Carrot Top

Inspect your flag regularly for signs of wear, especially for thread breaks in the “fly” end. Trimming off and re-hemming torn or frayed ends will help extend the life of your flag.

The U.S. Government generally expects a nylon or cotton bunting flag to last approximately 90 days, based on daily usage from sunrise to sunset. Periods of inclement weather will shorten this lifespan. In some cases a flag flown 24 hours a day will last only 1/4 as long as one flown during the daylight hours only.

Good care can greatly prolong a flag’s lifespan, so be sure to regularly clean your flag.

To keep rich colors looking bright, clean your flag regularly. Regular cleaning will stop soiling and discoloration from dirt, smoke, dust and other airborne contaminants from setting into the fabric.

Outdoor flags can be hand-washed with warm water and a mild soap. Do not let the flag stand in water to avoid having the colors bleed into the white stripes.

Professional dry cleaning is recommended for indoor/parade flags. Many dry cleaners will clean flags free of charge when you bring other personal items.

It has been a long standing military custom that the flag be lowered daily at the last note of retreat. When lowering the flag, special care should be taken to ensure no part of the flag touches the ground. The U.S. flag is to be handled with the utmost care and respect.

What shows respect for the flag? I attended a political campaign in 2006 where the candidate talked about how they loved God and our country and supported our military. There were flags flying everywhere. At the end of the rally, a campaign worker took all the flags and wrapped them around their polls as quickly as possible. She stacked the poles on the ground and eventually tossed them into the back of a pickup truck. Bags of garbage and extra signs were placed on top of the flags.

Now, let’s show you the proper way to fold your flag. This custom of special folding is reserved for the United States Flag alone.

To properly fold the Flag, begin by holding it waist-high with another person
so that its surface is parallel to the ground.

Fold the lower half of the stripe section lengthwise over the field of stars,
holding the bottom and top edges securely.

Fold the flag again lengthwise with the blue field on the outside.

Make a triangular fold by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to meet
the open (top) edge of the flag.

Turn the outer (end) point inward, parallel to the open edge, to form a second triangle.

The triangular folding is continued until the entire length of the flag is folded in
this manner.

When the flag is completely folded, only a triangular blue field of stars should
be visible.