Is it possible to wash a mink coat in a washing machine?
The beauty of a fur coat is undeniable until it gets dirty. So, a black sheepskin coat can be worn for 3-5 years without washing, but a light one will have to be cleaned much earlier. And then fashionistas are faced with the question: is it possible to wash a mink coat in a washing machine? Definitely no. The best choice would be dry cleaning. However, there are several options for refreshing a mink coat at home. Let's look at all the acceptable methods.
What will automatic washing lead to?
It’s unlikely that anyone would come up with the idea of stuffing a luxurious mink sheepskin coat into a vending machine. The thing is too expensive to risk. Natural fur is strictly prohibited from being washed in a washing machine. Having thrown the fur coat into the drum, you can say goodbye to it.
With prolonged contact with water, the mink skins will soften, and during the rotation of the drum, the expensive item will lose a significant part of the lint. So, after washing, a luxurious fur coat will remain “half-bald”, and it will be impossible to wear it.
In addition, detergent is added to the machine. And let this be the safest gel for washing woolen products, but soapy water will increase the destructive effect, as a result of which the sheepskin coat will become completely unusable.
Do not wet the mink coat too much; prolonged soaking is detrimental to the product.
It is not necessary to take a natural fur coat to the dry cleaner. It’s quite possible to freshen up a mink sheepskin coat at home, with your own hands. Let's figure out how to do this correctly without harming the product.
Select your cleaning products first
You can clean a mink coat using household chemicals or by resorting to “folk” methods.Special products will quickly deal with dirt and give the fur additional protection. But such compositions are not cheap, and they can only be found in certain stores.
To clean a mink short fur coat you can use:
- Insaf is a professional fur care liquid. Fights dirt, protects the product from moths, and forms an invisible film on the pile that repels dust. It also has an antistatic effect, which prevents hair from rolling;
- Ultra Finish Milk - after using the product, the fur shines and becomes silky. The composition does not glue the fibers together and removes the most persistent stains from the mink;
- Fur Fresh Salamander is a professional aerosol for natural and artificial fur. Deep action spray cares for the pile, impregnates it, restores softness, and restores shine.
When using special products to clean mink coats, strictly follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on the packaging.
Professional formulations must be used strictly according to the instructions. This will prevent damage to fur clothing. Household chemicals remove most stains, so if you can buy a product, it is better to do so.
To clean a natural fur coat, you can use a gel for washing delicate fabrics or a clear shampoo. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:
- Fill a basin with warm water, pour in the required amount of product (1 tablespoon);
- stir the solution until a “soap cap” forms;
- Apply foam to the contaminated area with a brush and gently rub the area;
- comb the fur;
- Use a slightly damp cloth to remove any remaining foam;
- dry the sheepskin coat by hanging it in a well-ventilated room, away from the sun.
You can clean a mink coat using folk remedies. Fur lovers choose the simplest household chemicals for this.
- Alcohol solution. To prepare a cleaning product, you need to combine medical alcohol with water in a one-to-one ratio. It is better to pour the resulting composition into a spray bottle and spray the fur evenly. After this, the villi should be lifted with a sponge or brush and combed with a comb. The manipulation must be repeated 3-4 times. Dry a clean fur coat, then shake it and fluff the fur with a hair brush;
- Ammonia. The algorithm of actions will be similar to the use of medical alcohol, only the volume of water must be doubled, that is, the proportions will be one to two;
- Acetic acid. Table vinegar can easily cope with light stains, help neutralize unpleasant odors, and have a softening effect. To prepare a cleaning solution, mix water, ethyl alcohol and 9% vinegar in equal volumes in a container. In the composition you need to moisten the sponge, wring it out well and treat the stained areas. Afterwards, you need to blot the wiped area with a clean, dry cloth and hang the sheepskin coat for ventilation.
Black mink can be cleaned with gasoline. The fuel liquid must be of the highest degree of purity. You should wet the sponge and gently wipe the fur. In order for the gasoline “aroma” to evaporate faster, the sheepskin coat should be hung in a ventilated room.
