Has Anyone Washed a Flag??

[DouglasDwight]

Hi. Does any Forum member have any experience with washing a Third Reich flag, be it at home, or professionally (laundering, or dry cleaning). I'm just curious what might be expected, and what your recommnedations might be.

The flag is not particularly soiled, really just light surface soiling, and maybe some "browning" to the white field.

Thanks in advance.

[oldflagswanted]

IMO leave it alone ...

Hi. Does any Forum member have any experience
with washing a Third Reich flag... flag is not particularly
soiled, really just light surface soiling, and maybe some
"browning" to the white field. Thanks in advance.

Hello DD:
IMO leave it alone, especially since you say it "is not
particularly soiled", as such nothing really to be gained
by risking non-color fastness bleeding, or making the
fabric weak or stiff, and suffering a number of other
hard to predict washing result malidies. But in the
final analysis it is your item to do with what you like.
..........

[DouglasDwight]

Thanks for the info, Old Flags. I'm worried about the color fastness, as you mentioned.

[Chet Sowersby]

Doug,
A few years ago I purchase a veheical flag here off our e-stand. Man, it was so damn dirty that I washed in 'Woolite". Of course it lites up like a neon light now but it is clean.

Chet

[DouglasDwight]

Did the blood red color of the flag run, Chet?

[thatswar1944]

omg i'd never wash my flag i just love the smell of it when i take it out the frame it's in to clean the glass..
wayne

[Chet Sowersby]

Doug,
I washed it in cold water and the color did not run.

Chet

[DouglasDwight]

Thanks, Chet. Appreciate the info.

[Adam S.]

I'd leave it too. My philosophy: "You can always restore something but you can never un-restore it."

[Erich B.]

I hand washed a poor condition flag years ago in Woollite in room temperature water, and it came out much better and less brittle. Woollite doesn't contain phosphates, so it didn't affect the UV reaction; it didn't glow before the wash nor after.
Erich

[Richard]

So how did Chet's experience with Woolite cause his flag to glow? Chet, did you check to see if the flag glowed before you washed it?
Richard v

[LandZack2013]

I would never wash my flags, phosphates or not. Color fastness is my first concern, than if phosphates were in fact present, it would compromise your selling power.. Just my humble opinion!

[DouglasDwight]

Appreciate the comments, gents.

Many good points. Color fastness would be my concern as well. But AdMan brings up a very good "philosophy.'"Generally what I adhere to as well.

As for wether it glows or not, in my mind, real is real, and glow or no-glow is but what one possible indication of originality. I actually think it's one of the least reliable ways for determing authencity...but that might be a whole other thread!

[Steelman]

Well, i wash a well used faded flag, and i was happy with the result....
But i won't do it again.

I used wool detergent, cold water and little by little.

My concern was the bad smell of the flag, it's was something like

[Chet Sowersby]

Richard,
No I did not blacklight before hand. Didn't think about it at the time as it was in horribly dirty. I was just very happy with the results.

Chet