dry cleaning
- Thread starter Dragon
- Start date
Hi Mario and Eric,
I have had some very bad experiances with dry cleaning of wool garments (not uniforms), it depends on the quality of your dry cleaner. I have a friend who had several hundred uniforms damaged in a flooded basement, and dry cleaning was the only way that some of the were successfully salvaged, but for a uniform that is just a bit dirty, I would not dry clean, as the chance of damage is too great, and even if it is not actually damaged, the cleaning process can not be good for the longterm condition of the fibers.
Gus
I have had some very bad experiances with dry cleaning of wool garments (not uniforms), it depends on the quality of your dry cleaner. I have a friend who had several hundred uniforms damaged in a flooded basement, and dry cleaning was the only way that some of the were successfully salvaged, but for a uniform that is just a bit dirty, I would not dry clean, as the chance of damage is too great, and even if it is not actually damaged, the cleaning process can not be good for the longterm condition of the fibers.
Gus
zipperheads9
New member
I agree with Gus .
I had an Canadian Engineers Frock that was damaged by mould . Laid it out in the Hot Sun for the day. It was still stained but the mould was killed . I had a Dry cleaner look at it . She was one I have used for a long time . She did the coat with great trepadation .
The Chemicals used in most dry cleaners are harmful. try asking a Museum you know how they treat thier Cloth articles.
The Frock Coat was property of a museum i volunteered at.
Mark
I had an Canadian Engineers Frock that was damaged by mould . Laid it out in the Hot Sun for the day. It was still stained but the mould was killed . I had a Dry cleaner look at it . She was one I have used for a long time . She did the coat with great trepadation .
The Chemicals used in most dry cleaners are harmful. try asking a Museum you know how they treat thier Cloth articles.
The Frock Coat was property of a museum i volunteered at.
Mark
timp_be
Member
Why dry cleaning?
I bought almost 10 years ago an important lot from more than 100 uniforms pieces (jackets and pants, mainly belgian and french from the years 1890 - 1915) coming from a costumier. They were very dirty, I whash them in my bath-tub with ordinary wash soap and then let them dry on a clotheshanger. I didn't have any problem and very good results even if my wife was not very happy to see the bath-tub!
So as you can see they were really dirty!
timp_be
I bought almost 10 years ago an important lot from more than 100 uniforms pieces (jackets and pants, mainly belgian and french from the years 1890 - 1915) coming from a costumier. They were very dirty, I whash them in my bath-tub with ordinary wash soap and then let them dry on a clotheshanger. I didn't have any problem and very good results even if my wife was not very happy to see the bath-tub!
So as you can see they were really dirty!
timp_be
timp_be said:
This is good advice fromtimp_be. I have done this myself for several of my tunics that were filthy. Doing it this way has a huge advantage, in that you can control the situation. Once you hand it over to a dry cleaner, you could get a bag or rags back once the old cotton thread disintegrates. I was shown a Feldgrau officer's Litewka that was given to a dry cleaner and this is exactly what happened. All the old weak threads fell apart and the guy was handed a bag of tunic "parts". It had completely come apart.
Chip Minx
New member
For years the now National WWI Museum here in Kansas City has used a specialty cleaner to clean their uniforms. They use some "hand" dry cleaning process. The limitations have seemed to be buttons and brocade lace and cording, which were found to be damaged by the chemicals. I do believe that the long term effects are unknown, though the damage caused by natural contaminants (soot, grime, dust, etc.) being in the cloth are well known.
My own feeling is that pieces that are in good condition have lasted this long without a cleaning and so are best left alone other than proper storage.
Chip
My own feeling is that pieces that are in good condition have lasted this long without a cleaning and so are best left alone other than proper storage.
