How to clean your fur accessories: collars, mittens, and pashminas

Detachable collars, mittens, pashminas, scarves, and headbands with real fur are just as delicate as a full coat, but they require specific care due to their size and use. A pashmina with fur detailing gets dirty more quickly from contact with makeup and creams; mittens come into contact with liquids, keys, and bags; a detachable collar is put on and taken off constantly. This guide explains how to properly clean and care for fur accessories and why some rules differ from those for coats.

How to clean fur accessories: why they need specific care

A fur coat is put on and taken off once or twice a day, exposed to the outdoors but kept away from the face. In contrast, fur accessories (collars, pashminas, mittens) have three particularities:

• Direct contact with the skin (sweat, moisturizers, perfume, makeup).
• Frequent handling (several times a day, not just once).
• Greater exposure to accidental liquids (mittens touching coffee cups, scarves getting wet).

These factors cause fur accessories to get dirty sooner than a coat and require their own cleaning routine. The general rule is simple: the sooner you act on a stain and the gentler the method, the better the real fur will be preserved.

Pashminas and scarves with fur

Pashminas with fur details (collars, trims) combine two materials that require different care: the base fabric (cashmere, wool, silk) and the real fur. The main rule: when choosing how to clean the fur accessory, always prioritize the real fur.

Weekly routine

1. Inspect before storing. Every night, check the fur area: is there makeup? Cream residue? Any visible stains?
2. Brush gently if there is dust. Use a very soft natural bristle brush, in the direction of the fur.
3. Air out if you have worn it all day. Hang it in a cool place before storing.

Specific stains

• Makeup: try to absorb it with white blotting paper without rubbing. If it doesn't come out, take it to a professional furrier.
• Moisturizer: let it dry first and brush gently when dry. If a mark remains, see a professional.
• Liquids: absorb immediately with paper and air dry flat. Never rub.

Storage

Pashminas and scarves with fur should be stored flat (not folded), in rigid cardboard boxes lined with cotton fabric. If you hang them, the weight of the base fabric stretches the fur and deforms it. If you fold them, the fur gets crushed in the folds. Flat is the only correct position.

Models such as Nomadi's LAAX pashminas come with a specific storage box: always use it.

Fur mittens

Mittens are probably the fur accessories that suffer the most. They have direct contact with sweaty hands, creams, keys, phones, glasses, and food. They require an active cleaning routine.

Routine after each use

1. Shake them gently when you get home to remove dust.
2. Turn them inside out and air them out for 10 minutes so the sweat can evaporate.
3. Store them flat, not crammed with other garments in closed drawers.

Weekly routine

If you use mittens daily, once a week:

• Brush the outside with a soft-bristle brush.
• Turn it inside out and check the interior: if there is an odor or accumulated moisture, leave it turned inside out to air for 24 hours.
• If the interior leather is hard or shiny from sweat, take it to a furrier for specific cleaning.

What destroys mittens

• Storing them damp after a day of extreme cold or snow.
• Washing them in water, even cold water.
• Applying moisturizers or leather conditioners designed for other items: they can stain, darken, or mat the real fur.

Detachable collars and headbands

Detachable collars and headbands are put on and taken off constantly, so they accumulate friction and cosmetic residue in very little time. Brush them in the direction of the fur after each use, air them out before storing, and keep them in their box or on a flat surface. For any persistent stain, do not improvise with solvents or water: entrust the cleaning to a professional furrier.

Summary for caring for your fur accessories

Knowing how to clean fur accessories comes down to three habits: inspect and brush frequently, air out to prevent moisture and odors, and store flat, protected from dust. Always act while dry and gently, avoid water and non-specific products, and take difficult stains to a professional. With this routine, pashminas, mittens, collars, and headbands with real fur will retain their appearance and feel for years.