I am new to trapping and fur handling this year. I want to wash my furs but in MN a washing machine is not in the cards with freezing. I don't have a big enough heated area to use. How do you wash yours? I was thinking about trying a 5 gallon pail or a tote. How often do you change the water in the bucket? Also I have read that you wash before fleshing? Thanks for your help

I wash them all unless they are really, really clean.
Do it before I flesh. Throw them in a 5 gal bucket and slosh around, adding clean water until it gets pretty clean.
Pull 'em out and run my hands down the fur side - flip 'em like a towel, hang them up and then let 'em dry fur side out.
When dry, flesh them.

I use to wash coyotes but quit unless extremely filthy. I find it to be a waste of time and effort as any dust/dirt in the fur from the animals day to day activities can generally be easily blown out with a shop vac after they are boarded fur out. As far as blood stains go, they are easily taken care of with minimal hand washing of heavy clots and then with borax after the pelt has been boarded and dried. I have never seen where washing gave me a better price and I most always did better than the sale average.

Re the borax treatment, once the skin as dried and the fur turned out work considerable dry borax powder into the stained areas, let set for 10-15 minutes and then comb, brush, and shake the borax out. Using this borax treatment method works extremely well as can be seen in the following before and after pictures. As well as removing blood stains the borax also cleans and brightens the fur.

Washing machine.

But you can always do it in a big bucket or barrel by hand.

I use three 5 gallon buckets. 1st one has the cleaner/soap worked by hand then the 2nd and 3rd are rinse buckets. I always ring out the hides between buckets. Usually I can wash a couple of totes and fox before it needs dumped and switched out with fresh water. I always wash cats, yotes, then other furs in that order. Always wash the white color furs in clean water. Then hang and ring out again while hanging. I hang for 15 to 30 minutes then board. Personally I flesh before I wash, just me.
Griz

I've used our home washing machine for years I just run the hide through a rinse cycle with cold water. Never any problem I'll get just a few little tuffs of hair or small piece of fat that I wipe out with a wash rag. When we had our dog, her blanket left way more of a mess with hair balls that any coon or coyote could.
J

Uhhhh... does Mrs. illinideer know about this - LOL!

Oh yeah she knows the washing machine had to pass inspection with the first few hides. Now she lets me know when the washer is empty if im skinning a critter out.
J

I use an old washer i found on a buy and sell page for 25.00 ..just dump water in it to the minimum fill sensor then drain into 5 gallon buckets when they spin ..after the spin cycle i hang them for a few hours then board.. but really dont need to hang very long as they spin out just damp anyways ...they come out pretty nice

I am afraid to use our washer for furs, that could mean a divorce for sure if I ruined something of hers. Wish I had a heated space for the washer that I didn't have to carry 5 gallon pails of water across the yard from the house. My attached garage would work for a old washer but I suppose I would have to blow the lines and drain the pump out every time I use it so it doesn't freeze and burst

Go back and review the third post of this forum. The borax method takes much less time and effort than actual washing!

I will try the borax, it will be a lot easier in my shop then bringing water. I did find a small apartment washer that I can use also to try it both ways. Thanks for your help!

I'm with bctomcat. I'll rinse out the super muddy ones in a tub, hang to dry, then skin the next day. Lot of dried blood and dirt will just comb out naturally. Coyote hair cleans pretty easily. After drying, a couple minutes of rubbing in borax, blown out with the leaf blower, and my coyotes are generally in the top prices at our auction. And, I have a tumbler, washing machine, all that other stuff. A lot can be accomplished with a lot less effort and mess if you take the time to do it. Just my opinion.

Washed coyotes do smell better. And if you like to do it, well, carry on. Personally, the smell of coyote stirs my blood!

I have an old ringer washer. Works great.