How to Clean a Fur Coat Without Ruining It

A fur coat — real fur — is one of the few garments where doing the wrong cleaning thing once can ruin it permanently. The leather backing dries out, the hairs break, the shape goes flat. Done right, the same coat can last fifty years.

Here's what to do, what not to do, and when to call a professional.

What never to do

These three mistakes account for most ruined fur coats:

• Don't machine wash. Water and detergent strip the natural oils from both the leather backing and the hair. The leather goes brittle and cracks. There is no fur garment that survives this.
• Don't take it to a regular dry cleaner. Standard dry cleaning solvents (perchloroethylene) are too harsh for fur. Take it to a furrier or a cleaner who specifically advertises fur cleaning — they use a process called "drumming" with sawdust and gentler solvents that lifts dirt without drying out the pelt.
• Don't store it in a plastic garment bag. Plastic traps moisture and prevents the leather from breathing. The pelt rots from the inside. Use a cotton garment bag (any furrier sells them) or just a clean cotton sheet.

If you've already done one of these and the coat seems fine — it might still be okay. Check the leather backing in a few months. If it's stiff or cracking, the damage is done.

Routine maintenance you can do at home

This is what keeps a fur coat in good shape between professional cleanings:

Brushing

Use a soft-bristle brush (a real fur brush from a furrier, or a soft hairbrush). Brush gently in the direction the hair grows. This lifts dust, separates matted hairs, and keeps the natural luster.

Do this once a month during wear season, and once before you put the coat into storage.

Shaking out

Hold the coat by the shoulders and give it a firm shake outdoors. This sounds too simple to matter, but it dislodges fine dust and lint that brushing misses. Old-school furriers swear by it.

Spot cleaning small marks

For a small mark — a drink splash, makeup, salt from winter sidewalks — the traditional method is fine cornmeal or untreated sawdust:

1. Sprinkle a small amount on the mark
2. Rub it into the fur gently with your fingers, against the grain, then with the grain
3. Let it sit for 30 minutes
4. Brush it out with a soft brush

The cornmeal absorbs oil and lifts dirt without water. Don't use this on big stains — for anything bigger than a quarter, take it to a furrier.

Deodorizing

If the coat has picked up a smell (smoke, mothballs, perfume), don't spray anything on it. Hang it in a well-ventilated area for a few days — outdoors in dry weather is ideal, indoors near an open window otherwise. For stubborn smells, hang it in a closed closet with an open box of baking soda for a week.

Never spray perfume or fragrance directly on fur. The alcohol dries the leather, and the fragrance lodges permanently in the hair.

When to send it to a professional

Once a year. Even if the coat looks clean. A proper furrier cleaning will:

• Drum the coat in sawdust + safe solvents to lift embedded dirt
• Glaze the fur (a finishing process that restores the natural sheen)
• Inspect seams, lining, and leather for early signs of damage
• Re-shape and steam if needed

Cost varies by region and coat size — typically $40 to $120 for a standard mink or fox coat in the US. Skip the corner dry cleaner who claims to do fur for $25; that's the perchloroethylene treatment that ruins coats.

Storage between seasons

Fur stores best in cool, dry, dark conditions. Two options:

Cold storage at a furrier — best for valuable coats. Specialized vault, around 50°F and 50% humidity, protected from moths and mice. Around $50–$100 for the summer.

At home — acceptable for less valuable pieces. Hang on a broad padded hanger (never wire), inside a cotton garment bag, in a closet that doesn't get hot or humid. Don't pack into a basement or attic where temperature swings.

Don't store with mothballs. The chemicals leach into the fur and the smell never fully leaves.

When the coat is genuinely damaged

Cracked leather, bald spots, broken seams, hardened patches — these need a furrier's repair work, not cleaning. A good furrier can replace damaged sections, re-line the coat, and reinforce seams. Repairs on a quality coat are usually worth doing — a vintage mink or fox coat in good repair holds its value for decades.

If the coat has been water-damaged or smoke-damaged severely, get an honest opinion before spending repair money. Some damage isn't worth fixing.

The short version

• Brush monthly, shake outside, spot-clean with cornmeal
• Pro cleaning once a year at a real furrier (not a regular dry cleaner)
• Cotton garment bag, never plastic
• No water, no perfume, no mothballs

Treated this way, a real fur coat outlasts you.