Care & wear

How to Clean and Store a Fur Coat So It Lasts Decades

4 min read October 6, 2026

The short answer

Have a fur coat cleaned once a year by a fur specialist, never an ordinary dry cleaner, whose solvents strip the oils the leather needs. If it gets wet, shake it out and let it dry in a ventilated room away from heat, without brushing. Hang it on a broad-shouldered hanger with space around it, out of bright light and never in plastic. Over summer, use professional cold storage: the American Fur Council's guideline is 34–45°F (about 1–7°C), anything under 55°F (13°C) being worthwhile, at 45–55% humidity. Never use a cedar closet or mothballs.

Editorial photograph by Anastasia Ilina-Makarova, The Good Old — Anemoia Vestiaire
Photograph by Anastasia Ilina-Makarova

To keep a fur coat for decades, have it cleaned once a year by a fur specialist (never an ordinary dry cleaner), let it dry naturally if it gets wet, hang it on a broad hanger with room to breathe, and put it in professional cold storage for the warm months. Never store it in plastic, in a cedar closet or with mothballs. Fur rarely fails because of the hair. It fails because the skin underneath dries out, and almost every rule below is about stopping that.

Why the skin is what matters

A fur coat is made of tanned pelts: hair on one side, leather on the other. The leather stays soft because of its natural oils. Heat, dry air, light and chemicals draw those oils out, and the American Fur Council warns that once they are gone they cannot be put back: the leather can then tear as easily as tissue paper. That is the end of a fur coat, and it can happen even when the hair still looks perfect.

It is also why condition, not age, is graded on every coat in our vintage fur coats collection.

Do and don't, at a glance

Situation Do Don't
Cleaning Once a year, by a fur specialist An ordinary dry cleaner, or any home washing
Rain or snow Shake it out and hang it in a well-ventilated room Hairdryer, radiator, or brushing and combing the wet fur
Everyday wear Wear perfume and jewellery away from the fur Shoulder bags rubbing the same spot; pins through the pelt
At home in winter Broad-shouldered hanger, space around it, out of bright light Wire hangers, a crammed wardrobe, a plastic cover
Summer Professional cold storage, about 1–13°C at 45–55% humidity A cedar closet, mothballs, an attic, or freezing it

Cleaning: once a year, by a fur specialist

Fur should be cleaned annually by a fur specialist, even when it doesn't look dirty. The American Fur Council explains that the process removes dirt from the hair and puts oils back into both the hair and the leather, which keeps the coat soft and restores its lustre. The yearly visit is also when a furrier will spot small rips and loose seams and close them before they spread.

Never take a fur to an ordinary dry cleaner. Clothing solvents are made for fabric, not for skins, and they strip exactly the oils the coat needs. There is no safe way to wash a fur coat at home.

When a fur coat gets wet

Most furs handle some rain and snow. Shake the coat out and hang it in a well-ventilated room to dry on its own. Keep it away from direct heat, resist the hairdryer, and don't brush or comb the fur while it dries. If it has been thoroughly soaked, take it to a furrier for professional treatment.

Wearing it without wearing it out

Friction is the slow enemy. A shoulder bag carried on the same side all winter will rub a bald patch, so switch sides or carry it by hand. Keep perfume and hairspray off the fur: furriers note that the alcohol in them dries the leather and stiffens the guard hairs. And avoid pinning brooches through the pelt.

At home during the season

Hang the coat on a broad-shouldered hanger, never a wire one, with space around it so the hair isn't crushed. Keep it out of bright light, which oxidises fur and changes its colour. Don't keep it in a plastic bag: the American Fur Council and furriers agree that plastic stops air circulating and dries the leather. If you need to cover it briefly, for travel for example, use a loosely woven cloth bag.

How to store a fur coat over summer

The longest-lasting furs spend their summers in professional cold storage. The American Fur Council's guideline for a storage vault:

  • Temperature: 34–45°F (about 1–7°C) is ideal, and anything under 55°F (about 13°C) is worthwhile.
  • Humidity: held between 45 and 55%. Too dry and the oils evaporate; too damp and pelts can rot.
  • Insect-proof, with minimal UV light and room for each garment.

Cold slows the evaporation of the natural oils. Freezing is not better: repeated freezing and thawing stresses the skin and makes it brittle. Home air conditioning is not a substitute, because it doesn't control humidity.

Three home habits to drop. A cedar closet absorbs moisture, which is how it deters moths, and the same dryness damages fur. Mothballs are naphthalene, which the Council warns can damage fur and leather and is dangerous to children and pets. And any bag, especially plastic, reduces air flow.

If the coat is vintage

A vintage fur has already spent decades somewhere, and not always in a vault. Before wearing an inherited coat, check that the skin is still supple: gently flex the hem and the underarm seams, where stress concentrates. A dry, papery feel or small splits are the sign to take it to a furrier for cleaning and conditioning before it goes into regular wear. When buying vintage, look for a seller who grades condition and names flaws; every listing in our archive does. If you are wondering what an inherited coat is worth, read What Is a Vintage Fur Coat Worth?

Common questions

How do you clean a fur coat?

Take it to a fur specialist once a year. The process removes dirt from the hair and puts oils back into the hair and leather, which keeps the coat soft. Never use an ordinary dry cleaner, whose solvents strip those oils, and never wash a fur at home.

Can you dry clean a fur coat?

Not at an ordinary dry cleaner. Fur needs a fur specialist's cleaning process, which conditions the leather rather than stripping it. The American Fur Council recommends annual cleaning by a fur specialist, never by a dry cleaner for clothes.

What should I do if my fur coat gets wet?

Shake it out and hang it in a well-ventilated room to dry naturally, away from radiators and heaters. Don't use a hairdryer and don't brush or comb it while wet. If it was soaked through, take it to a furrier.

What temperature should a fur coat be stored at?

The American Fur Council's guideline for professional cold storage is 34–45°F (about 1–7°C), with anything under 55°F (about 13°C) still worthwhile, and humidity between 45 and 55%. Freezing is not recommended, because repeated freezing and thawing makes the skin brittle.

Can I store a fur coat in a cedar closet or with mothballs?

No. Cedar absorbs moisture, which dries out the leather, and mothballs are naphthalene, which can damage fur and leather and is dangerous to children and pets. The American Fur Council and furriers advise against both.

Should a fur coat be kept in a garment bag?

Not for storage, and never in plastic, which stops air circulating and dries the leather. A loosely woven cloth bag is fine for travel or short periods. At home, hang it uncovered on a broad-shouldered hanger with space around it, out of bright light.

How long does a fur coat last?

With annual cleaning and proper storage, decades: the American Fur Council says a well-cared-for fur can last for decades before being remodelled. What ends a fur coat is the leather drying out, which is why heat, dry air, light, plastic and cedar are the things to avoid.

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