[Juliet]

I found a 48 star flag in the shed of our new house. It has a few tears and some mildew on it. Who should I take it to for restoration? can I simply take it to a drycleaners and then fix the tears myself? I am not sure what proper etiquet would be.

[american_flag_uk]

if i were you- i would repair the flag first and then hand wash it in the sink/ bath in warm water and a hand washing detergent, then let it soak for a while- then dry it thoroughly by draping it over a clothes airer- or over a washing line -avoid pegging at one edge on the washing line as it may stretch the material- drape the flag over the line widthways then just peg to secure- then make sure it dries thoroughly before your fold it- to avoid mildew.

machine washing may not be a good option (depending on on your sewing skills) - and also with those older flags you never know if they are colorfast or not.

any pictures of the flag?