How To Keep Your American Flag Fresh and Bright for the 4th of July
Posted by Hayley Adams on Jun 23rd 2022
The 4th of July is among us and many flag owners want to make sure their American flag is clean and beautiful!
Luckily, cleaning an outdoor American flag is a fairly simple process, but there are some specific things to consider that will help keep your flag looking its best this 4th of July.
How Often Should I Clean My Flag?
As a general rule, flag owners will want to wash their flags when the stripes begin looking dingy, if the flag has greasy or rusty looking areas where the flag has been rubbing the flagpole, or if the flag has otherwise become soiled.
However, the environmental exposure can be different for all flags and that can play a major role in its maintenance schedule. Note that cleaning your flag will not always restore the flag to the original color, so flag owners should use their best judgment to choose a cleaning regimen based on the weather and debris their flag is exposed to.
The Cleaning Process
Here are the steps for cleaning an all-weather American flag made of nylon or our RePatriot flag.
- Inspect the flag for tatters on the fly end and make repairs before cleaning
- Use a brush to remove any loose layers of dirt.
- Place it in the washing machine without any other articles of clothing.
- Put a mild detergent in (no softeners!).
- Wash on cold and use your delicate cycle.
- Don’t put it in the dryer! Instead, hang it to dry or lay it flat on a table. Wrinkles can be removed with a cool iron.
Here are the steps for cleaning a flag made of wool or cotton.
- Shake your flag gently to remove any loose layers of dirt.
- Fill a tub or large plastic container with lukewarm water and a standard amount of oxygen-based bleach.
- Place the flag under the water and let it soak. Leave it for 4 hours or longer, depending on how dirty it is.
- Once satisfied, rinse the flag in cold water.
- Again, hang it or lay it flat to dry. If there are wrinkles, use a hot iron to get them out.
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