How to Rejuvinate Canvas Straps, etc ??

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know how to rejuvinate old canvas straps? I've got a few I picked up cheap at the swap meets that are a little "hard and dry" if you know what I mean. Is there something you can soak them in....maybe fabric softner....that might bring them back to life without destroying them or ruining the color? I figure it's smarter to ask you guys first and maybe learn from your mistakes (or success) before I go destroying mine in the process.

thanks,
bob

[ZGjethro]

In googling "canvas care", I found out that they recommend cold water washing with soap. No detergents or solvents. No heated drying. A lot of the sites are boat cover sites and they recommend 303 protecterant, probably for water repellency. It might add some flexibility to the canvas. I think it is a silicone based spray. Hopefully a few more people chime in here. I really do not know anything about canvas care. I replaced my torn and patched canvas top for a beechwood vinyl top a few years ago, and I really like it.

[Rick C]

I used the cold water/soap method on the rear straps from my M43. They were grimy and stiff also. They came out pretty good....a lot cleaner and softer than they were.. I hung mine from the floor joists near my furnace fora few day to dry them out slowly to avoid shrinkage

[WarrenD]

I have bought a fair amount of Vietnam stuff from Moore Militaria. Trey Moore is very knowledgable about all things Nam and when I asked him how to clean the web gear (cotton, same as the straps) he said the best results he's seen was with Woolite. A little soak with some hand agitation and several rinses with clean water. Hang to dry. Cool water seems best, hot will shrink. I've had decent luck with that, not sure if the stuff got any softer though but it was cleaner.

[mike_l]

Yep, I also wash mine in a bucket with Woolite and cold water. Rinse well and hang to dry a few days. After they are dry, I give them a Canvak coating as I do with all my outdoor canvas. I just did this with some fuel can straps and it made a remarkable difference.

[k8icu]

I would only add that you may want to take a stiff brush...like a finger nail brush...and brush the starps to get the heavy caked in dirt off first. Then cool water and mild soap. Woolite is good. Deluted Dawn will work well also. Then hang and let them dry slowly in a location that isn't near a heat source. Just like with leather you don't want it to dry quickly. Then canvac or some other type of sealent. Camp boot or is it boot camp by Kiwi is a good product too. Avoid silicone. Silicone is made from salt. It will abraid your canvas and cause it to break down.

[w30bob]

Great info guys....thanks. I've got an old set of straps I'm going to give the woolite or dawn and water treatment in a few minutes. I'll need a little help with "canvac" though. Don't know what that is. A Google search only came up with canvac being a rabies vaccine. Is that the brand name or slang for something?

thanks,
bob