Cleaning Patches

[bsrsakima39]

Hi! I recently aquired a large quantity of patches from the 60's and 70's. A number of them have some dirt caked on them. Any tips on cleaning them with out causing any damage? Thanks!

[Kahuna]

You first need a good enzyme cleaner that you can soak them in. Years ago, these were sold in supermarkets, but now you have to go on line to get them. Patches from the eras you have can safely be soaked in these. Overnight usually. You can use a toothbrush on heavy stains. Another cleaner you can use is called K2R. It sprays on, sits until dry and then is gently brushed off. Some use Oxy Clean to soak them. Once they're soaked, rinse them, dry as much as possible with a towel, lay flat and let them dry. You will generally find that they are limp and sometimes misshaped after cleaning, but you can use spray starch and an iron to straighten them out. Some of the backings that are used for uniform mounting will work, too.

 

Don't try this with the older felt patches. Good luck.

 

Edited to add: I just went on line to price some of the cleaners and boy are they expensive. Probably I would try Oxy Clean first. Maybe others will have suggestions.(This message has been edited by kahuna)

[bsrsakima39]

Thanks, Kahuna! I tried some OxyClean today and it worked really well. I appreciate the advice!

[Kahuna]

Great. Glad it helped.