You will spend $1 to buy medical alcohol or vinegar, so “folk” cleaning methods are considered very economical. It may not be possible to remove serious stains with gentle solutions, then you will have to choose professional care.
Safe dry cleaning
You can clean mink fur using the dry method.In this case, contaminants are removed by mechanical action. The following will come to the aid of housewives:
- wheat bran. They perfectly absorb grease and dust from the pile. The algorithm of actions is simple: you need to heat the flakes in a frying pan, lay the sheepskin coat on a flat surface and sprinkle it with hot bran. After they have cooled, all that remains is to thoroughly shake and comb the fur coat;
- talc, starch, wheat flour. They will play the role of an absorbent. Any of the listed products is carefully distributed over the pile and lightly rubbed in. Afterwards the powder must be cleaned off. The procedure is carried out until the removed dry mixture remains white, as it was originally. While it darkens, the manipulation is repeated. This option is most suitable for cleaning light fur coats;
- river sand. Be sure to sift the mineral, then heat it in the oven and distribute it over the mink. When it has cooled down, the short fur coat needs to be shaken out and combed well;
- sawdust. Be sure to use shavings of non-coniferous species; you can purchase them in pet stores. Suitable for cleaning dark mink coats. Sawdust is mixed with gasoline and laid out on the surface of the fur. After 5-10 minutes, you need to clean off the mixture with a soft brush. Afterwards the sheepskin coat is hung out for airing.
These options are suitable for fashionistas who are afraid to get their fur wet. Starch, flour or bran will definitely not cause harm, so you can safely clean your fur coat using a dry method.
Techniques for removing complex contaminants
Even with the most careful wearing, it will not be possible to avoid soiling your fur coat. Dust settles on the pile, the collar comes into contact with the skin, traces of cosmetics remain on it, and the fur near the pockets loses its appearance. Simple stains can be removed with soap suds, vinegar or alcohol solution.
Over time, unsightly yellow spots may appear on white, beige, and blue mink coats. To freshen the fur, you can use hydrogen peroxide (5 ml of the drug should be added to 200 ml of water). The prepared liquid should be sprayed onto the pile from a spray bottle, combed and left to dry.
If the yellowed area is large, it is necessary to prepare a more concentrated liquid. Add 30 ml of peroxide and a couple of drops of ammonia to a glass of water. Next, you need to moisten the sponge in the product and carefully treat the fur. Then the fur coat is hung on hangers until completely dry.
It is possible to remove yellow spots from light fur using professional means, for example, Lovestin, Viton-FS.
Oily stains and traces of sweat are removed with the following solution: 3 ml of ammonia, a teaspoon of salt and a couple of drops of clear detergent are diluted in a glass of water. The resulting mixture is applied to the contaminated area, rubbed in, and after 15 minutes, removed with a dry cloth.
The fur coat smells bad
Natural fur quickly absorbs any odors. To get rid of the scent, you can treat your fur coat with a special spray, for example, Odorgon, hang the sheepskin coat in a well-ventilated room, and moisten it with a vinegar solution. In such a situation, a drink beloved by many can help - a sheepskin coat is placed in a case where a handful of coffee beans is placed. There is no need to spray the item with perfume - the aromas will mix and nothing good will come of it.
We clean the most dirty places
As with any outerwear, the areas where mink coats get most dirty are the sleeves, collars, and pocket areas. You can clean these places using an alcohol solution, vinegar diluted in water, soap suds or gasoline.When choosing a product, be sure to focus on the shade of the fur.
The lining also gets very dirty. It can be washed by treating it with a brush dipped in soapy water. Then the fabric should be “blotted” with dry wipes. Here you need to make sure that the water does not soak the insides - the mink skins can be damaged. The best option is to tear off the lining and wash it separately. The risks of damaging the fur in this case are minimal, but you will have to spend a lot of time on the work.
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