A properly cared for fur coat can last for generations. Even though a professional furrier will take care of your coat the best, there are some steps you can take to keep it shiny. This includes cleaning, odor-freeing and softening the fur.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Cleaning the fur
Step 1. Shake out the fur to get rid of dust and debris collected on the fur coat
Take the fur coat by the shoulders and shake it out as you would normally shake out the bedspread.
Go outside or move to a part of the house that you can easily sweep. When you start shaking out the fur coat, various debris will fly out of it in all directions
Step 2. Hang the fur properly
Fur products must be hung on wide soft hangers so that their shoulders do not lose their shape. Fur products tend to stretch and lose their shape.
Never fold a fur coat
Step 3. Clean the fur hanging on the hanger
Take a special fur brush and start scrubbing the fur coat from above, gradually going down. The main thing is to brush in the direction of the growth of the villi, brushing small areas of fur with smooth and even movements. Fur brushes have widely spaced teeth and soft edges that prevent the brush from damaging the fur skin.
- If you don't have a suitable fur brush, you can try brushing out dust and debris by running your fingers over the fur.
- Do not try to comb the fur with a regular brush. Due to the fact that the teeth on a regular brush are too small, it can harm the fur coat.
- Do not brush your coat with too wide strokes. This can stretch the fur coat.
Step 4. Remove any minor stains with a household cleaner
Mix isopropyl alcohol with water in a 1: 1 ratio and apply the mixture to the stain. Since fur coats are very delicate to handle, do not use cleaners or solvents.
Step 5. Gently wipe the stain with a white cloth and then let the fur dry
It is not necessary to rinse off the solution, just put the fur coat in a well-ventilated area and let it dry completely. The rubbing alcohol will prevent water stains from forming on your fur coat.
- Never heat the fur coat. Heat will ruin the coat and lining.
- Wipe the stain gently and try not to stretch the skin.
- Be sure to use a white cloth or rag, otherwise the paint may transfer onto the fur.
Step 6. Once the fur is completely dry, scrub the entire fur coat with a fur brush
Brush in the direction of the lint growth, brushing out small areas of the fur.
Method 2 of 3: Softening the fur
Step 1. Prepare a conditioning solution
To do this, mix the vinegar and olive oil in a 1: 2 ratio and mix everything thoroughly. The oil will restore the properties of the skin and protect it from drying out and cracking.
Olive oil can be substituted for linseed oil
Step 2. Remove the lining of the fur coat
The conditioner must be applied directly to the skin or skin, and for this you need to remove the lining, which may be on the inside of the fur coat. As a rule, they are made from leather.
Step 3. Apply conditioner to your fur coat
Take a clean cloth, soak the solution directly on the skin from the inside of the fur coat. A fur coat with dry and cracking skin may need to be treated with conditioner several times. If the skin is not too dry, you can restore it to its former softness.
- Do not apply the solution to the fur.
- Be sure to remove the lining.
Step 4. Lightly knead the skin
Continue to rub the conditioner into your skin with a clean cloth. This will allow the fur coat to absorb the oil better. Don't overdo it on particularly dry areas. Instead, rub in the conditioner again after the coat is dry.
Fur coats that have not been oiled can be tough and brittle
Step 5. Hang the fur properly and let it dry
It can take several days for the vinegar to completely wear off and the skin to absorb the oil well. When the fur coat stops smelling like vinegar, you can put it on.
Remember that fur products must be hung on wide soft hangers so that their shoulders do not lose their shape
Method 3 of 3: How to Get Rid of Bad Smell
Step 1. Hang your fur garment in a vinyl cover
Get a cover that can be closed so that it is as airtight as possible.
- Do not store your fur coat in a garment cover for a long period of time, as then the skin will not be able to breathe.
- If the skin of the fur coat does not breathe, mold can grow in it.
- Remember that fur products must be hung on wide soft hangers so that their shoulders do not lose their shape.
Step 2. Fill a small container with ground coffee
The container should be small enough to fit on the bottom of the garment cover, but large enough to hold at least half a cup of ground coffee. Do not cover the container.
Step 3. Leave the coffee with the fur and close the cover
Be careful when placing the container on the bottom of the garment cover. Since the cover is not intended to contain anything other than a folded garment, some of it may fall apart. Do your best to minimize any clutter.
You can put the coffee in a brown paper lunch bag and roll it up, but it will take much longer for the coffee to absorb the bad smell
Step 4. Check the result after one day
Depending on the odor you are trying to eliminate (smoke, mold, etc.), the result may appear after the first 24 hours.
Step 5. Stir the ground coffee
If after a day the smell does not go away, just stir the ground coffee and leave the fur coat in the case for another day.
Check the result every day
Step 6. Take the fur coat out of the case and hang it properly
As soon as the smell has completely disappeared from your fur coat, remember to take it out of the garment cover so that it can breathe and hang it in the appropriate place.
- 7 degrees Celsius is the optimal temperature for storing a fur coat.
- Don't hang your fur coat in wardrobes or cedar chests. Cedar oil is bad for a fur coat.
- Avoid warm places. The heat will dry out the skin.
- Never fold a fur coat.
Advice
- To maintain an appropriate neat appearance, and the fur itself was shiny and had a pleasant smell, fur products must be cleaned at least twice a year.
- If you think the fur needs better cleaning, you can repeat the process the next day.