Gunto Tassel-Cleaning

[Leroy]

Hi all,

 

I just acquired a tassel for my Army Koshirae, but unfortunatly, it smells like it came from a smolers house.

 

Anyway I can SAFELY remove the smell?

 

Regards,

Leroy

[WoodbridgeGaijin]

Depending on the type of material, I am assuming it's silk? I have used Woolite to a great degree of success. You can also use very hot water with a few drops of dish detergent and a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda per litre/quart of water. You know the water is hot enough if the baking soda foams voraciously when you pour it in. Baking soda will leave a white residue if you don't rinse it well but it is harmless, just rinse well again. Don't forget to shape the tassel before you hang it to dry. You can also loosely wrap it with thread to keep its shape while drying.

 

Good luck!

Val Giardina

[Guest Simon Rowson]

Hi Leroy,

 

Be very careful about soaking a gunto tassel in water. The little diamond patterned slider has an inner tube of paper or cardboard glued inside it that turns to mush when wet. If this dissolves, the slider loses it shape and starts to fray at the edges unless you hastily make a replacement and glue it in place.

 

I think you can guess I'm talking from painful experience!

 

Best wishes,

Simon

[Leroy]

  WoodbridgeGaijin said:

Depending on the type of material, I am assuming it's silk? I have used Woolite to a great degree of success. You can also use very hot water with a few drops of dish detergent and a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda per litre/quart of water. You know the water is hot enough if the baking soda foams voraciously when you pour it in. Baking soda will leave a white residue if you don't rinse it well but it is harmless, just rinse well again. Don't forget to shape the tassel before you hang it to dry. You can also loosely wrap it with thread to keep its shape while drying.

 

Good luck!

Val Giardina

 

Thanks for the advice. But can you explain to me how you used the woolite? Just trying to explore all options.

 

And Simon, thanks for the tips on the slide. I guess that part won't cleaned as soon as the rest