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A natural fur coat is a luxury item that should be treated with tender loving care. It should be cleaned every year by a professional furrier, but if you need to clean it urgently, you can take some steps that can ensure your fur looks its best.

Why Natural Fur Coats Should Be Cleaned Regularly

Even if it looks pristine, cleaning a fur coat should be one of your main priorities for two reasons:

To remove dirt and stains – Even if you are very careful while you are wearing your fur, accidents are unavoidable. If you get a bit tipsy while partying, your fur will accumulate dust, dirt, food and wine stains.

 

To maintain natural fibers – The main reason natural fur coats look and feel so sumptuous is because of the natural oils that the hair releases over time. It’s why your fur coat shines when light hits it just right. However, as the fur is exposed to the elements that oil absorbs dust and dirt which can make your fur look grungy and unkempt.

How to Clean Natural Fur Coats

If you decide to clean your natural fur coat yourself, here is a step by step guide you should follow to ensure it doesn’t get damaged:

Step 1 – Give it a good shake

Take your fur coat outside (make sure it isn’t raining or misty outside) and shake it rigorously. This will dislodge and remove loose dirt, debris and dust particles.

Step 2 – Use a brush

Use a fur brush that has wire bristles to brush out the fur. These brushes look like pet brushes and can eliminate matting without damaging the fibres. If you don’t have a brush, run your fingers through the coat to clear out any debris or dust. Avoid long strokes. It will stretch out the fur.

Step 3 – Use a wet cloth for spot cleaning stains

Small stains can spread with time. After brushing out the fur coat, dab them with a clean, damp cloth. Do NOT rub or scrub and use a tiny amount of water only. The fur should remain as dry as possible. If it gets wet in the rain or snow, don’t hang it in a closet till it is completely dry. All it to dry naturally after you are done spot cleaning. NEVER use heat on the coat.

Step 4 – Use sawdust for larger stains

Professional furriers know how delicate natural fur coats can be. That’s why when they come across an extremely stained one, they turn to the sawdust cleaning hack. You can do it at home without running the fur if you are careful. Lay it down on a clean and flat surface, sprinkle some clean sawdust over the stained areas and leave it overnight to absorb the dirt. Vacuum up the sawdust in the morning using gentle suction.

Step 5 – Hang the fur properly

After cleaning the natural fur coat, hang it properly on broad and padded hangers. This will prevent the shoulders from losing their form. Natural fur can deform and stretch out if it is not stored properly.

Removing Odor from a Natural Fur Coat

Even a freshly cleaned fur coat can retain odor. Here is a step by step guide that can eliminate that smell:

Step 1 – Make a coffee pouch

Fill a small container with half a cup of ground coffee. The container should be small enough to fit in the garment bag you have stored your fur in. Do not seal it.

Step 2 – Set the container in the garment bag.

Place the container in the garment bag making sure it is upright and cannot spill out. You can wrap the coffee grounds in a brown paper bag as well but the odor will take time to be absorbed.

Step 3 – Check in 24 hours

Most odors such as those from mildew can dissipate in 24 hours this way. If you think the fur coat still has an odor, take out the coffee pouch and give the grounds a good stir and place the pouch back inside. Check daily and eventually, the smell will disappear.

Step 4 – Remove the coat from the garment bag

Once the odor is gone, remove the fur coat from the garment bag so the fur can breathe. Hang it in the aforementioned hangar in an area where it will be safe from moisture and dust.

 

Important tip – Keep your natural fur coat away from soap and large amounts of water. Do not brush it vigorously and you will be able to prevent damage.

A woman with a fur coat

 

Get Natural Fur Coats Professionally Cleaned From Kaufman Furs

While the aforementioned tips can help you maintain your fur coat, if you damage it with your efforts, you will end up with an expensive mistake. Prevent that from happening by sending it to be professionally cleaned at Kaufman Furs. We use superior cleaning and glazing techniques that can bring out the natural luster and sheen of a fur coat. This includes a delicate cleaning and ironing process that is unique to each fur we clean.

Each fur that comes to us is examined by professional furriers to determine the extent of the damage and what we can do to restore it. Rips and tears are the most common repair requests we get. Our furriers open the lining of the garment to reinforce the damages area and sew them. The repairs are subtle so they will not be apparent from the outside.

We also have a large selection of designer fur coats and jackets at wholesale prices. Some of our full length ones include fox coats, fox jackets, sable coats among others.