How to clean a mink coat at home

Mink fur products are a universal item in the wardrobe, suitable for any age and style. As a rule, they are not cheap, so they are bought for several seasons. Often, after a couple of months, you can notice that the fur coat has changed color due to dirt. There are several ways to clean mink fur at home so as not to spoil an expensive item. It’s quite easy to restore the freshness of your outerwear using available products.

What not to do with mink

Often dry cleaners do not accept fur coats and vests made from expensive materials for fear of ruining them. There is only one thing left to do - clean the product yourself. There are many rules that must be followed. Cleaning a mink fur coat at home should exclude the following points:

• long soaking in water with powder or other detergent;
• complete washing of the product using water;
• drying a fur coat near a radiator, open fire (fireplace, gas stove), heater;
• drying fur with a hairdryer or fan;
• ironing mink items with an iron.

Attention! The cleaning method should be selected taking into account the color of the fur. For example, dark fur coats should not be treated with hydrogen peroxide or products containing chlorine, and light fur coats should not be treated with tea leaves. Failure to comply with this rule will lead to a change in the shade of the product and, accordingly, its damage. Usually, fur outerwear is rarely cleaned (no more than once per season), as this is problematic. You cannot wash it too often, otherwise the pile will quickly lose its appearance.

You may notice that snow-white fur coats in stores often turn gray or yellow.
The culprit is sunlight, so you can’t leave the item under ultraviolet rays. In addition, you need to understand that cosmetics and perfumes negatively affect mink. It is necessary to use perfume in advance, and not to spray it on your outerwear. Gloves, bags, scarves - all this spoils fur; low-quality products will quickly stain an expensive item.
We must not forget about friction, because carrying a bag on your shoulder will change the condition of the pile. After the first winter, the fur coat will change color in the areas of contact, and the fur will break off.

In what cases is it better to contact a dry cleaner?

At home, it is difficult to organize proper cleaning of natural pile, especially if there is visible damage, greasy areas or stains on it. In this case, it is better to take the product to dry cleaning, where specialists will carry out high-quality treatment in one of the following ways:

1. Dry (classic) cleaning. Along with the fur coat, wood chip components and gentle chemical reagents are loaded into the drum, penetrating deep into the material and cleaning it from various contaminants.
2. Dry cleaning. Aggressive treatment using cleaning agents that restore the cleanliness, freshness and appearance of fur products.

Professional dry cleaning will help restore shine, restore color and water-repellent properties, and protect against moths.

Traditional cleaning methods

There are a huge number of different products for removing stains from fur coats or other fur products. Sometimes you need to urgently update your clothes, but there are no specialized solutions at home. In this case, available products will come to the rescue: ammonia, talc, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar or hair shampoo.

Talc against vomit marks

Talc is considered the safest cleaning agent for fur clothing of any color. It will absorb all the dirt, after which all you have to do is shake off the remaining powder. How to clean up vomit marks:

• Use a damp cloth to carefully remove vomit, wiping the fur several times with a clean cloth;
• generously sprinkle dirty areas with talcum powder;
• rub the powder into the fur, shaking off the resulting lumps of talc;
• Sprinkle the mink with talcum powder again and rub, repeat until the desired result is achieved.

Finally, you need to comb the fur coat with a fur brush, removing any remaining talc. Not only dirt, but also an unpleasant odor will disappear from the surface. The fur will become shiny and soft again.

Ammonia against milk

Milk leaves greasy marks with an unpleasant odor on clothes. It eats into the fibers and does not disappear even after washing. You won’t be able to wash your fur coat, but you don’t have to put up with the bad aroma either. Ammonia will also remove greasy stains.

There are 2 methods of using ammonia. The first recipe is to mix ammonia and medical alcohol in equal proportions and treat the fur coat with a sponge. Second - pour 50 ml of ammonia into 500 ml of water and add 1 tbsp. l. salt. Mix everything thoroughly, shake and treat the mink. Regardless of the method, you need to dry your outerwear well and then comb it.

