Cleaning A Mid-Century Seabag Without Damaging It?

October 2, 2013 8:16 AM

I came across my late father's Navy seabag in the garage, where it has been sitting for at least 40 years. It was issued to him in the late 50s or early 60s and appears to be plain canvas. (I understand newer ones are plastic-lined.) I'd like to clean the bag and bring it inside the house for use. How can I clean 40 years of garage dust and crud from the bag without damaging it, particularly his stenciled name on the exterior?
posted by entropicamericana to Grab Bag (11 answers total)

Those things are built to last. I'd take it to a laundromat and throw it in the biggest washer they have with mild detergent and cold water.

Then let it dry in the sun.

If you're mildly concerned, consult a dry cleaner, but my Dad's army duffel is from the '50s and he still has it (although my Mom refuses to let him use it anymore.)
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:56 AM on October 2, 2013

Brush it with a bristled brush to remove actual crud and then have it dry cleaned if you don't want to just launder it.
posted by DarlingBri at 8:57 AM on October 2, 2013

I had one of those from my Navy days and I think it would do fine in a big washing machine.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 8:59 AM on October 2, 2013

My dad worked for Pan Am and I inherited extra-cool white canvas flight bags, also stored in a garage for 40 years.

I went to my local laundromat -- they have what they call a "dry cleaning machine" which is not the same, apparently, as a washing machine. Anyway, the bags are cleaner (with some residual clean dirt) and the insignias/insignii? are perfectly intact.
posted by thinkpiece at 9:37 AM on October 2, 2013

Response by poster: Do you know if the dry cleaning machine that laundromat used is different than a dry cleaning machine at a traditional dry cleaner?
posted by entropicamericana at 9:39 AM on October 2, 2013

Drycleaning machines typically use a waterless chlorinated solvent. Dichloromethane and tetrachloroethylene are both used. Depending on what the stensil is, the drycleaning solvent might dissolve it. Some plastics and paints are very vulnerable to it. Almost all common cloth dyes are fine, but (some) paints are not.
posted by bonehead at 9:49 AM on October 2, 2013

I have to say, I don't think I've ever seen the machine at my (NYC) dry cleaner's, so no help there. The machine at the laundromat was taller, but looked darned similiar to, a washing machine. Folks use it for coats, rugs, down quilts, upholstered pieces, etc.
posted by thinkpiece at 9:54 AM on October 2, 2013

Brush thoroughly, air out in the sun and fresh air. A spin in a hot laundromat dryer should help kill any mildew. I find that newspaper gets rid of smells pretty well, so stuff it with crumpled newspaper and maybe put it in a box with more newspaper. Herbs like lavender are nicer than chemicals like febreeze, but I have used Febreeze along with newspaper to make old luggage smell neutral. If it needs more than that, check to see what shape it's in. If it's in good shape, drycleaning should be okay. nice find.
posted by theora55 at 10:05 AM on October 2, 2013

Response by poster: When you guys say brush, what sort of brush should I use? A whisk broom?
posted by entropicamericana at 10:17 AM on October 2, 2013

I am picturing something more like a shoeshine brush? Like a half-length push broom without a handle.
posted by elizardbits at 10:27 AM on October 2, 2013

Yeah, a stiff-ish bristle brush. This is the kind of thing that gets used for suits and similar fabric, but an old-school nail brush or scrubbing brush will do fine here.
posted by holgate at 11:28 AM on October 2, 2013