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Wray asked: How do I remove smoke stain from rabbit fur? The rabbit fur is sewn onto deer hide on a tiny pair of baby moccasins. The fur has been exposed to years of cigarette smoke and has changed the fur from white to brown. How can I clean this fur without damaging the hide? Thanks
A certain amount of yellowing to a light-colored rabbit pelt is natural over time. Other factors, such as long-term exposure to smoke, may cause it to yellow prematurely or excessively. A professional cleaning may be your best bet, but the following technique has been proven to whiten and beautify fur. Because it’s safe for use on live animals, you can rest assured that it will not adversely affect your pelt.
You Will Need:
- Milk of magnesia
- 1-3% beauty grade peroxide
- Corn starch
- Water
- Rubber gloves
Steps to Remove the Stains:
- Mix equal amounts of milk of magnesia and beauty grade peroxide (available at beauty supply stores).
- Add corn starch to the mixture to form a paste.
- Wearing protective gloves, apply the paste to the affected fur. Be sure that all of the stained areas are covered completely.
- Allow the paste to sit on the fur overnight.
- The next day, wash the dry paste from the fur and rinse well. If desired, condition the fur to restore the softness.
Additional Tips and Advice
- A mixture of equal parts vinegar and ammonia will help to remove any lingering odors from the smoke. Soak a cloth in the solution and wipe the fur gently, allowing it to absorb some of the moisture. Allow it to dry completely.
- Never spray real fur with Febreeze or other fabric refreshers.
- Vinegar may work to lighten the stains, but the acid can be harsh on thin rabbit fur so use with caution.
- When in doubt, take the fur to a professional for cleaning.
- Though this method is safe to use on live animals, we do not recommend it.
How about you don’t buy it in the first place so that 50 million rabbits don’t have to live their lives in a tiny filthy cage? Hmmmm?