Shampoo

Shampoo for washing your hair is great for refreshing your fur coat. It cleans the material well, without harming fur products. How to use:

• Dilute a spoonful of shampoo in a small amount of warm water;
• foam the soap solution until a thick foam forms;
• apply foam with a sponge to the contaminated area and rub in circular movements;
• wipe the fur with a damp cloth;
• Leave the fur coat to dry in a vertical position.

Note! Do not wash off the shampoo with water; remove any residue with a damp cloth. After drying, the fur should straighten out on its own, but if this does not happen, you can comb the mink.

Hydrogen peroxide

White mink sometimes turns yellow over time, which spoils the appearance of the product. Unfortunately, not all special substances for treating fur can help in this case. Hydrogen peroxide will help and will safely clean the stains. You can use a simple method - generously moisten a cotton pad with 5% hydrogen peroxide and treat the pile.

If the entire product is damaged, it is better to mix peroxide with shampoo. How to clean a mink coat using this method:

• pour warm water into a basin and add a few spoons of shampoo (suitable for pets);
• foam the solution, pour in one bottle of hydrogen peroxide;
• Apply foam to mink fur with a sponge and leave for 5-10 minutes;
• Clean the fur coat with a damp cloth, but there is no need to wet it with water;
• Leave outerwear to dry at room temperature, hanging on a hanger.

A more aggressive agent is ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. Helps against yellow spots left after eating. In a glass of water you need to dilute 3 tbsp. l. peroxide and 1 tsp. ammonia. Pour the prepared liquid into a spray bottle and wet the entire fur. There is no need to rub or impact the mink in any way, just dry the product. After a few hours, you can appreciate the difference: the mink coat will become snow-white again.

Additional Information. The last recipe is also suitable for preventing yellowing of white fur products. It is only recommended to add more water to achieve a less concentrated liquid.

Removing gasoline stains with vinegar

Even on a dark mink coat, oil stains from gasoline can remain, let alone light-colored items.
It will not be possible to remove them with plain water or even shampoo; you should pay attention to more aggressive agents. One of these is table vinegar, which is used to wipe contaminated areas. Using a cotton pad, apply vinegar to the stains in the direction of growth and leave until dry. After cleaning, the shine may disappear, but glycerin will help restore it. A few drops of the substance are applied to cotton wool and rubbed into the pile, and then combed out with a comb or fur brush. Glycerin can also be used for old vests, fur hats or collars that have lost their shine. It is important not to apply a lot of product, otherwise the surface will be greasy. You can simply rub a couple of drops of glycerin between your palms and walk over your fur coat.

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Semolina against pollution on a mink coat

Over time, products absorb grease, dust and odors. Natural absorbent substances, such as semolina, will remove them. It will remove plaque and give your snow-white fur coat a second life. It is recommended to lay the item on the floor or a large table so that the semolina does not fall off during cleaning. Generously distribute a small amount of cereal onto problem areas, and sprinkle a small layer over the entire surface. Then work the fur with a special brush or with your hands. The powder should darken or turn grey, which means the method is effective. At the end, you need to shake off the fur coat (many people use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirty powder) and comb it with a brush.

Is it possible to wash a mink coat?

Mink is a very beautiful, elegant, but delicate fur. Therefore, it can only be cleaned using gentle methods. In particular, it is strictly prohibited:

• wash your fur coat in a machine or in a basin with plenty of soaking;
• exert a strong mechanical effect on the pile, rub it with your hands;
• Use a vacuum cleaner to dry clean the product.

You can clean a mink coat using both dry and wet methods. But when using any of them, it is important to ensure that the fur gets wet as little as possible. Contact with water can cause a mink to lose its shine and silky structure, become matted and become covered with additional stains.

Mink coats cannot be washed either in a machine or in a basin, only cleaning is allowed

Important! To prevent the need to clean your fur coat from appearing too often, at the end of each season it is recommended to carry out preventive treatment of the product using dry methods.

