Cleaning Tunics & fabric
Hi Fred,
NICE TUNIC!!!! You tunic is absolutely gorgeous and well worth conserving. I highly recommend cleaning our treasures. Dirt and "stuff" destroys the fabric and its fibers. If it remains uncleaned, it will simply disintegrate over time.
Please remember that the fabric is in fact dry, brittle and permeated with "stuff" that literally eats away at the fibers.
I would suggest multiple "light" cleanings. First, I'd fill a large bucket or similar container filled with luke warm water and a touch of "soft" detergent made for fragile fabrics. Stir it all up AND THEN add the tunic. Let it soak for a 1/2 day. Keep an frequent eye on it and gently move the tunic around every hour or so. Observe the eagle & other fabric to see how its holding up.
Then, take it to a private washing machine and include a few soft, large bath towels. Use the delicate cycle and add 1 cup of the same detergent. Please don't let the tunic go to "spin cycle". It could tear it apart. Repeat the process until clean. Please do not let it dry yet. Continue to observe how its holding up.
After cleaning, place in dryer with bath towels and use light/low heat. Repeat process if necessary. Don't dry out completely. When just a tad/very lightly damp, place it on a hanger and leave in a dry, aired room.
This is just a suggestion and not direction. However, after decades of collecting, I have found that this process has worked well for me.
Happy Holidays!
Hi Fred,
NICE TUNIC!!!! You tunic is absolutely gorgeous and well worth conserving. I highly recommend cleaning our treasures. Dirt and "stuff" destroys the fabric and its fibers. If it remains uncleaned, it will simply disintegrate over time.
Please remember that the fabric is in fact dry, brittle and permeated with "stuff" that literally eats away at the fibers.
I would suggest multiple "light" cleanings. First, I'd fill a large bucket or similar container filled with luke warm water and a touch of "soft" detergent made for fragile fabrics. Stir it all up AND THEN add the tunic. Let it soak for a 1/2 day. Keep an frequent eye on it and gently move the tunic around every hour or so. Observe the eagle & other fabric to see how its holding up.
Then, take it to a private washing machine and include a few soft, large bath towels. Use the delicate cycle and add 1 cup of the same detergent. Please don't let the tunic go to "spin cycle". It could tear it apart. Repeat the process until clean. Please do not let it dry yet. Continue to observe how its holding up.
After cleaning, place in dryer with bath towels and use light/low heat. Repeat process if necessary. Don't dry out completely. When just a tad/very lightly damp, place it on a hanger and leave in a dry, aired room.
This is just a suggestion and not direction. However, after decades of collecting, I have found that this process has worked well for me.
Happy Holidays!
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