CARE AND PRESERVATION OF CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
=1276. General.= A soldier's clothing and equipment are issued to him
by his government for certain purposes, and he has, therefore, no
right to be in any way careless or neglectful of them.
The importance that the Government attaches to the proper care and
preservation of the soldier's clothing and equipment, is shown by the
fact that the matter is made the subject of one of the Articles of
War, the 84th, which prescribes that any soldier who, through neglect,
loses or spoils his arms, clothing or accouterments shall suffer such
punishment as a court-martial may direct.
Clothing
=1277.= Every article of clothing in your hands should receive as much
care and attention as you give your person.
Not only will your clothes last longer if properly cared for, but you
will look neater and better dressed, which will add much to your
military appearance.
Every soldier should have an A-1 whisk broom and no article of
clothing should ever be worn without first being thoroughly brushed.
=1278. Pressing.= Occasional pressing helps to preserve and freshen
clothes,--it puts new life into the cloth.
Blue clothing and woolen olive drab when worn regularly should be
pressed about once a week.
In a company where there is an iron for general use there is no reason
why every soldier should not press his own clothes.
=1279. Chevrons and stripes= can be cleaned by moistening a clean
woolen rag with gasoline and rubbing the parts and then pressing with
a hot iron.
=1280. Leggins.= When soiled, leggins must be washed. If the leggins
are allowed to dry without being rung out, they will look better.
=1281. Service hat and the caps= require nothing but brushing.
Shirts, underwear, socks, etc., should be carefully folded and put
away neatly.
=1282. A special suit of clothing for inspections, parades, etc.= Set
aside your best suit of clothes for inspections, parades and other
ceremonies. The uniform worn at these formations should not be worn
around in the barracks,--every man has sufficient "second best"
garments for barrack use.
=1283. Putting away.= Uniforms should be dried thoroughly, brushed and
properly folded before being put away. The number of folds should be
reduced to a minimum.
Before uniforms are put away they should be carefully examined and any
missing buttons, tears or stains should be attended to at once.
Lockers and other places in which clothing is kept must be free from
dust. They should be wiped off occasionally with a cloth wrung out of
soap suds.
=1284. Stains.= Tailors usually remove stains with a rubber made by
rolling tightly a piece of woolen cloth of some kind, about 2 inches
wide, until the roll is about an inch in diameter.
Rings in removing stains may be avoided by rubbing until very nearly
dry.
=1285. Grease spots.= Ordinarily benzine is a good stain remover in
case of grease spots, but its use is more or less dangerous. It should
be used in an open room or out of doors and never near a fire or
lights.
"Carbona," which can be purchased in almost any drug store, is
excellent for removing stains and it is perfectly safe.
Carbon tetrachloride (Merck's) is much cheaper than "Carbona" and
about equally as good. It retails at 45c a pint at nearly all drug
stores.
Grease spots can also be removed by placing a piece of brown paper,
newspaper, blotting paper or other absorbent paper over the stain, and
pressing with a hot iron.
=1286. Rust or ink stains= can be removed with a solution of oxalic
acid. Apply rapidly and rinse at once with plenty of fresh water; this
is most important--otherwise it will probably discolor the material.
=1287. Sweat stains= can not be removed. However, the color can be
partially restored and the material cleaned with a solution of ammonia
and water--1/3 liquid ammonia, 2/3 water.
=1288. The shine= that is sometimes left from pressing is caused by
leaving the iron on too long or using an iron that is too hot.
This shine, if the cloth is not scorched, can be removed by
"sponging," i. e., by placing a piece of damp muslin cloth on the
material and then applying the iron only long enough to steam the
surface of the garment.
=1289. Grease and oil stains= on white trouser stripes can be removed
with benzine, naptha or gasoline, applied with a stiff nail brush.
Stains of rust and ink can be removed by means of oxalic acid (2
ounces of oxalic acid to 1 pint of water--dissolves quickest in warm
water) applied with cloth or brush, then rinsed thoroughly with plain
water and sponge. After the stripes have dried, apply English
pipe-clay, rubbing with the cake itself; then rub in uniformly with
woolen cloth rubber--rub vigorously--then brush off surplus pipe-clay.
=1290. Paint spots.= Turpentine will take out paint spots.
=1291. Gilt ornaments and gilt buttons= should be polished as often as
necessary in order to keep them fresh and bright. Use a button stick
in cleaning buttons, so as not to soil the cloth.
Shoes
(_Instructions issued by the Quartermaster General's Office, June 16,
1899._)
=1292. General care.= Shoes should at all times be kept polished. By
being so kept they are made more pliable and wear longer.
