How to properly and delicately clean a mink coat at home?

An expensive mink coat needs to be carefully looked after, and this is not easy, because fur is a delicate and capricious material.

If you don’t know how to properly handle a fur product, it can be seriously damaged.

Many women refuse to take their fur pet to the dry cleaner and prefer to do the cleaning themselves.

Having chosen this option, it is important to carefully study all the information on how to clean a mink coat at home, so as not to say goodbye to it forever. How to clean a fur coat, read below.

Is it washable?

There are many instructions on the Internet that tell in detail how to wash a mink coat by hand or in a washing machine.

Under no circumstances should such instructions be taken into account, because fur coats are not washed! Moreover, even wet snow or rain is harmful to natural fur, so it is recommended to wear a fur coat only in dry weather.

Anyone who starts washing in a machine risks not only ruining the product, but also losing equipment. An already heavy fur coat, when it takes on water, becomes many times heavier and the drum simply cannot handle it. As a result, it may become damaged due to overload.

With the fur coat itself, even when washed on the most delicate cycle and at a gentle temperature, the following will most likely happen:

• it will become noticeably smaller, going down several sizes;
• the leather tissue will lose elasticity, become stiffer and, possibly, will crunch unpleasantly;
• some of the fur will come out;
• the remaining part of the fur on the product will sag heavily, shrink and roll up.

A product damaged in this way will never regain its previous appearance even after drying and combing.

Wet cleaning

Wet cleaning should be done with extreme caution, the liquid solution must be applied so that it gets only on the surface of the fur, and in no case on its base.

This type of cleaning is most often used in emergency cases, when the fur coat is dirty and you need to quickly remove the dirt from one area. There are several different wet cleaning methods.

Soap solution from shampoo

If you need to remove dirt as quickly as possible, but there is nothing suitable at hand, regular shampoo will help. Ideal if it has a moisturizing effect.

You need to do the following:

1. Prepare two bowls with warm water, a cotton sponge or sponge, and a couple of dry, moisture-absorbing cloth napkins.
2. Dissolve a few drops of shampoo in water and mix thoroughly to form rich foam.
3. After collecting a little foam on a sponge, apply it to the soiled fur with light and gentle movements.
4. Rub carefully and very gently until the stain disappears.
5. Wet the napkin in clean water and remove the foam and soap solution from the fur with the same light movements.

After the procedure, the fur coat should be allowed to dry thoroughly by hanging it on hangers in a ventilated area.

Vinegar or hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide or vinegar will help to carefully clean the fur of dirt and rid it of yellowness.

Cleaning is carried out as follows:

1. You need to prepare a package of cotton pads and a bottle of 5% hydrogen peroxide or 5% vinegar solution.
2. Dip a cotton pad into the solution and squeeze well.
3. Treat the fur with a damp cotton pad, moving in the direction of hair growth.
4. Change cotton pads when dirty.

The fur is processed with light movements, gently and without pressure.. This will be enough for excess dirt to remain on the disc, and the fur to regain its shine and whiteness.

Petrol

Gasoline cleans fur well and helps extend its service life., gets rid of greasy and dirty stains. To carry out general cleaning of a fur coat with gasoline, you need to do the following:

1. Prepare a special mink brush and purified gasoline.
2. Soak the brush in gasoline and carefully comb the fur, first against the pile, and then along the pile.

Another method of cleaning with gasoline by spraying:

1. Prepare a weak solution of gasoline, a spray bottle, and a couple of terry towels.
2. After hanging the fur coat, spray it with a spray bottle, holding it not too close so that not too much liquid gets on the fur.
3. Carefully roll up the fur coat and leave for 15 minutes.
4. After unwrapping the product, gently remove any dirt from the surface using a damp towel.
5. At the end of the procedure, gently walk over the fur with a dry towel.

You can use gasoline to remove stains. Simply soak a cloth in gasoline and gently clean the contaminated area with it.

Cleaning procedures using gasoline should be carried out in a well-ventilated area. After cleaning, it is best to hang the fur coat outside for several hours to remove the unpleasant smell.

Ammonia and salt

Mink fur, as well as individual areas (for example, shiny sleeves or collars), is well cleaned by a mixture of ammonia and salt.

To do this you need:

1. In a glass of warm water, mix a tablespoon of salt and half a teaspoon of ammonia.
2. Soak a soft cloth in the mixture.
3. Use light pressure movements to move it through the fur, gently removing dirt.

After the procedure, you need to hang the fur coat so that the pile dries well.

Dry cleaning

Dry cleaning methods are more gentle and safe for natural mink fur. However, they are more suitable for annual preventative cleaning of a fur coat from surface dirt and will not cope with deep stains.

Cleaning with a vacuum cleaner even at the lowest power can damage the fur and create unsightly bald spots. Instead of using a vacuum cleaner, it is better to lightly and carefully beat out the fur coat from the wrong side with your hand or a special beater.

