Your team is asked to present the colors at a game outside and there’s a chance of rain. What do you do?
Flag Material Types
- Nylon – a common and inexpensive material that most colors are made of. Weather resistant.
- Polyester – Similar to nylon, can look better. Weather resistant.
- Rayon – and any blend with Rayon, is expensive and looks the best. Do not expose this material to any inclement weather at all.
Rain, Rain, Go Away…
There is no published guidance. It is up to you. As a suggestion to you, I offer the following:
- There ceremony is about to begin, and the skies open up. Don’t present the colors.
- The ceremony begins, the team is marching into place and the skies open up. On with the show and continue to present the colors.
- Safety always. If there is lightning within 5 miles, it would probably be best not to present the colors or hold the game.
Recovery after Presenting in the Rain
If the ceremony starts, your team marches out and you and the flags get a little wet or soaked, as soon as you return to where you store your flags, unfurl and hang them up right away like in the image below:
Smooth the flags out and allow them to drip dry until completely dry. If the flag must be used before completely dry, try not to let the flag hang while the staff is vertical for very long and never allow a flag to dry while the staff is vertical, or it will dry out of shape and there’s not much that can be done for a flag in this condition.
The flag below is draped over a hanger. The header end, the end with the staff sleeve, is square, but the rest of the flag is completely out of shape because it was allowed to dry while the staff to which it was attached, was left vertical while the flag dried.
Flag Cleaning Procedures
Yes, flags can be cleaned, including professionally dry cleaned, but the process depends on the fabric and how badly it has been damaged.
First, determine whether the flag is nylon, polyester, cotton, rayon, or silk. Annin Flagmakers recommends professional dry cleaning for indoor and parade flags. Some nylon and polyester flags can be washed with cool water and mild detergent, but I would not recommend washing a ceremonial flag with embroidery or fringe without consulting the manufacturer.
For flags that have developed mold:
- Dry the flag completely. If it is still damp, carefully spread it out in a dry, ventilated location away from people. Never fold or case a wet flag.
- Assess the mold damage. Mold can weaken the fibers, so scrubbing, washing, or aggressive handling may cause additional damage.
- Consult a professional cleaner. Tell them the flag has mold and ask whether they can safely treat that particular fabric. For expensive organizational or ceremonial colors, I would consult the manufacturer or a textile conservator first.
- Avoid bleach, household mold removers, and aggressive stain treatments. These can damage the fabric, dyes, and embroidery.
Color bleeding is a separate problem. If red or blue dye has already transferred to another portion of the flag, cleaning may not reverse it. Additional washing could make the bleeding worse. A professional (Professor Flag) should assess the dye stability before treatment.
The Smithsonian cautions that mold can weaken textile fibers and that aggressive cleaning can cause additional damage. The Canadian Conservation Institute confirms that some mold stains are permanent, even after the mold itself has been removed.
If the flag is historically significant or particularly expensive, preservation should take priority over attempting to remove every stain. The best prevention is to remove flags from their cases immediately after exposure to rain, dry them completely while flat, inspect them, and only then return them to storage.
One additional point: rayon organizational colors deserve particular caution. These flags can have embroidered insignia, fringe, and multiple materials with different cleaning requirements. A recommendation appropriate for an ordinary outdoor nylon flag may be entirely unsuitable for an expensive ceremonial color.
There is a difference between a flag that has been properly cleaned and stabilized from one that remains suitable for ceremonial presentation. Cleaning may eliminate contamination without restoring the flag’s appearance. That is an equipment-serviceability judgment, rather than a flag-etiquette prohibition.
Sources for your reference
- Annin Flagmakers: Flag Care and Repair. Manufacturer guidance on washing, dry cleaning, and preventing dye transfer.
- Canadian Conservation Institute: Mould Growth on Textiles. Procedures for isolating, drying, and evaluating mold-damaged fabric.
- Canadian Conservation Institute: Testing for Colourfastness. Explains why unstable dyes require special treatment.
- American Legion: Flag Care FAQs. Confirms that the U.S. Flag Code does not prohibit washing or dry cleaning.
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