Shoes must withstand harder service than any other article worn, and
more shoes are ruined through neglect than by wear in actual service.
Proper care should be taken in selecting shoes to secure a proper fit,
and by giving shoes occasional attention much discomfort and complaint
will be avoided.
=1293. Selection.= A shoe should always have ample length, as the foot
will always work forward fully a half a size in the shoe when walking,
and sufficient allowance for this should be made. More feet are
crippled and distorted by shoes that are too short than for any other
reason. A shoe should fit snug yet be comfortable over ball and
instep, and when first worn should not lace close together over the
instep. Leather always stretches and loosens at instep and can be
taken up by lacing. The foot should always be held firmly, but not too
tightly in proper position. If shoes are too loose, they allow the
foot to slip around, causing the foot to chafe; corns, bunions, and
enlarged joints are the result.
=1294. Repairs.= At the first sign of break, shoes should be repaired,
if possible. Always keep the heels in good condition. If the heel is
allowed to run down at the side, it is bad for the shoe and worse for
the foot; it also weakens the ankle and subjects the shoe to an uneven
strain, which makes it more liable to give out. Shoes, if kept in
repair, will give double the service and comfort.
=1295. Shoe dressing.= The leather must not be permitted to become
hard and stiff. If it is impossible to procure a good shoe
dressing[15], neat's-foot oil or tallow are the best substitutes;
either will soften the leather and preserve its pliability. Leather
requires oil to preserve its pliability, and if not supplied will
become brittle, crack, and break easily under strain. Inferior
dressings are always harmful, and no dressing should be used which
contains acid or varnish. Acid burns the leather as it would the skin,
and polish containing varnish forms a false skin which soon peels off,
spoiling the appearance of the shoe and causing the leather to crack.
Paste polish containing turpentine should also be avoided.
=1296. Perspiration.= Shoe becoming damp from perspiration should be
dried naturally by evaporation. It is dangerous to dry leather by
artificial heat. Perspiration contains acid which is harmful to
leather, and shoes should be dried out as frequently as possible.
=1297. Wet shoes.= Wet or damp shoes should be dried with great care.
When leather is subjected to heat, a chemical change takes place,
although no change in appearance may be noted at the time. Leather
when burnt becomes dry and parched and will soon crack through like
pasteboard when strained. This applies to leather both in soles and
uppers. When dried the leather should always be treated with dressing
to restore its pliability. Many shoes are burned while on the feet
without the knowledge of the wearer by being placed while wet on the
rail of a stove or near a steam pipe. Care should be taken while shoes
are being worn never to place the foot where there is danger of their
being burned.
(Note. To dry wet shoes, the last thing at night take a few handfuls
of dry clean pebbles, heat them in meat can, kettle or campfire until
very hot; place them in the shoes,--they will dry them out thoroughly
in a few hours,--shake once in awhile. Oats or corn may also be used,
but they are not available always and pebbles usually are. Now is an
excellent time to grease or oil the shoes.--Author.)
=1298. Keep shoes clean.= An occasional application of soap and water
will remove the accumulation of old dressings and allow fresh dressing
to accomplish its purpose.
=1299. Directions for polishing.= Russet leather should be treated
with great care. Neither acid, lemon juice, nor banana peel should be
used for cleaning purposes. Only the best liquid dressing should be
used and shoes should not be rubbed while wet.
=1300. Liquid dressing.= Care should be taken in using liquid
dressing. Apply only a light coat and _allow this to dry into the
leather before rubbing_ with a cloth. Too much dressing is wasteful.
EQUIPMENT
(_Instructions issued by the Ordnance Department in Pamphlet No. 1965,
July 12, 1915._)
Cloth Equipment
=1301. General.= All cloth equipment should be brushed frequently with
a stiff bristle brush. A dry scrub brush may be used.
It should be washed only under the direction and supervision of an
officer.
During ordinary garrison duty it should rarely be necessary to wash
the equipment.
When the equipment becomes soiled a light local washing will
frequently be sufficient, but when dirty it should unhesitatingly be
given a good thorough washing,--otherwise it may be expected that it
will become unsanitary and rot.
During field service it is to be expected that the equipment will
become soiled much more rapidly. Always on return to garrison from
field service and as opportunity offers in the field, equipment should
be thoroughly washed.
=1302. Instructions for washing cloth equipment.=
(a) _Preparation of soap solution._ Dissolve in nine cups of hot water
one cake of H. & H. soap or a substitute which is issued by the
Ordnance Department.
