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Flag Cleaning- To Do or Not to Do is the Question


Mitter2k1
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I have a bit of dilemma. I just inherited the burial flag from my grandfather's funeral and was wondering if there was a way that I can get the cigarette smell out of it. Are they safe to dry clean since there is some yellowing to the the stars? The flag in particular is around 6 years old and is a 100% cotton flag made by All Season's Apparel Co. I would really like to have it cleaned before I have it placed in a flag display case.

 

Thanks,

Michael

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I don't believe there is anything you can do about the yellowing. However a good way of getting that all too typical cigarette smell is to air it out outside or in a well ventilated room, then when you store it place 3 or 4 of those cedar chip bags around it. They will absorb the remaining smoke smell over time.

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Cobra 6 Actual

One other thing you might consider is that several companies make "flag bags" or "flag cases". These are triangular shaped cloth cases with a blue background and white stars that hold a flag for display in one of those wooden cases that have the glass fronts: your original flag is protected from any further fading and the flag bags look great inside the wooden cases.

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I had a flag that had been hanging on the wall of a junk shop. It was yellowed and dirty. I soaked it in OxiClean and it came out great! Seems I have heard others recommend the product.

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I am worried about the colorfastness of a burial flag vs. other cotton flags. Were they made to be used outdoors on a pole or just for the funeral service and then to be display by whoever received it?

 

Thanks for the info so far everyone. I just want to do it right since it was my grandfathers.

 

Thanks again,

Mike

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Cobra 6 Actual

Free advice:

 

Heritage Preservation. Inc., a national, nonprofit organization, works to preserve Americas collective heritage. We gather and share with the public information from respected preservation professionals on caring for historic documents and artifacts, works of art, and family heirlooms. Here are some safe ways the experts recommend to keep a flag, or any sort of textile, as a family treasure:

 

Storage

 

Store the flag you want to preserve in a dark place. Bright light, especially sunlight, causes fading and deterioration of fabrics. Avoid very humid places and rooms where temperatures vary a great deal. Store your flag where you have sufficient access to inspect it for pest or mildew damage at least once a year. Garages, basements, and attics are probably the worst places to store textiles because these risks are high. The crisp official fold is appropriate for a flag in regular use, but prolonged storage will lead to permanent creases. If you dont have room to store the flag flat, there are some options. One is to use acid-free tissue paper, or clean, unbleached cotton cloth to fill out the folds. Another alternative is to roll the flag on a tube of acid-free material; do not use cardboard or wood, both of which are likely to be acidic.

 

In fact, it is important to avoid storing your flag in contact with wood. Be sure to line the storage drawer with a polyester film or other inert material, or wrap the rolled-up flag in a cover of unbleached cotton or some other acid-neutral material. Dont use pesticides or mothballs. They contain chemicals that are harmful to fabrics.

 

Cleaning

 

Minimize washing or cleaning flags or other textiles you want to keep. If your flag is very old, more than 30 years, you should not wash or dry clean it except with the advice of a professional conservator. The only appropriate cleaning method for old flags is vacuuming gently (on low suction) using a brush attachment covered by a clean piece of cheesecloth. It is best not to contact the flag with a brush that has been used for other cleaning, and the cheesecloth will prevent tears and snags. Vacuum a fabric by gently patting the surface as if you were blotting it.

 

New flags should be clean when they are stored. Depending on the type of material, the flag can be washed gently by hand using a mild soap.

 

Display

 

Of course you may wish to display an heirloom flag occasionally. Be sure not to leave it in bright sunlight for long, and if it is fragile, make sure that it is supported. Do not hang the flag so that its full weight is pulling the fastenings.

 

These guidelines are based on the text of Caring for Your Family Treasures(Abrams, New York, 2000), a book produced by Heritage Preservation, Inc. with the advice of top conservators. The guidelines are general in nature.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

And, this is what those cloth flag storage cases look like:

 

post-159798-0-65814500-1449887869.jpeg

 

There is a zipper on the back to insert your original flag. Once placed is a triangular wooden storage/display case it appears to be an actual flag.

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I like that bag idea. It seems the best bet is dry cleaning, so I may call around and see what they say.

 

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

-Mike

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My father's business was dry cleaning. He started it up after he got back from his service in the Air Force during the Korean War....and kept it for decades.

 

He always dry cleaned US flags for free, as a public service.

 

Your flag should clean well.....it may or may not address the yellowing that you describe....but if it doesn't, there is probably another way...

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Good advice above, and I'll add my two bits worth. A flag as new as 6 years or so shouldn't be a problem. On the other hand, last year I took a very large 48 star flag to the dry cleaners to clean. They tested a bit of the flag, found that the color might run, and wouldn't clean the flag. So, in your case, ask your dry cleaners to test the flag before cleaning it.

 

Now, I'll go out on a limb on this, but if the flag was made to fly outside, and such would be a burial flag, I can't see any harm in a cold water bath. After all, flags get rained on all the time and don't run.

 

Steve

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Well I took it to the dry cleaner and there is some bad news. I had them check the colorfastness prior to proceeding with cleaning and they said that it would bleed horribly and likely ruin the flag. Thankfully they actually did it and notified me afterwards. So it will have to live out the rest of its days partially dingy with a cigarette smell.

 

Thanks again for the info everyone.

 

-Mike

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