650. To Clean Furs

650.     To Clean Furs. Furs may be cleaned as follows: - Strip the fur articles of their stuffing and binding, and lay them as much as possible in a flat position. They must then be subjected to a very brisk brushing, with a stiff clothes brush; after this, any moth-eaten parts must be cut out, and be neatly replaced by new bits of fur to match.

651. To Clean Dark Furs

651.     To Clean Dark Furs. Sable, chinchilla, squirrel, fitch, etc., should be treated as follows: Warm a quantity of new bran in a pan, taking care that it does not burn, to prevent which it must be actively stirred. When well warmed, rub it thoroughly into the fur with the hand. Repeat this two or three times; then shake the fur, and give it another sharp brushing until free from dust.

652. To Clean Light Furs

652.     To Clean Light Furs. White furs, ermine, etc., may be cleaned as follows: Lay the fur on a table, and rub it well with bran made moist with warm water; rub until quite dry, and afterwards with dry bran. The wet bran should be put on with flannel, and the dry with a piece of book-muslin. The light furs, in addition to the above, should be well rubbed with magnesia, or a piece of book-muslin, after the bran process. Or dry flour may be used instead of wet bran. Ermine takes longer than Minevar to clean. They should be rubbed against the way of the fur.

653. To Improve Furs by Stretching

653.    To Improve Furs by Stretching. Furs are usually much improved by stretching, which may be managed as follows: To 1 pint of soft water add 3 ounces salt; dissolve ; with this solution sponge the inside of the skin (taking care not to wet the fur) until it becomes thoroughly saturated; then lay it carefully on a board with the fur side downwards, in its natural disposition; then stretch as much as it will bear, and to the required shape, and fasten with small tacks. The drying may be quickened by placing the skin a little distance from the fire or stove.

654. To Preserve Furs and Woolen Clothing from Moth

654.    To Preserve Furs and Woolen Clothing from Moth. Moths deposit their eggs in the early spring. This, therefore, js the time to put away furs and woolens for the summer. It is not the moth, but the maggot of the moth that does the mischief with furs and woolens. To effectually preserve them from the ravages of these insects, thoroughly beat the furs with a thin rattan, and air them for several hours, then carefully comb them with a clean comb, wrap them up in newspapers, perfectly tight, and put them away in a thoroughly tight chest lined with tin, or cedar wood. Take them out and examine them in the sun at least once a month, thoroughly beating them. This, indeed, is the secret of the fur-dealers in preserving their stock. Camphor, which is so much used to preserve furs, impairs their beauty by turning them light. The printing ink on the newspapers is just as effectual as camphor, being very distasteful to the moth. The above method may also be adopted to preserve feathers, and all kinds of woolen clothing, omitting, of course, the combing; camphor may be sprinkled among the woolens.