Dry-cleaning old uniforms

[johntaylor]

I have a number of old military uniforms which are generally in a good state of repair but with some moth damage.  My wife says the best way to deal with this is to have them dry-cleaned to kill any eggs or larvae, before then putting them away in sealed storage.

 

My question is whether dry-cleaning is likely to do any harm to such old fabric?  Has anyone done this before, and is there any advice on the issue of cleaning please?

 

Many thanks, John 

[Dave66]

We have, like many, had a problem with moths. And if I suspect anything live on any new purchase I double wrap it in plastic bags and put it in the freezer for a month to kill the eggs. Not sure I'd trust the dry cleaning chemicals though.

 

Rapid rise of clothes moths threatens historic fabrics http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-39504494

 

Dave.

[Beechhill]

Don't forget that dry cleaning isn't dry! I'd go with Dave's freezer. 

[scottmarchand]

it's not a great idea to dry clean fabrics like this. Vacuum all the seams, pockets etc. inside and out to remove and debris that might harbour eggs. You can hand wash with woolite -these things were cleaned in service they are not that fragile. The freeze needs to go below -30C to effectively kill eggs, for at least 2 weeks. Ideally do a series of freeze thaw cycles, 2-3 times as most home freezers don't get that cold. Do a series with the clothes inside out. You can put some mothballs in the bag in the freezer and in the thaw cycle too. Napthalene is very effective at killing larvae and eggs. These larvae do not eat wool itself, but rather the proteins on the wool from, sweat in particular, so clean wool is unattractive to pests like moths. Also, don't store in plastic but use a cotton bag, or loose in an airy closet. Periodically get them in the light and air things out. Dark, warm slightly humid places an dirty fabrics are what the larvae love. 

[johntaylor]

Hi, many thanks for these thoughts which are very helpful.  Unfortunately I don't think the freezing method will work - one of the items is an army greatcoat which simply won't fit. There are also tunics and trousers which wouldn't leave room for much else so I can't freeze them for weeks on end.

 

Interesting point about storage - could you tell me why cotton bags are better than plastic please?  I would have thought moths would eat the cotton given half a chance, though I guess not if they're eating the sweat rather than the fibres. 

 

John

[seaJane]

Plastic encourages condensation, cotton "breathes". Wrapping in acid-free tissue paper would help.

 

If you have not enough room in a freezer, do you have a friendly local butcher who would lend you some space?

[Michael Haselgrove]

John,

Here are a couple of websites that might interest you?

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/cleaning-textiles/index.html

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/learn/conservation/collections-advice--guidance/clothes_moth_prevention_and_control_guideline1.pdf

Regards,

Michael.

[scottmarchand]

As SeaJane noted - plastic creates micro-environments that are not always best for the object. You could get a large bin bag and place a number of moth balls in a smaller mesh bag and seal it up for a few weeks, turn things inside out and do it again. The napathalene will do the trick. Make sure to do the vacuuming both before and after the treatment. Freezing is not effective unless you can achieve the low temps for long durations.

[Dave66]

For prevention I tend to use I tend to use rentokil moth cassettes, just place one in the draw or a couple in wardrobe and renew every six months....I also use cedar cubes as the smell acts as a deterrent to prevent the blighters returning.

 

https://www.rentokil.co.uk/moths/diy-products/#clothes-moth-killer-cassettes

[johntaylor]

This is all really helpful and the V&A link is brilliant, so many thanks for this.  My feelings are that vacuuming and mothballs are good, freezing would be brilliant but probably not feasible (we've more or less turned veggie so trying to avoid the butcher's!)  The good thing is I'm not planning to display the items so once clean they can be sealed away, probably in plastic crates where they won't be so vulnerable to moths, though obviously that raises other issues.

 

Thanks again, John

 

 

 

 

[mancpal]

Cedar wood has a great reputation as a moth/bug repellent though I understand that a couple of times a year it is recommended that you lightly sand the surface to refresh the aroma.

If you've got stacks of money I'd suggest solid cedar furniture!

[scottmarchand]

I wouldn't rely on cedar, it has a limited effect under ideal conditions. People tend to put clean clothes into cedar chests and draw the wrong conclusion about efficacy

 

.https://www.colonialpest.com/does-cedar-repel-clothes-moths/

[johntaylor]

We've tried cedar blocks in our normal clothes, and their ragged state confirms that we need something more powerful.  The good thing about vintage uniforms is that it doesn't matter if they smell of mothballs - unlike ordinary clothes, since there's nothing worse than smelling like a wacky old aunt (or uncle).

 

Thanks again, John

 

 

[Chasemuseum]

A number of organizations use chest freezers dedicated to the purpose. They tend to get a bit colder than the freezer compartment of a conventional upright fridge. As the door is on the top they hold cold air better than an ordinary fridge which tends to have all the cold air "fall out" every time the freezer door is opened. By dedicating it to uniforms and leather, there is no problem with contaminating food and vis-a-versa. Typically it will only be opened every process cycle so without regular opening it is much more energy efficient. As its not being used for food it can be in the garage or workshop or anywhere that power is available - rather than occupying valuable kitchen space.

 

Moths do not eat cotton, hence the value of cotton/calico bags. However silverfish will eat through cotton.  Storage areas are best with stable temperature and humidity. This dramatically reduces the problems of cloth and leather sweating in storage, which really helps kick start rot and mould.  Dehumidifiers are also useful, mine is arranged with a drain to waste water outside the building, its a lot easier than having to empty the capture tank every few days (Sydney can have dreadful humidity, there was a time when I was extracting up to 20L/week from the air in two mid size display rooms.)

 

Strongly support gentle hand wash with a wool soft wash product, followed by air drying in good natural ventilation. Must not wash leather, dry soft brush. If necessary there are some leather moisturising products but they all have some negative properties and it comes back to balancing conservation compromises.

 

Careful vacuuming of pockets and if possible linings. Soldiers often had food and tobacco in their pockets. The residues are like magnets to moth and silverfish.

 

Good luck

Ross 

[johntaylor]

Brilliant advice Ross, many thanks.

 

John