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

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

If you do not know how to properly handle a fur product, it can be severely damaged.

Many women refuse to take their fur darling to dry cleaning and prefer to clean 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 you in detail how to wash a mink coat by hand or in a washing machine.

Under no circumstances should such instructions be adopted, because fur coats cannot be 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.

Whoever starts washing in the machine risks not only spoiling the product, but also losing equipment... An already heavy fur coat, having collected water, becomes many times heavier and the drum simply cannot cope with it. As a result, it can be damaged by overload.

With the fur coat itself, even when washing on the most delicate mode and with a gentle temperature, the following will most likely happen:

• it will become noticeably smaller by sowing several sizes;
• the skin tissue will lose elasticity, become stiffer and, possibly, crunch unpleasantly;
• some of the fur will come out;
• the part of the fur remaining on the product will strongly settle, shrink and roll.

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

Wet cleaning

Wet cleaning should be done with extreme care, the liquid solution must be applied so that it falls 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 methods of wet cleaning.

Shampoo soap solution

If you need to remove dirt as quickly as possible, and 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, a couple of dry and absorbent cloths.
2. Dissolve a few drops of shampoo in water and mix thoroughly to form a rich lather.
3. Having collected a little foam on the sponge, apply it to the stained fur with light and gentle movements.
4. Rub gently and very gently until dirt is removed.
5. Soak a napkin in clean water and remove foam and soap solution from the fur with the same light movements.

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

Vinegar or hydrogen peroxide

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

Cleaning is carried out as follows:

1. You need to prepare a package of cotton pads and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide 5% or vinegar solution 5%.
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 the growth of the villi.
4. Change cotton pads as they become dirty.

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

Petrol

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

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

Another way to clean with gasoline is by spraying:

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

Stains can be removed with gasoline... It is enough to soak a cloth in gasoline and carefully 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 odor.

Ammonia and salt

The fur of a mink coat, as well as individual areas (for example, glazed sleeves or collars), cleans well with a mixture of ammonia and salt.

For 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. With light, pressing movements, walk it over the fur, gently removing dirt.

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

Dry cleaning

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

Vacuuming even at the smallest power can damage the fur and create ugly bald spots. Instead of a vacuum cleaner, it is better to lightly and carefully knock out the fur coat from the wrong side with your hand or a special beater.

Many people buy brushes for a fur coat in pet stores and use them.... This is a good alternative, but it's best to use a specialized tool to avoid harming the fur.

Using abrasives

When dry cleaning works best adsorbents - 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 spread a large white sheet on the floor, and lay the fur coat on it with the nap up.
2. Take any of the most suitable substances (starch and semolina are more suitable for white fur) and carefully sprinkle them over the entire surface of the product.
3. Slightly rub the substance into the pile with soft, gentle movements.
4. Leave the fur coat like this for half an hour.
5. After that, shake off the product thoroughly - most of the abrasive will leave the fur.
6. Gently beat the fur coat from the seamy side with your hands, and then brush the fur with a special brush to get rid of the residues of the substance.

After shaking off, it will be seen how much dirt the adsorbent has absorbed... The fur will take on a much nicer look.

We put in order a white or light fur coat

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

Fortunately, there are several ways to restore a white coat to its previous appearance:

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

One of the most effective ways to clean white fur is using sawdust and gasoline... For this you need:

1. Buy deciduous tree sawdust (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. After spreading the fur coat on a sheet, gradually pour sawdust onto the fur and very carefully process the product.
4. After the procedure, shake off the sawdust, carefully knock out the remnants, and comb out small particles with a brush.

After the procedure, you need to hang the fur coat on a hanger on the street or in a ventilated room so that the smell disappears.

How to wash the lining?

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

We'll have to act as follows:

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

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

For this you need:

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

This procedure is recommended during each annual cleaning of the coat.

How to 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, there is a risk of serious harm to the fur product during drying.

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

• do not try to dry the fur with a hair dryer even with cold air and at low speed - sharp drying can deform part of the product;
• do not dry a fur coat next to an open fire, radiator, heaters and other sources of heat - this dries out the fur and skin, from which they lose their appearance and quality;
• do not dry the fur in the sun - direct rays are destructive for it.

After cleaning (and also after falling under heavy snow or rain, when the fur is slightly wet), you need to shake off the fur coat thoroughly, and then hang it on a hanger 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, in no case should you try to iron the fur coat with an iron.

You can not comb the fur with a brush while it is wet - this is destructive for it... It is better to wait until it is completely dry and only then start brushing.

Useful video

Expert opinion regarding washing natural fur coats:

Conclusion

If you have an expensive mink coat and there is 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.

Having engaged in cleaning the fur coat yourself, it is important to be extremely careful and gentle with it... Do not 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.