Cleaning of bayern brocade belts

[Paul C]

I have two brocade belts; one is the standard dress and the other is the dress sash. They are both very dark and dirty. I would like to clean them but I have no idea how to do this. Any suggestions?

[GeorgeCL]

Hi Paul,

I have the same problem with some Imp. Russian brocade.

Everyone I have asked said leave it alone..more harm than good...

George

[Les]

Hi Paul,

I have the same problem with some Imp. Russian brocade.

Everyone I have asked said leave it alone..more harm than good...

George

George, Paul....

If the belts are like mine, the top surface is silk and wire, and the body-side layer cotton twill or something very much like it. Wet the cotton underside and it may shrink. Wet the silk, and it will buckle, warp, and probably tear/rip/break. Dirt goes all the way to the core of metallic thread and there's really no good way to attempt cleaning the flat strip part of the belt, let alone the tassles. Even if you got the flat part of the belt clean, the tassles could not be cleaned at home using "home methods."

The mixture of three materials on the outside (silk, metallic thread/wire, and cotton) in combination are a potential nightmare to clean. Then there's the inner stiffening which could be heavy buckram or if sueded leather, not something you want to get wet at all.

Outside of some very careful and limited hand sponging with a slightly moistened sponge or cloth done a little bit at a time, home methods are going to mess the belts up. Having them cleaned professionally (not commerical dry-cleaning, but museum type restoration and cleaning methods) would cost you more than the items are worth if you bought ones in almost pristine condition.

Geroge is right on target, let it alone.

Les

[Paul C]

Well you have convinced me. I will leave it as is.