Faux fur is very popular – today it’s not just stylish jackets and vests that are made from this material, but also various interior decorating items: throws, rugs, and even pillows. If you want your favorite things to maintain their flawless appearance, you should learn how to clean faux fur without damaging it.
Of course, you can always use dry cleaners, but if you don’t have the time or desire to, you will be perfectly capable of cleaning faux-fur yourself at home.
The main rule to remember: faux fur should never be washed.
Washing can make it shrink, lose its shape, and the item will be irreversibly ruined. The only kind of care suitable for faux fur is the kind when you are very careful not to wet the base fabric.
Removing stains
If you ever need to remove a stain from your fur item at home, any one of the following methods will do the trick
- Mix equal parts starch, dishwashing liquid, and powder detergent. Apply the mixture to the affected area and leave until completely dry. Then brush the faux fur.
- In order to remove grease stains from fur at home, use gasoline. Wet a napkin or a clean rag with gasoline, and gently rub the stain. Before carrying this out, try it on an obscure part of the item to make sure that gasoline doesn’t remove the dye from the fur, as well.
- You can remove the stain with carpet or upholstery cleaner. Prepare and apply the cleaner according to package instructions, then carefully remove its residue with a wet napkin.
Full surface cleaning
If after using it for a while your faux fur item becomes dusty and looks a little tired, it is possible to clean it at home using a soap solution.
Here is what you will need:
- basin;
- liquid soap or soft shampoo;
- foam sponge or brush with soft bristles;
- cotton napkin;
- bath towel.
To clean the item, lay it on a flat surface. Clothes can be hung on hangers. Pour slightly warm (no more than 30 degrees) water into the basin. Pour the soap or shampoo into the water, make a thick foam. Wet the sponge or brush in the liquid, and begin rubbing the fur along the piles. When all the dirt is removed, wet a cotton napkin in clean water and wipe off the traces of soap. Blot the item with a bath towel to remove maximum access water, smooth the pile and leave to dry.
Faux fur items should be dried naturally, away from radiators and other heaters. Brushing a fully dried item with a comb with rounded teeth will make it look neater.
Restoring the whiteness
White fur can develop a yellow hue over time, so cleaning items made out of this material will require a special approach. Here are some traditional methods of whitening fur at home.
Hydrogen peroxide
You can make the white fur look like new by cleaning it with a solution of hydrogen peroxide. Add 10 ml of peroxide to 500 ml of water, pour the mixture into a spray bottle, and shake thoroughly. Spray the yellowed surface and let the piece dry in the fresh air, if possible hanging it in a sunny place. After drying, comb the pile well.
Cleaning with semolina and starch
You can also use semolina or potato starch to restore whiteness to faux fur at home. Lay the item down straight, smooth all the folds, and sprinkle with thick layer semolina or starch. Then take a cloth napkin and sort of rub the powder into the fabric.
To remove the remnants of semolina or starch, vacuum the item and beat the powder out with a stick.
Baking soda and alcohol method
The yellowed white fur will become snow-white again if you treat it with a solution of 300 ml of warm water, 15 grams of baking soda, and 5 ml of rubbing alcohol. Moisten a soft brush in the liquid, and clean the item well, moving in the direction of the pile.
Care instructions
If you want to extend the life of the fur item, care for it correctly:
- Hang fur clothing to store it, so it doesn’t fold or rumple;
- Periodically brush the fur with a metal comb in the direction of the pile;
- If you get moisture on the surface, remove it with a soft cloth, smooth the piece out and dry at room temperature;
- Remove dust when necessary with a damp brush, or beat out the item with a cane, laying it pile side down on a clean sheet.
Follow these simple recommendations, and your fur pieces will look clean and flawless for a long time.