One cup of this solution is sufficient to clean the entire cloth and
web equipment of one man. One cake per squad is a liberal allowance.
The H. & H. soap issued by the Ordnance Department is made especially
for washing cloth fabrics liable to fade. If for any reason this soap
is not obtainable, a good laundry soap (Ivory or equal) may be used,
but in no case should the yellow soap issued by the Quartermaster
Corps be used.
(b) _Brushing._ Brush the equipment thoroughly to remove all dust and
mud before washing.
(c) _Washing._ Spread the belt, haversack, etc., on a clean board or
rock and apply the soap solution with a scrub brush. When a good
lather appears, wash off with clear water.
In the case of a bad grease spot the direct application of soap to the
brush will ordinarily be sufficient to remove it.
(d) _Drying. Always dry washed equipment in the shade._ The sun will
bleach the fabric.
On return from a march in the rain, dry the equipment in the shade, if
practicable.
=1303. Shelter tent.= The shelter tent is cleaned and cared for as
prescribed above for the cloth equipment.
When practicable always dry your shelter tent before folding and
packing it. (Author.)
Mess Outfit
=1304. Knife.= The knife blade is made of tempered steel, and when put
away for a long period should be covered with a light coating of oil
to prevent rust.
Keep your knife clean by washing in soap and water after every meal.
Do not use the blade as a pry.
If the point is broken, grind the blade down to a new point.
=1305. Fork.= Keep your fork clean by washing with hot water and soap
after every meal.
Never use the prongs of your fork for prying open tops of cans,
extracting corks, etc.
Don't permit your knife, fork or spoon to remain in vinegar or other
foodstuffs for a long period, as verdigris will form. This corrodes
the metal and is poisonous.
=1306. Spoon.= Keep your spoon clean by washing with soap and water
after every meal.
=1307. Meat can.= Do not carry meat of any kind or other greasy
substance in the meat can for a long period, as it will corrode the
aluminum.
If the rivets securing the hinge to the meat can become loose, a few
blows with a hammer or hand ax on the outside ends of the rivets, the
heads of the rivets being backed up on a piece of metal, will tighten
them.
If the hinge pin becomes loose, a nail can be used to replace it, the
nail being cut with a service wire cutter and the ends of the nail
headed over slightly with a few blows of a hammer.
=1308 Bacon can.= The interior of the bacon can should always be kept
clean and free from hardened grease or dirt by frequent washings with
soar and water.
If the cover becomes loose on the body of the can, the upper half of
the body may be bent out until the cover is again tight.
If the cover is too tight, a slight amount of flattening with a hammer
on the edge of the cover, resting on a wooden block, will usually
extend the cover sufficiently.
=1309. Condiment can.= When not in use, always remove the contents.
Many cans have been ruined by neglecting to do this.
See that the threaded ends do not become rusty.
The can should be disassembled at all inspections, so that the
inspecting officer may see that no rust is present.
=1310. Cup.= The cup is made of aluminum and excessive heat damages
aluminum.
In using the cup for cooking never allow the contents to evaporate
entirely. In other words, never hold an empty cup over a fire.
Keep your cup clean with hot water and soap,--preferably H & H soap.
=1311. Canteen.= Although as a rule, only soap and water should be
used in cleaning aluminum, a little sand can be used to advantage in
cleaning the canteen.
Particular attention must be taken to see that canteens are properly
cleaned after they have been filled with coffee, milk or any other
fluid containing organic matter.
Being made of aluminum the canteen is easily dented, and care must be
taken to prevent this.
When not actually in use the canteen should habitually be emptied and
the cup left off to dry.
Intrenching Tools
=1312. Pick mattock.= If the blade of the mattock is deformed, it
should be straightened in a vise.
In the field, cracked handles of pick mattocks, shovels, and hand axes
should be wrapped with cord.
=1313. Shovel.= Do not use the side edges of the shovel blade as a
mattock, for this will deform the blade.
If the blade becomes bent, straighten it with a hammer on a block of
wood.
Keep your intrenching tool free from rust, being especially careful
that no rust gets into the sockets.
Leather Equipment
=1314. General.= Because of the value of leather equipment and its
rapid deterioration if neglected, the proper care of leather is most
important.
=1315. Materials.= Two agents are necessary to the proper cleaning of
leather,--a _cleaning agent_ and an _oiling agent_.
