MILITARY UNIFORM PRESERVATION

information from Mr. Jay Graybeal, head curator from Army Heritage
Education Center, Carlisle Barracks, PA 717-245-3419
Compiled by Caroline Shaeffer, 7/20/15
1) check uniform periodically for pests most common ones are
moths and carpet beetles; if you find any, gently vacuum them
with brush accessory of vacuum; DO NOT use mothballs (pests
can damage the uniform)
2) go on-line to read about TEXTILE STORAGE. You will want to
purchase a textile archival box to store the pants and jacket as
well as hat together lying flat. Companies they use include
Gaylord, Universal, or Hollinger and dont recommend one over
another. Any will work.
3) Make sure the uniform is dry and not mildewed before
preserving. Use acid-free tissue which is PH neutral to roll up in
the sleeves and puff up in the coat area.
4) If the hat has a plastic liner, it sometimes gets sticky or tacky if it
has been stored in a damp environment. The cooler you can
keep it, the better.
5) Isolate any weapons such as bayonets from the uniform. If there
are already pins on the coat, its your choice whether to leave
them on or not. If you take them off to let the coat dry, its wise
to take a photo first of how they were placed on the uniform in
order to re-apply them later.
6) Store uniform in main floor of house such as on a closet shelf. 70
degrees is ideal with 50% humidity. Basements and attics are
NOT good storage areas for uniforms.
7) You can check with local historical museums to see if you could
order supplies necessary from them if they order in bulk.