The special fur cleaning process also adds to the longevity of your fur, makes it soft and supple, conditions the leather, frees the fur of dust particles that make breathing difficult and rob your fur of its sheen, and fluffs up the hairs so the coat looks new again. Sometimes your fur might not look dirty, but it is. Dirt gets trapped into the oils near the leather base of the fur, where it makes the hairs stick together and causes a matted appearance. Fur is hair, after all, and you know how your own hair needs cleaning. "You don't realize it, but the natural oils in fur can mask a lot of dirt," says Nat Berkowitz of Miller & Berkowitz, New York City. "The sawdust, which is made out of corn cob, goes into the drum a beach-sand white color. When it comes out, well, let's just say it comes out a different color." "You'd be amazed what your fur goes through on a daily basis," says John Wagner of York Furrier, Elmhurst, Illinois. "Annual cleaning is a necessity in a climate like Chicago. Even just makeup and dust can rob your fur of its luster and sheen. Fur also absorbs smells, such as those coming from your kitchen if your coat closet is nearby. And a fur can get matted just getting in and out of your car. The cleaning and conditioning process revitalizes it." In a climate like California, where people don't wear their furs as often, cleaning and conditioning is still recommended at least every other year. Wanda Presburger of Somper Furs, Beverly Hills, reminds her customers that, "If it's been just hanging in your closet all winter, gathering dust, it's even more important to have it cleaned out so the fur can breathe. Cleaning and glazing replace some of the oils in the leather, so the fur doesn't become stiff."