Cleaning vintage military canvas

I've successfully cleaned and reconditioned some old web gear that came out nice after cleaning it. It's always a gamble though, depending on the condition of the fabric and thread. If the thread is rotted, cleaning it may ruin it. I guess if it's so bad already you can't use it, or it won't display well, you wouldn't be losing a lot anyway. Most military gear from that period was well made, and unless it's rotten it will hold up to gentle washing.

I use Woolite and cold water to soak dirty, or 'hard' smaller items items. If you have a bucket large enough you can put the item in the mixture and let it soak. I've done this and kept the bucket near me while watching TV or something and use a stick or my hands to stir it around every so often. Then after several hours rinse it off well in the bathtub. The cold water and Woolite hasn't removed markings on the items I've cleaned, and sometimes make them more visible when dirt is washed off.

It's a bigger gamble, but on a larger and dirtier item my washing machine has an extremely gentle cycle called "Hand Wash" that has actually worked very well to restore flexibility and clean items. Same as washing in a bucket, use cold water and Woolite. Let air dry when done - don't use the dryer.