7 Best Ways to Clean a Fur Collar

A brand new fur trim always looks elegant and noble, but time passes and it loses its former attractive appearance. Then it’s time to clean the fur collar. This can be done in different ways - depending on whether the fur on the collar is natural or artificial. To prevent the product from spoiling, you need to remember simple rules and use step-by-step instructions.

2 ways to clean a natural fur collar

Many people know or intuitively guess that fur trim cannot be washed either in a washing machine or by hand. They usually wash a down jacket, but leave it without proper care. But it’s not only possible to clean fur – it’s necessary! After the procedure, it will become fluffy again and will not only look neater, but also retain heat better.

To determine whether the fur on your collar needs cleaning, you need to direct a stream of cold air from a hairdryer onto it. If the fibers fly freely and fall into place, you can safely wear it further.

Cleaning with alcohol solution

An alcohol-based recipe helps get rid of greasy deposits on the pile and dust and dirt that has settled on it. It also removes foreign odors and adds shine and volume to the fur.

To prepare the solution you will need:

• 200 ml water;
• 100 ml of ethyl alcohol (vodka is possible);
• 2 tbsp. spoons of vinegar.

All components must be poured into a spray bottle and mixed thoroughly, shaking it from side to side for 3 minutes.

Step-by-step instructions for cleaning a fur collar with an alcohol solution:

1. Unfasten the collar and place it on the oilcloth.
2. Spray it with the prepared solution from a spray bottle (1-2 presses per area from a height of 25-30 cm).
3. Wipe the fur with a dry cotton cloth. Take your time, try to process every lint.
4. When finished brushing, comb the fur with a blunt-toothed wooden comb and shake.
5. Dry the fur edge on the balcony or street - this way the vinegar smell will go away faster.

If necessary, the procedure can be repeated several times. By the way, it also helps with tangled piles or when the fur gets wrinkled during transportation.

For white natural edges, you can use a cleaning solution with a slight lightening effect. It is prepared from 300 ml of warm water, 2 tbsp. spoons of lemon juice, 1 tbsp. spoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of alcohol. The principle of application is the same.

Using shampoo

Shampoo for animals - cats or dogs - works great for cleaning a fur collar. You can buy it at the pharmacy. Regular shampoo is also suitable for these purposes, but only simple, without adding oils and balm.

How to wash a natural fur collar with shampoo?

1. Place the unfastened edge conveniently on a hard surface.
2. Prepare the solution: dissolve 1 teaspoon of shampoo in a glass of warm water.
3. Use a sponge to saturate the pile, being careful not to touch the skin and fabric.
4. After 5 minutes, rub the fur in the direction of growth with a brush.
5. Rinse off the shampoo with a sponge soaked in clean warm water.
6. Use a dry waffle towel to blot away any remaining moisture and hang the collar to dry.

After washing with shampoo, some housewives advise wiping the fur with hair rinsing conditioner (1 teaspoon per glass of water). It adds shine and protects the pile from rapid contamination.

Cleaning a Faux Fur Collar

Fake fur, although much cheaper, is not inferior in whimsicality to the fur of an arctic fox or silver fox. Therefore, it is cleaned in a gentle way. You can use the same recipes as for natural fur. The second option is to wash it in the same way as woolen products.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Heat 3-4 liters of water to 30 degrees.
2. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of hair shampoo or washing gel and whisk the water into a foam.
3. Lower the artificial edge and scrub the lint with a soft brush.
4. Rinse the collar thoroughly in water (3-4 times).
5. Wrap the product in a terry towel and wring it out without twisting.
6. Shake the fur vigorously and hang to dry in a warm, ventilated area.
7. Once dry, comb through with a strong, blunt-tooth comb and shake the edge again.

Faux fur has a fairly short service life - 3 years (versus 15-25 years for natural fur). After this time, there is no point in cleaning or washing it. It is better to purchase a new edge for the down jacket.

What can't you do?

The structure of fur resembles human hair. Insufficient care, as well as excessive care, negatively affects the appearance of the product.

It is unacceptable to perform the following actions with fur edges:

• Soak, wash, wet thoroughly. The skin on which the fur is held (mesh), as well as the fabric base of the artificial collar, does not tolerate moisture. From water they become rough, crack and do not hold the pile well.
• Dry with a hairdryer or on a radiator, in direct sunlight. The fur should dry naturally in a well-ventilated area.
• Iron. Ironing a collar, even from the inside out, will hopelessly ruin the product.
• Clean with aggressive chemicals with bleaches, phosphates, enzymes, chlorine. Most cleaning products destroy the structure of the pile because they are designed to combat protein stains (grease, sweat), and natural fur consists of approximately 75% keratin protein. In the case of artificial pile, the reason is different - it tends to accumulate chemicals and become “oaky”.

Before trying a new recipe or edge cleaner, you should test it in an inconspicuous area. For example, in the center of the collar from the inside out. You need to treat an area of ​​1 square centimeter with the selected composition and see how the fur reacts to it.

Universal cleaning with a damp sheet

To clean the fur on the collar, you will need an old cotton sheet, a beater - and nothing more. The sheet is slightly moistened with a spray bottle, then the unfastened edge is placed on it. On top is a layer of sheets. With light pats, dirt and dust are knocked out of the fur, after which they are immediately absorbed into the moistened fabric. By unfolding the sheet, you get a clean collar that you can immediately fasten to your down jacket and wear.

Dry cleaning of natural and artificial collars

Cleansing in this way is the most gentle.When dry cleaning, the fur or fabric that holds the pile does not get wet, and the fur itself does not suffer from chemicals. Impurities on the hairs are absorbed into loose natural substances and then lightly swept away with a soft brush.

For a white fur collar use:

• potato starch;
• talc;
• flour;
• semolina.

For dark fur take:

• rye bran;
• clean sand (pre-washed, dried and sifted);
• small sawdust from deciduous trees.

To increase effectiveness, the selected substance is heated in a frying pan before use. Then it is rubbed into the collar with massage movements, and after 5-15 minutes it is removed. As a result, the fur looks refreshed and fluffier.

How to bleach natural and faux fur?

White collars look especially charming. They highlight the beauty of the face, but get dirty very quickly. In addition, white fur tends to turn yellow over time if not stored correctly.

You can try to bleach the pile using folk remedies:

• Hydrogen peroxide. To restore whiteness to the fur edge and get rid of the unsightly yellow tint, you need to dilute a tablespoon of 5% hydrogen peroxide in a glass of water, add 5 drops of ammonia and mix everything. Then you should soak a foam sponge in the solution and treat the yellowed areas. After 5-10 minutes the shade will change, then the collar can be wiped dry with a clean cloth.
• Blue. The product has long been used to color white items that have yellowed over time. To do this, blue is dissolved in water to obtain a light blue tint (5-7 drops per 200 ml). The collar is irrigated with a spray bottle or treated pointwise with a sponge.The blue pigment “eats” the yellowness, and as a result the fur becomes snow-white.

Recipes with peroxide are suitable for natural all-white fur, and for silver fox fur, and for artificial fur. But in the latter case, you shouldn’t expect any special changes. Synthetic hair is dyed much worse.

If the yellowness from the fur edge does not go away, there is an alternative way to revive it - repaint it dark.

The fur on the collar will remain luxurious for a long time if you care for it properly. Gentle cleaning is carried out up to 2 times per season, usually in the middle of active wear and at the end. If you have doubts about your abilities, you can take the edge to the dry cleaner. But it should be taken into account that natural fur can withstand no more than 6 procedures. At home, using the above methods, the collar can be cleaned safely and more than effectively!