Washing, storing American flag

Q: How do I best care for and store my American flag? A: Most flags

used by consumers are washable, but as the fiber content varies from flag to flag, different methods of care may be recommended. Additionally, some dry cleaners offer to clean the American flag for free.

If you decide to wash a flag at home, be sure to test all trims and painted designs as well as each of the colors for colorfastness by applying a dab of detergent to a cotton ball or swab and rubbing each area. Also, check the seams and look for rips and tears to be mended before cleaning.

When storing the flag, roll it in a tube or fold it, placing tissue between each fold, and put it in a box or storage container. The flag should be stored in an area free of insects, moisture and excessive temperatures.

Q: I just bought a great new pair of jeans, but they were a bit pricey. Can you offer me some advice to keep my “investment” looking its best?

A: Denim’s cotton fiber content and unique twill weave make it strong, durable and responsive to both laundering and dry cleaning. The two most common problems with denim are shrinkage and color failure.

Relaxation shrinkage can occur on the first washing; progressive shrinkage can continue each time a garment is washed. Purchasing your denim garments a little big may keep shrinkage from becoming burdensome.

Color failure is more likely to occur on dark-colored denims than light-colored ones. The care instructions are the biggest clue as to whether a denim garment will bleed: If a label is marked “guaranteed to bleed,” “cold water wash” or “wash separately,” you should be prepared to accept color changes and bleeding.

To prevent streaking, it is beneficial to underload the machine so the jeans do not rub against themselves or other items in the load. Some labels recommend hand washing, but this is not practical because of the size and weight of the item.

It is important to remove the moisture from the pants so they will dry evenly. Although it may be tempting, do not wring or twist the pants; this can cause streaks. Some manufacturers recommend washing the jeans inside out, but this benefit becomes a moot point when you have to pull the wet legs right-side out before drying, which can cause dye streaking.

Additionally, jeans with some trim (crystals or hand embroidering) may be better off processed in a front-load, large-capacity machine that has milder agitation than a top-loading home washer with an agitator in the center.

Q: One of my windows has a leak in it, and now there is a huge water stain on my custom-made drapes. How can I safely clean the drapes?

A: Cleaning drapes can be tricky. If you have water damage or rings on your drapes, the only way to get them out is with water. Thus, the drapes may require extensive wet-side stain removal, which can adversely affect the overall color, sheen and texture in the area. Otherwise, the drapes may require wet cleaning, which may shrink them and change their appearance.

In most cases, material is not pre-shrunk or stabilized before it is used to make drapes. When cleaned, the material relaxes and shrinkage occurs. For this reason, most drapes and other household fabrics (comforters, pillow shams, tablecloths, furniture covers, etc.) have an allowable 2 percent to 4 percent shrinkage. This may not sound like a big deal, but if you have custom-made drapes, three to four inches in shrinking can be disastrous.

I suggest you talk to a dry cleaner about possible side effects before cleaning. If shrinkage occurs, many cleaners have specialized drapery presses that can safely stretch the material to recapture some of the shrinkage.

Chris Allsbrooks is an affiliate board member and spokeswoman for the FabriCare Foundation. She has 13 years’ experience as a textile analyst in the International Textile Analysis Laboratory of the International Fabricare Institute in Laurel.