How to Clean a Fur or Shearling Collar on a Leather Jacket

Clean the collar according to how it is attached and what the fur is. A snap-on faux fur collar comes off and is hand-washed in cool water with a little mild detergent, then air-dried. A sewn-in collar stays on the jacket, so you only brush it and blot marks with a barely damp cloth, because the leather underneath should not get wet. Real fur and shearling collars are best left to a specialist for anything beyond brushing.

This tutorial is part of our leather care and cleaning guide. For the leather body of the jacket, see how to clean a leather coat.

Step 1: Work out which collar you have

Two questions decide everything: can the collar come off, and is the fur real, faux or shearling? Look inside the neckline for snaps, buttons, a zip or hooks, and read the care label. If the jacket has no label or the label does not mention the collar, treat the collar as the more delicate option.

Jackets sold with fur may use lambskin shearling or artificial fur on the same style, so the style name alone does not tell you. The store's fur jacket page does not say whether any collar is removable, so check your own jacket.

What you need

• Soft brush or wide-toothed comb
• Mild detergent and a clean basin (removable faux collars)
• Thick bath towel
• Clean white cloths and a vacuum with a brush attachment
• Padded hanger or a drying rack

How to clean a removable faux fur collar

1. Read the label and take the collar off. Detachable fur trim needs its own method and can be damaged in the wash, so remove it before you clean anything else on the jacket. Some labels say dry clean only, and then the label wins.
2. Mix the bath. Use a basin of cool water with 1 to 2 teaspoons of mild detergent.
3. Swish gently. Move the fur through the water for 10 to 15 minutes without wringing or rough agitation.
4. Rinse. Squeeze out the soapy water, then rinse in clean water until no suds remain.
5. Remove the water. Roll the collar in a thick towel and press; do not wring it.
6. Air dry. Dry it completely, which can take up to 48 hours, and never tumble dry it.
7. Fluff and reattach. Once dry, separate and smooth the fibres with a wide-toothed comb or soft brush, then fasten it back on.

How to clean a sewn-in collar without wetting the leather

Water is the main risk to the jacket itself. Most leathers are damaged by direct contact with water, and it can leave stains and transfer dye. Wet fur adds a second problem: the hair gets heavy. So keep everything barely damp.

1. Spot-test first. Try any cleaner on a hidden area.
2. Remove loose dirt dry. Vacuum dirt from between the fibres with a brush attachment, or pick up shed fibres with a damp cloth.
3. Brush along the fibres. Use a soft brush in the direction of the fibres; the store also suggests brushing the fur gently now and then so it does not mat.
4. Blot marks. Blot small marks on shearling with a clean damp cloth and do not rub. Wring the cloth out so it only just feels damp.
5. Dry slowly. If anything gets wet, let it dry at room temperature, away from heaters.
6. Smooth the pile. When dry, comb or brush the fibres back into place.

Never submerge shearling or machine wash it; that damages both the leather and the wool.

Wet faux fur: do you use a hair dryer?

Sources disagree. The store says to dry wet faux fur trim with a hair dryer on its lowest temperature while shaking the fur. Two cleaning guides say to air dry it and keep it out of the tumble dryer. This guide does not pick a side; whichever you choose, never use heat on the leather body.

When a professional is the better call

Fur hairs trap dust and are hard to clean. A shearling maker says professional cleaning is the safest option for coats. Normal dry cleaning removes oils from leather, so ask for a leather specialist, and one jacket maker says to use a cleaner experienced with leather and sheepskin. We found no maker or standards source with a home wash method for a real fur collar, so this guide does not give one.

Mistakes to avoid

• Washing the whole jacket to clean a collar.
• Putting the collar or jacket in a dryer.
• Using saddle soap, shoe cream or cleaning fluid on the leather.
• Rubbing shearling hard.
• Storing a fur collar damp; fur attracts moths and mould above 65% humidity.

Quick answers

Can real fur collars be cleaned?

Brush them at home and take anything dirtier to a specialist.

Does leather shrink when washed?

It depends on the tannage. Fully chrome-tanned leather will not shrink even in hot water, but vegetable-tanned leather may shrink or stiffen. The store still says never put leather in the dryer.

How do I clean the fur lining inside a jacket?

Shearling linings follow the brush-and-blot method in how to wash a leather bomber jacket. For a suede body, see how to clean a suede coat.

How do I clean a faux leather coat?

That is a different method; see how to clean a faux leather jacket.

Looking for a jacket with a fur collar?

Leather Collection's range of leather jackets with fur lists fur-lined, fur-collar and B-3 shearling styles, with care text on the page. For a woolly sheepskin jacket as a whole, see how to clean a sheepskin jacket.