If you have won a real fur coat, stole or jacket on ebay, or have inherited one, you will want to look after it well. Vintage furs were usually luxury items in their day. They  were given lots of TLC by their original owners, which is why they have survived till now! Continue to maintain them well using this guide...

• Store your furs somewhere cool and dark with low humidity. In the summer months, hot weather and humidity can lead to the drying out of oils in furs. Furs can moult if they become excessively dried out. Good storage may help to maintain the value and beauty of your furs. 

• Avoiding excessive sunlight will help prevent them from fading.

• Cooler conditions also inhibit the likelihood of infestation.

• Furs should NOT be kept in dry cleaners plastic bags. Nor should not be crushed or squashed flat. If you must cover them to protect them use a cotton suit cover or a sheet. Leave plenty of space around them on the hangers to avoid crushing. Hang coats on quality hangers. 

• Don't brush the fur, just give the item a gentle shake. 

• Any repairs or alterations should always be carried out by an expert, although furriers are getting more difficult to find. Remember you can have furs re-modelled.  

• Have your coats cleaned only by a fur dry cleaning specialist.

• When you take off your coat, make sure you hang it well away from radiators or fires which will also dry the coat out.

• Try to avoid wearing furs in the rain, but if you do, hang them immediately and correctly on a good coat hanger and allow to dry thoroughly at room temperature away from heat sources.

• Mothballs used to be the way our grandmothers prevented moths nibbling at fur. The smell is very distinctive! Old fashioned mothballs are banned now as they are considered dangerous, but cedar wood balls are available at most supermarkets, which are said to do the same job. Once furs have got that 'stored-in-a-damp-garage' musty smell it can be difficult to shift. Air it well - for a week or more, on a hanger. If that doesn't work, ask the fur dry cleaning specialist about using odour eliminator during the cleaning process.

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Want some help in identifying your furs or enjoy going to car boot sales? Then have a look at my other guides.