.
A suit does not usually look tired because it is dirty. It can look tired because the pile has been crushed flat by a head strap, a backpack, or eight hours in a case, and matted fur changes its appearance from across a room. Brushing can help restore that pile, and a slicker brush can lift a packed section instead of gliding over the top of it.
Matting happens where the suit gets compressed: under straps, at the neck, in the crush of a packed case. Once fibres tangle they will not lie flat again on their own. Fine bent-wire pins slide between fibres and pull them apart, a mechanism a plastic comb simply lacks.
The self-cleaning button then solves the practical annoyance. Brushing a full suit produces a surprising volume of shed fibre and packed fluff, and a brush that clogs every thirty seconds turns a twenty-minute job into an hour. Press, lift the mat off, keep going.
When the maker permits this tool, a post-wear brush-out can keep compression from setting existing tangles. Use short strokes, light pressure, and the direction the fur lies, starting at the ends of the pile and working back toward the roots as tangles release.
For a head, most people find a smaller brush easier around the muzzle, eyes, and ears, where a large pad simply does not fit the contours. For a bodysuit or tail, the larger pad covers ground faster. If you only buy one, buy for the fiddliest area you own rather than the biggest.
The same kind of product from other makers we haven't reviewed, so you can price-check the pick above.
Best for: A budget self-cleaning slicker brush for de-shedding pile
A cheaper self-cleaning slicker brush that lifts loose fursuit fur and retracts the pins to shed the mat. Skin-friendly bent pins, a fraction of the name-brand price.
The same kind of gear we have tested ourselves. Read the verdict before you pick.
Best for: Short or delicate pile where gentler coated tips matter more than fast dematting
Coated-tip slicker brush for short or delicate pile when exposed wire pins feel too aggressive on a fursuit.
Best for: Medium or long pile, broad body and tail areas, and suiters who want polymer teeth instead of exposed wire
Plastic two-tier de-shedding brush for broad faux-fur areas when exposed wire pins feel too risky around the backing.
It can if the pile is too short, the pins are damaged, or you press into the backing. Correct technique lowers the risk: use light, short strokes in the direction of the fur, start at the tips, and let the pins separate fibres rather than forcing them.
It retracts the wire pins into the head, which lifts the collected fur off as one mat you can pull away. On a full suit that saves a lot of time, because the pad packs with shed fibre quickly.
For a dense mat, a slicker can be more effective than a comb because fine bent-wire pins get between tangled fibres. A comb is still useful for finishing and for long trim.
Buy for the most detailed area you groom. Small handles muzzles, eyes, and ears far better; large covers a bodysuit or tail faster. If you mostly maintain a head, smaller is usually the more useful single purchase.
Follow the maker's recommendation for the fur and brush type. If the suit permits this tool, brush after wear when the pile is visibly crushed or tangled; prompt, light grooming can reduce the need for harder dematting later.
Carefully, or choose another tool. There is little pile to lift and more chance of the pins reaching the base. On short or delicate fur a plastic-tipped slicker may be a gentler starting point, subject to a hidden test and maker guidance.
Ready to buy the Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush?
Coming soonDifferent gear that pairs with this pick or handles the next part of the job.
Removes stray fur, convention-floor grit, and debris between sessions. Keep one in the case at all times.
Empty refillable fine-mist bottles for spot-treating fur: one for a maker-approved con spray and one for plain water. The 2oz size clears TSA carry-on liquid rules, and the bottles contain no cleaning solution.
Compared the options? Our pick is still the Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush.
Coming soon
Clean a fursuit without guessing: follow the maker care sheet, separate spot cleaning from washing, dry with cool airflow, and protect delicate parts.
A practical fursuit storage guide covering clean and dry preparation, broad support, ventilation, humidity checks, and mold prevention without false deadlines.
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FurryGuides earns a commission on qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Picks last checked Aug 2026.