Cleaning dark mink

Almost all methods are suitable for dark furs, except those that use bleaching agents. There is another interesting method for which walnuts and bran are used. The last component perfectly absorbs remaining dirt, and the nuts return freshness and shine to the mink. Step-by-step instruction:

• The bran should be heated in a microwave or oven. The temperature should be up to 60 degrees, otherwise the bran will burn.
• Grind the bran and sprinkle the powder over all impurities. Gently rub the mixture in with your hands until it absorbs all the fat.
• Shake off any remaining bran or use a vacuum cleaner on the quietest setting. Next, be sure to comb the mink fur with a brush.

At this stage, cleaning the fur product is completed. Walnuts are necessary for the care and restoration of shine to the mink. They are crushed and wrapped in 2-3 layers of gauze, and then the entire pile is wiped from roots to ends. The oil secreted by nuts nourishes the hairs. They become more elastic and dense, begin to shine again, and there is no stickiness.

How to get rid of dust

Even in a well-closed case, a fur coat or vest can become dusty. Therefore, before storing a fur item for storage, and also before wearing it, freshen it.

Spread a damp white cotton sheet on the floor. Place the fur coat on top and beat it thoroughly, first on one side and then on the other. After that, hang it on a hanger and comb it.

If the fur is tangled and matted, spray the item with warm water from a spray bottle and let it dry. Then comb. The pile will fall into place. For the same purpose, you can carefully walk over the fur with a steamer.

Features of cleaning light-colored mink

If a black or brown mink coat is cleaned once every 1-2 seasons, then snow-white items will have to be refreshed much more often. The bottom of the product, collar, sleeves, and pocket entry area may become dirty after just a few wears. Regular fabric clothes can be easily washed in the washing machine by adding bleach. With fur products, not everything is so simple; it is recommended to use one of the following products:

• natural absorbent substances (semolina, potato or corn starch) - suitable for cleaning the entire product;
• alcohol, vinegar essence, hydrogen peroxide - effectively remove yellow greasy stains;
• Shampoos for washing hair or animals - suitable for washing the entire product or individual areas.

As a rule, starch is most often used. It is finely ground, the powder is easy to sprinkle on the lint and is also easy to remove after cleaning. If it turns dark gray or brown during processing, it is better to repeat the procedure again.

A very dirty vest or fur coat can be cleaned in another tricky way. Cover the darkened areas with a thin layer of starch, and then spray with a soap solution from a spray bottle. Wait until the composition dries, clean with a brush or comb with an animal slicker.

When is it time to clean?

Manufacturers of fur products recommend cleaning them at the end of the season, but sometimes the need for cleaning may arise during active wear. You can understand that a mink coat needs cleaning by the following signs:

• reduction or disappearance of characteristic shine;
• uneven shade;
• pile settling;
• a coating of dust and grease on hairs;
• matted fur, knots of hairs;
• small debris in the mesdra (lower layer of hairs);
• the appearance of stains on the fur coat.

Proper storage of fur

Often, after long-term storage, many discover that the fur coat has turned yellow or gray. Sometimes even large brown spots appear - all this is due to failure to follow basic rules. If fur products are stored incorrectly, they can permanently lose their original appearance and even run the risk of becoming moth prey. Having purchased a fur product, you need to remember how to care for a mink coat or hat.

After winter, it is strongly recommended to dry your fur coat in the fresh air (balcony or street), but so that the sun's rays do not hit it. Next, shake out the product and place it in a fabric bag. A special plastic bag is also suitable, inside which you should put an anti-moth remedy or a piece of soap. Be sure to first remove all stains and comb the pile.

Important! The polyethylene cover must be pierced in several places or left slightly open for air circulation. The package cannot be crushed or placed on a shelf - only a vertical position is suitable, that is, it must be hung in a closet. It is advisable to keep light fur away from colored items so that they do not stain outer clothing. White mink turns yellow due to sunlight, for this reason it is advisable to choose a thick cover.