Many people buy brushes for fur coats in pet stores and use them. This is a good alternative, but it is best to use a specialized tool so as not to harm the fur.

Using abrasives

When dry cleaning, adsorbents work best - substances that perfectly absorb dirt.

Suitable for mink fur:

• potato starch,
• talc,
• sawdust from deciduous trees (only deciduous so that there is no resin),
• semolina.

Cleaning is carried out as follows:

1. You need to lay out a large white sheet on the floor, and lay the fur coat on it, pile side up.
2. Take any of the most suitable substances (starch and semolina are more suitable for white fur) and thoroughly sprinkle the entire surface of the product with it.
3. Lightly rub the substance into the pile using soft, gentle movements.
4. Leave the fur coat like this for half an hour.
5. After this, shake the product thoroughly - most of the abrasive will leave the fur.
6. Gently beat out the fur coat from the wrong side with your hands, and then brush the fur with a special brush to get rid of any remaining substance.

After shaking off, you will see how much dirt the adsorbent has absorbed. The fur will take on a much more pleasant appearance.

Tidying up a white or light fur coat

In an urban environment, white fur requires especially careful care. In its absence, it quickly loses its presentable appearance, acquiring a gray or yellowish color.

Fortunately, there are several ways to return a white fur coat to its original appearance:

• dry cleaning with starch, semolina or chalk - these substances will absorb all the dirt;
• wet cleaning with a hydrogen peroxide solution using the method described above instantly removes yellowness;
• wet cleaning with a solution of water, salt and ammonia also combats yellowness.

One of the most effective ways to clean white fur is to use sawdust with gasoline.. To do this you need:

1. Buy sawdust from deciduous wood (birch, oak, beech) at a pet store and prepare gasoline.
2. Soak the sawdust in gasoline (this will improve the cleaning properties) and dry them slightly.
3. Having laid out the fur coat on a sheet, gradually pour sawdust onto the fur and process the product very carefully.
4. After the procedure, shake off the sawdust, carefully knock out the remains, and comb out small particles with a brush.

After the procedure, you need to hang the fur coat on hangers outside or in a ventilated area to remove the smell.

How to wash the lining?

The lining of a fur coat also gets dirty and needs regular cleaning no less than fur. But how can you clean it at home if the fur coat itself cannot be washed? Unfortunately, it is rare to find fur coats from which the lining can be easily removed.

You will have to proceed as follows:

1. Carefully tear off the fabric (this can be quickly done in a studio for little money).
2. Place the fabric in warm water, add liquid powder (or regular powder if it does not leave streaks) and lightly wash by hand.
3. Dry the product and then gently iron it at the lowest temperature.
4. Using a thin needle, carefully sew the lining back. You can also contact the studio for this.

It is best to dry it outside or in a ventilated area, but as far as possible from radiators and heaters. To clean some individual parts of the lining from stains, it is not necessary to separate them from the fur coat.

To do this you need:

1. Turn the coat inside out and hang it on hangers.
2. Make a warm soapy solution.
3. Soak a sponge in the solution, wring it out well and lightly rub the stains with it. The fabric should not get too wet - this can damage the product.
4. Dry the cleaned area thoroughly with a dry, absorbent towel.
5. Leave the fur coat hanging until the lining is completely dry.

This procedure is recommended to be carried out during each annual fur coat cleaning.

How to properly dry a product at home?

After all cleaning procedures, it is very important to properly dry the mink coat. Even if everything was done correctly and carefully during the cleaning process, during drying there is a risk of seriously harming the fur product.

To avoid this, you must adhere to the following rules:

• You should not try to dry the fur with a hairdryer, even with cold air and at low speed - sudden drying can deform part of the product;
• do not dry your fur coat near an open fire, radiator, heaters or other heat sources - this dries out the fur and flesh, causing them to lose their appearance and quality;
• Do not dry the fur in the sun - direct rays are harmful to it.

After cleaning (and also after being exposed to heavy snow or rain, when the fur is slightly wet), you need to thoroughly shake off the fur coat, and then hang it on hangers and let it dry on its own.

It should hang in a cool, well-ventilated area. After complete drying, you need to shake the product again so that the pile lies as before, and lightly smooth it with your hand.

You can use a special fur brush. Naturally, under no circumstances should you try to iron a fur coat.

Do not comb the fur with a brush while it is wet - this is detrimental to it.. It is better to wait until it dries completely and only then start combing.

Useful video

Expert opinion regarding washing natural fur coats:

Conclusion

If you have an expensive mink coat and no experience in caring for such a product, it is better not to save money, but to find a good dry cleaner and hand it over to the reliable hands of professionals.

When you start cleaning your fur coat yourself, it is important to be extremely careful and gentle with it.. Don't ignore the advice. You need to thoughtfully filter information from the Internet and strictly follow the rules and instructions.

It is important to remember - one wrong step, and the fur coat may never regain its former luxurious look.