Can You Put Real Fur In The Washing Machine? (Hold On!)
A common question that lovers of fur coats and fabrics tend to ask the first time they want to get their real fur garments cleaned is, can they wash them in a washing machine?
Not all fur can be machine-washed. For instance, faux fur can be machine washed
While you can give out real fur to a professional cleaning company to get it done for you, it’s not always your preferred option.
It can be quite expensive to give real fur out for cleaning.
But could you just throw your real fur inside the washer without destroying it?
Here is why you should not wash real fur in a washing machine:
You should never wash your real fur in a washing machine because the fur will be ruined by detergent and the vigorous activities that occur during washing machine cycles.
In this article, we are going to show you how best you can clean real fur rather than damaging them using a washing machine.
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Best way to clean real fur without washing it
Never wash real fur in the washing machine to avoid destroying the fur.
But you know, it can be frustrating having to clean your fur garment and not knowing how best to do it to maintain its fineness.
Follow the steps below to properly clean your real fur and keep it looking new always:
1. Shake out fur to get rid of any loose dirt
Firstly, excuse yourself and vigorously shake out the fur to make sure that all removable dirt and debris come off.
It may disturb people around so ensure to do it away from where others are.
2. Use a wire fur brush to comb through the fur
Comb through the fur slowly and gently to remove any tangled or snares. The idea here is to take off any fur clumps that affect the smooth and fine looks of your fur garment.
3. Identify spot stains and clean them
Soak a soft towel with clean cool or lukewarm water, then wring it out. Lightly dab the stain spots without rubbing the towel into your fur coat.
You don’t need to use any detergent for this as some detergent contains chemicals that can ruin the fur.
Ensure that you don’t wet or soak your fur in water, and let them completely air dry before using them.
4. Treat bigger stains with sawdust
Spread your fur coat on a flat surface and pour a layer of sawdust over the stains and leave it overnight.
Sawdust is available in most home improvement and hardware stores locally.
The sawdust is supposed to suck out any dirt and stains.
In the morning, use a handheld vacuum cleaner at its lowest pressure and suck out all the sawdust.
5. Store your fur jacket in a cool area
Real fur materials are best stored in temperatures 50 to 55 °F (10 to 13 °C).
If your fur is really light colored (eg. white), you should consider placing them in a perforated bag.
Other ways to care for real fur garments
Real fur garments are a big investment you make because they don’t sell cheaply.
It’s equally important that you invest some time to care for them so you don’t end up losing.
Here are 3 other ways you can get real fur cleaned:
1. Engage a professional furrier
Professional fur cleaning is your best bet when you sign has the time and expertise to clean your real fur garments.
While you may not have the expertise, a professional furrier has the requisite skills to remove dirt and stains from your fur garments seamlessly.
Even if your real fur isn’t stained, you can get a furrier to clean your fur garments before you store them during summer.
They will help you keep your real fur clothes Looking good and new for a long time.
2. Condition your fur garment
This is an important activity that is often overlooked by many often due to the lack of awareness.
Conditioning of real fur is a process that is used to restore and revive the natural moisture contained in real fur coats.
Conditioning your fur coat, replaces some of the natural oils, removing oils that may have been soiled by dirt and other debris while you wore your garment.
The natural oils in real fur can get stripped off your real fur garment and you need to replace them in order to keep your furs lasting longer and finer.
3. Good storage practice
This is probably the final process in caring for your real fur.
However, it’s possibly one of the most important.
Real fur garments are not just any regular winter clothes you can lock in the attic or basement right when summer sets in.
Rather, they require special care in storing them.
You can invest and keep your fur in a room that’s always cooled by an air conditioner.
Alternatively, you can have a professional furrier store them in their control rooms where they will be stored under the most favorable conditions.
Can you put real fur in the dryer?
You should never put your fur, whether real or fake, in a clothes dryer because the heat generated will instantly ruin the fur.
The strands will begin to melt and leave your garment very unusable.
The best method is to dry it in cool air without direct exposure to sunlight and heat.
How much does it cost to clean real fur professionally?
Depending on which part of the world you are and the size of your fur, cleaning real furs by a professional furrier may cost anywhere from $65 to $125.
The furrier will inspect your fur garment and give you the exact amount you’re supposed to pay.
It’s advisable that you take it to a professional furrier because not all cleaning professionals are experts in furs.
And you may end up destroying your fur garments due to poor workmanship.
The bottom line
You should avoid washing your fur garments in a washing machine at all costs if you don’t want to destroy them.
You can easily clean your furs at home using the process we outlined.
For lack of time, you can also choose to send it to a professional furrier for cleaning.
References:
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