How to Care for Old Military Uniforms
Antique military uniforms are a rare piece of history. If you have an old uniform, preserving the piece is important. Caring for antique military uniforms involves time and work, but you will have a family heirloom for future generations to appreciate
Items needed:
- Buckets
- Borax
- Towels
- Storage container
- Acid-free paper
Instructions:
- Examine the uniform's fabric. Look at the jacket, shirt, pants, hat, scarf and any accessories. In most cases, the jacket, pants, hat and scarf will be made of wool, while the shirt will be constructed from cotton fabric.
- Check the uniform's notions. This includes items such as zippers, buttons and other closures. Make sure each piece is functioning properly.
- Take any wool parts of the uniform to a dry cleaner. Contact the dry cleaner ahead of time to find out if they offer services for antique apparel. Expect to pay a higher rate due to the value and rarity of the uniform.
- Hand wash the cotton garments. Prepare two buckets of warm water. Add one cup of Borax to one of the buckets. Agitate the water to help the Borax dissolve. Carefully dip the cotton item in and out of the bucket with the Borax. Be gentle and do not scrub the garment. Rinse by dipping the garment in and out of the bucket with plain water. Lay the cotton piece on a flat surface covered by a clean towel to dry.
- Prepare a container to store the military uniform. Make sure the container is large enough to hold the uniform with minimal folding. The container should be sturdy and airtight. Archival boxes made for storage purposes are available.
- Line the storage container with acid-free paper. Place the uniform in the box. Try to lay the uniform as flat as possible. Place the lid on the container and store the uniform in an area with a moderate, steady temperature and low humidity.