Chip
At the time when these uniforms were cut and sown, people used water and soap to clean them. If you choose this solution nowadays, if it's not better, it will be at least "not worst" than at the time. You can find some very sweet biological washing powder that won't be too aggressive and will contain as few chemicals as possible. Or you can rely on modern techniques and more efficient chemicals. Your item... your risk 
If was told however, that some museums work with pressured air, just like an inversed hoover. The one who saw it say they get an amazing amount of dust out of a shoulder strap, for instance. I don't know if this way of blowing dust & Co. out of cloth a
) is really efficient
b) can be used for all types of items and cloth
Regards
Gilles
If was told however, that some museums work with pressured air, just like an inversed hoover. The one who saw it say they get an amazing amount of dust out of a shoulder strap, for instance. I don't know if this way of blowing dust & Co. out of cloth a
) is really efficient
b) can be used for all types of items and cloth
Regards
Gilles
I find this thread very interesting as I have my father F/O W.E. Lorees' WW2 RCAF dress tunic, pants, hat and great coat. There are white stains on the front of the tunic which I believe were caused by Brasso when he tried to clean up his brass at an advanced age. I have tried a clothing brush on these areas but to no avail. I will try and take some pics. Brian
JohnM
Well-known member
In regards to pressurized air one must be very careful as to where it is applied. You must be very careful aound seam stitches, wear spots and buttons. Weak fabric threads may not take well to being blasted with air causing them to stretch to the breaking point.
One of the things recommended to me and I have used is a high powered computer vacum with a "pipette" attachment. It's very laborious and tedious but multiple passes will clean up lots of grime.
For the Brasso spots I suggest the following:
1) Use a white t-shirt that's been moistened in water and baby shampoo mix and gently dab at the spots.
If you have a large spot you can always try to spot soak the area with the water baby shampoo mixture but be forewarned that unless you quickly dry the area you could get water spots and rings since you are only doing a small area.
John
One of the things recommended to me and I have used is a high powered computer vacum with a "pipette" attachment. It's very laborious and tedious but multiple passes will clean up lots of grime.
For the Brasso spots I suggest the following:
1) Use a white t-shirt that's been moistened in water and baby shampoo mix and gently dab at the spots.
If you have a large spot you can always try to spot soak the area with the water baby shampoo mixture but be forewarned that unless you quickly dry the area you could get water spots and rings since you are only doing a small area.
John
Thanks John:
I will give that process a try. I took some pics on the weekend and will post them shortly. I just hope, that it is Brasso and not some chemical concoction used in the dry cleaning process. I believe, that my parents did have the uniform dry cleaned years ago. The white spots are just on the front of the tunic. There is not a mark on any of the other uniform items. The entire outfit was custom made for him by a Brit taylor in England after he had risen through the ranks and become an "officer and a gentleman".
My father was very proud of his tunic and even in his 80's wanted to have a picture taken of himself in the uniform. Unfortunately, even though he was not excessively overweight, he still was not down to his fighting weight of 140lbs. Consequently, we did not take the pictures. I kick myself now that we did not as he has passed on. Who would have cared if he could not do up the tunic buttons? I read this week that there are 500 Canadian WW2 vets dying everyday. The sad passing of a fighting generation! Brian
I will give that process a try. I took some pics on the weekend and will post them shortly. I just hope, that it is Brasso and not some chemical concoction used in the dry cleaning process. I believe, that my parents did have the uniform dry cleaned years ago. The white spots are just on the front of the tunic. There is not a mark on any of the other uniform items. The entire outfit was custom made for him by a Brit taylor in England after he had risen through the ranks and become an "officer and a gentleman".
My father was very proud of his tunic and even in his 80's wanted to have a picture taken of himself in the uniform. Unfortunately, even though he was not excessively overweight, he still was not down to his fighting weight of 140lbs. Consequently, we did not take the pictures. I kick myself now that we did not as he has passed on. Who would have cared if he could not do up the tunic buttons? I read this week that there are 500 Canadian WW2 vets dying everyday. The sad passing of a fighting generation! Brian
