Fur Cleaning and Storage

[minkme]

Now that spring is fast approaching, how many of you take your furs in for cleaning and or storage? Some furrier say furs should be cleaned annually while others say every couple if years, then there are some that think the cleaning process dries the pelts. Some furrier say store the annually.I would imagine cleaning and storage prices will vary depending on where you are?

 

What do you gals and guys do? What is your cost?

[furs limited]

I took in a raccoon coat yesterday. It has not been cleaned and stored in a long time.

The cleaning, conditioning, and storage will be $79.

I think I may rotate some of my furs and take one in each year.

[coyoterod]

Just picked up 3 of our coats from our fur cleaner. Cleaning makes the fur come to life. It adds oils to the leather of the pelt to keep it supple and long lasting. One of my coats, a raccoon, we bought second hand back in 1988. That's over 30 years ago, today that coat looks brand new due to proper yearly or every second year cleaning. Also, with the amount of salt put on our roads and sidewalks during winter, when the wind blows all that dust gets airborne and gets into the guard hairs and starts to dry out the leather. As for storage, if you have air conditioning and you can put your furs in cotton - not plastic - storage bags and they are cleaned, you should fine. We have been doing it since the mid 90's with no age or excess fur falling out. Just a note, most furriers with vaults can't afford to run them, so yes your coat is being kept in a vault but not a controlled vault.

[Furangel]

I usually put my coats in my basement which is cold all year round. I take the coats to a fur-cleaner about every 3rd year, mabey more often if the coat is used often.

[furbull]

Does anyone know what conditioning chemicals are used during the cleaning process?

[minkme]

Typically, the furrier will place the fur in a large steel drum with sawdust to remove grime and oils and then the furrier removes the sawdust. If the fur is white mink, a furrier may use special whitening agents; fur coats of all colors will receive a coat of shine-enhancing agents.