It is better to check the condition of the fur vest several times a season. Perhaps the pile has become wrinkled somewhere and needs to be straightened. To do this, wipe it with a slightly damp sponge, dry it and put the fur coat back into the case.

Before buying a mink coat, you should find out how to care for the fur coat, otherwise your favorite item can quickly change its appearance. There are many cleaning methods: from regular shampoo to bran and walnuts. In addition to processing, it will not be superfluous to store outerwear correctly.

Removing stains

For light-colored clothes, you can use acetone or alcohol. They need to be mixed with starch or soda and applied to the dirty area for a few minutes. Afterwards rinse with a sponge.

Light fur that has traces of ketchup, coffee, or wine on it is still better to have it dry cleaned so as not to risk it.

Refined gasoline will help remove stains from dark wool, which should be mixed with starch or washing powder to the consistency of sour cream. This paste must be spread on the stained area and after a couple of minutes removed with a damp sponge.

If you accidentally get into oil paint, regular vegetable oil will help out. You need to moisten a cotton swab in it and rub the mark up and down until the paint is completely removed.

Prints from other paints or inks can be removed with acetone, solvent or white spirit. After treatment, you need to lubricate this area with a soda solution and blot it with a dry cloth.

Drops of sauce are removed using the following mixture: water, vinegar and pet shampoo or carpet cleaner are mixed in equal proportions. The mash should be carefully spread onto the blemish and wiped off after some time.

Cleaning with sawdust

Quite an unusual method, learned from the primary owners of luxurious fur coats – animals. The sawdust is poured with alcohol, after which it is laid out on the laid out product.

Wood shavings absorb dirt and are then removed with a brush.

Methods that are not worth wasting time on

The Internet is replete with many proposed methods of cleaning mink fur that are completely unacceptable, which not only will not help the fur coat achieve the desired look, but will most likely cause even more harm.

After using these methods, most likely the product will be suitable for wearing at the dacha. Such wet and dry cleaning methods include:

• cleaning with sawdust, which needs to be rubbed into the fur;
• the use of starch, which can and will remain in the fur fibers, which will subsequently attract insects;
• cleaning a fur coat with gasoline. This method will not only give a long-lasting, specific smell to the fur coat, but can also ruin the structure and color of the fur;
• ammonia;
• sprinkling delicate fur with hot sand, which then may not be completely removed from the product;
• semolina grits.

Causes of yellowing

This problem occurs with both natural and artificial fur coats.

A fur product begins to turn yellow for several reasons:

• settling of a large amount of dust;
• temperature changes;
• contact with perfume;
• wearing a fur product in wet weather.

To ensure that your favorite white fur coat does not lose its luxurious appearance, it is recommended to regularly clean it and follow the rules of care and storage of the product recommended by the manufacturer. If the fur does turn yellow, you can return it to whiteness yourself at home.

How to clean the lining of a mink coat at home

To thoroughly clean the lining of a fur coat, it is best to tear it off. This must be done very carefully with a tool designed for this purpose to prevent damage to the skin.

After the lining is separated, it is easiest to wash it, making sure to follow the required washing cycle.

After this procedure, the lining should be rinsed well so that there are no streaks left, ironed and sewn back.

If separating the lining from the fur coat is not an option, you can try to get it to the desired look directly on the fur coat.

This method also requires caution, as there is a risk of getting the flesh wet.

Mezdra - the lower part of the skin layer

You need to prepare a soap solution and gently wipe the fabric with a sponge, rub it with a brush and then remove the remaining solution with another damp washcloth.

To dry quickly, you can blot the lining with a cloth napkin and hang the fur coat on a hanger or hanger and dry it at room temperature.

If only the lower lining part becomes very dirty, for example in slush, there is an option to sew another piece of fabric onto the factory lining, which will cover the main lining and subsequently this particular piece can be easily peeled off and washed.