As a manufacturer of fake fur fabrics, we have a front row seat to give you the best advice on how to care for faux fur. The benefits are multiple: apart from keeping your faux fur clean, you will also discover what not to do to avoid damaging it and thus keep it soft and shiny for a long time.
Whether it is a jacket, coat, scarf, plaid, pillows, or any fur accessory, here are some tips and advice for cleaning and proper care of faux fur.
The best solution
Before we get started, we must make it clear that, in any case, dry cleaning with professionals is always the best way to clean a fur. Certainly more expensive than cleaning at home, it is the guarantee of a cleaning that respects the synthetic fibers and avoids any damage to the fur.
Hand washing faux fur
If you can’t or don’t want to use a dry cleaner, remember in a few words that synthetic fur should be treated like wool. Washing is ideally done by hand, in slightly warm soapy water. Never use fabric softener with fake fur, contrary to what one might think, it may leave stains, and its chemical composition causes irreversible damage to the hair.
Your shower cubicle or a bathtub may be perfectly suitable if you don’t have a large enough sink. Let the soap or detergent stand for 10 minutes. Then rinse with clear, barely lukewarm water, simply by showering the fur abundantly until the water is clear.
Machine washing faux fur
We absolutely do not recommend washing the faux fur in a washing machine, because in case of wrong settings, wrong choice of detergent, temperature or spin speed, you risk seriously damaging your fur. If you have no other alternative, here’s how to proceed to avoid any risk.
Use only special wool detergent or natural soap, with a cold program and the lowest possible spin speed. Generally, the “wool” program meets all these requirements. As mentioned above, do not use fabric softener, it contains products which, despite what one might think, deteriorate synthetic fur.
Also avoid overloading your washing machine. Leave enough space for your fur garment or accessory, you can finish filling your machine with towels, or wash several pieces of fur at the same time.
Drying faux fur
Drying must be done away from any direct heat source. Do not twist your fur like a mop, just spin it very lightly. Then to soak up excess water, you can roll the fur for a few minutes in towels.
To dry faux fur, hang it on a hanger if it is a garment, or completely unfolded on a clothesline if it is a plaid. Make sure the hanger is as sturdy as possible (ideally made of wood) because fur, even synthetic, is very heavy when wet. Since your fur has not been wrung out, bring a basin to collect the water that will run off. For any other fashion or decoration accessory, you can put it on a clothesline, taking care to turn it over from time to time. In any case, do not put it on a radiator.
During and after drying, you will see that the hairs give the impression of being stuck together. Don’t worry, wet or freshly dried fur almost always looks like this. To remedy this, wait until the fur is completely dry, then brush lightly in the direction of the hair and then in the opposite direction. A household brush or a hairbrush will do the trick. Finish by shaking your fur strongly to give it all its volume, suppleness and softness … It will be like new!
The safest way of washing faux fur items is by hand washing. This is because you have full control over how you handle its delicate fibers. Hand washing of course can be quite time-consuming.
Here are the steps for how to wash faux fur by hand:
Gather the Necessary Materials - You need to gather the following materials: an appropriate size basin, mild detergent, water, and a bath towel
Mix a Gentle Detergent with Water - Combine the recommended amount of mild detergent with cool water. The bigger the faux fur item is, the more detergent you need. Look at the label of the detergent that you are using for the appropriate water to detergent ratio. Brands such as Tide and Woolite have excellent options for mild detergent. These are designed to dissolve grease and dirt while protecting delicate fabrics.
Spot Clean the Faux Fur - If some part of your faux fur item has a prominent stain or discoloration, you need to spot clean it first. To do this, cover the area with the stain or dirt with a mild detergent, then, using your fingers, gently rub the area with the soap. Avoid rubbing too hard because you might permanently damage it. Rinse the area with cold water. Repeat the same step if the stain is still there.
Submerge the Item - Submerge the faux fur item into the detergent solution you previously mixed. Let it sit for around 10 to 15 minutes.
Rinse & Dry - Rinse the detergent mixture from the faux fur. Make sure to do this thoroughly to avoid it from being sticky later on. After that, carefully squeeze out the water absorbed by the faux fur item. You can also use a thick towel to help remove the excess water. Just pat it against the item so that the towel absorbs the water.