The _cleaning agent_ issued by the Ordnance Department is castile
soap; the _oiling agents_ are neat's-foot oil and harness soap.[16]
The soap cleans the surface of the leather, and removes from the
surface pores of the leather, dirt, sweat, and other foreign matter,
so that the oil can more readily penetrate the pores and saturate the
fibers, thus making the leather pliable and elastic.
=1316. Cleaning.= Daily, or as often as used, leather equipment should
be wiped off with a cloth slightly dampened in water, merely to remove
mud, dust or other foreign substances.
This daily care will do much to maintain the appearance of the
equipment, but it is, however, insufficient of itself to properly
preserve it.
Leather should never be cleaned by immersing in water or holding under
a hydrant.
At intervals of from one to four weeks, depending upon the
circumstances, it is essential that the equipment be thoroughly
cleaned in accordance with the following instructions:
(a) Separate all parts, unbuckle straps, remove all buckles, loops,
etc., where possible.
(b) Wipe off all surface dust and mud with a damp (not wet) sponge.
After rinsing out the sponge, a lather is made by moistening the
sponge in clear water, squeezing it out until nearly dry, and rubbing
it vigorously upon castile soap. When a thick, creamy lather is
obtained, thoroughly clean each piece of the equipment without
neglecting any portion. Each strap should be drawn its entire length
through the lathered sponge so as to actually remove the salt, sweat,
and dirt from each leather piece.
(c) After again rinsing the sponge make a thick lather as described
above with the saddle soap. Go over each separate piece, thoroughly
working the lather well into every part of the equipment, remembering
that its action is that of a dressing.
(d) After the leather has been allowed to become partially dry, it
should be rubbed vigorously with a soft cloth to give it the neat,
healthy appearance that is desired.
=1317. Oiling.= If the foregoing instructions have been carefully
followed, the appearance should now be perfect, and if the leather is
soft and pliable nothing further is required. It will be found,
however, that it will be necessary from time to time to apply a little
oil. It is not practicable, owing to different conditions of climate
and service, to prescribe definitely the frequency of oiling. It has
been found that during the first few months of use a set of new
equipment should be given at least two applications of oil per month.
Thereafter it is entirely a matter of judgment, as indicated by the
appearance and pliability of the leather. Frequent, light applications
are of more value than infrequent heavy applications.
=1318. New equipment.= Before using, perfectly new equipment should in
all cases be given a light application of neat's-foot oil; soap is
unnecessary because the leather is clean. The application of oil is
important because leather equipment frequently remains a considerable
time in an arsenal or depot and in spite of periodical inspections and
dubbing it is probably too dry for severe service.
=1319. How to apply oil.= The quantity of oil to be used can not be
definitely prescribed. If not enough oil is used, the leather will be
stiff and brittle; if too much is used, it will soil the clothing and
accumulate dirt. The leather should, therefore, be saturated with
sufficient oil to be soft and pliable without excess sufficient to
cause it to exude.
In applying the oil the following general instructions should govern:
(a) The oil should be applied to the flesh side of the equipment where
practicable when the leather is clean and still damp after washing
(about half dry), because it penetrates more uniformly when applied
from the flesh side, and when the leather is damp. If the leather is
dry it will absorb the oil like blotting paper, preventing proper
distribution.
(b) The oil should be applied with an oiled rag or cotton waste by
long, light, quick strokes--light strokes, so that the pressure
applied may not squeeze out an excess of oil; quick strokes, so that
the leather may not absorb an undue amount of oil. The endeavor should
be to obtain a light, even distribution.
(c) After applying the oil the leather equipment should be allowed to
stand for 24 hours, if practicable, in a warm dry place. It should
then be rubbed with a dry cloth to remove any unabsorbed oil.
Points to Be Remembered
=1320.= Therefore, from what has been said, the following points must
be remembered:
(a) Keep leather clean.
(b) Keep leather pliable by frequent applications of oil.
(c) Use only materials furnished by the Ordnance Department. _Shoe
polishes_, etc., are almost invariably injurious.
(d) _Dry all leather wet from whatever cause, in the shade_; never in
the sun or close to a steam radiator, furnace, or boiler.
(e) Leather should habitually be stored in a cool, dry place, _without
artificial heat_.
FOOTNOTES:
[15] "Viscol" is the best oil for softening all kinds of leather that
the author knows of. It is made by The Viscol Co, East Cambridge,
Mass., and can be obtained from the post exchange.
[16] Propert's Harness Soap is excellent. However, since the European
War its issue has been discontinued by the Ordnance Department.
"Viscol," obtainable from the post exchange, is the best oil for
softening all kinds of leather that the author knows of.