Caring For Your Flag

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Ca
ring
FLAG
FO R
YOUR
- THROUGHOUT ITS -
LIFETIME
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C A R I N G
F O R Y O U R F L A G
- T H R O U G H O U T I T S -
L I F E T I M E
One of the best ways to show your support for
your state, country, or ideals is with a ?ag.
Flying against the wind in all its glory, your
?ag is your beacon to your friends and family
that youre someone who is proud of who you
are. But how do you take care of your
?ag? Caring for your ?ag, especially your
American ?ag, requires diligence and a bit of
know-how, but you can treat it with respect
through all stages of use with these quick tips
below.
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Understand the U.S. Flag Code
CHAPTER 1
While we encourage you to ?y the ?ag that best
suits you, most of these tips pertain to the
American ?ag. As such, one of the ?rst steps to
properly caring for your ?ag is becoming aware
of the U.S. Flag Code. The U.S. Flag Code is a
set of rules and guidelines established for the
care and display of the American ?ag. These
rules range from when to raise and lower the
?ag, correctly angling the stars and stripes,
usage beyond ?ying, and even how to properly
remove it after its lifespan. While these rules
are not legally binding, they are nonetheless
important for honoring the American ?ag if its
to be displayed publicly. Many of the next tips
reference the U.S. Flag Code, but they can still
apply to the ?ag of your choice, whether youre
representing your state, team, or particular
movement. The full list for the U.S. Flag Code
can be found here.

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Determine what type of ?ag you want to ?y
CHAPTER 2
Picking your ?ag is more than just deciding what
you want to display. You also have to think
about how you can display it, speci?cally the
size of your ?ag and the ?ag pole it will ?y
on. Most residential ?ag poles measure out to
approximately 20 ft. for 3x5 ft. ?ags, although
4x6 ft. ?ags on this pole are also common.
These are best used for people who have space in
their front yards with proper installation. As
the ?ag you choose gets bigger, so does your ?ag
pole. Most o?ce buildings and institutional
places like schools rely on a ?ag pole between
40 ft. to 60 ft. This means that the ?ag you ?y
would measure in from anywhere between 8x12 ft.
to 12x18 ft. A good rule of thumb in this case
is choosing a ?ag at least ¼ to ? the size of
your ?ag pole. However, you dont have to ?y
your ?ag with a 20 ft. pole, nor do you even have
to ?y it in your front yard or place of
business. Most residential areas, especially
apartment complexes, have resorted to
wall-mounted ?ag poles to ?y their 3x5 ft. ?ags.
Many of these poles are approximately 6 ft. and
spin in order to prevent the ?ag from being
tangled up in windy weather.

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Position your ?ag correctly
CHAPTER 3
Once you have your ?ag, its important to know
how to position it correctly. While ?ying a
state ?ag or one that represents something you
support can be as simple as displaying the
emblem prominently, the American ?ag has speci?c
guidelines for how it should be positioned.
Positioning the American ?ag for proper respect
is based on where the union (blue area with
white stars) is located. When ?ying the ?ag
horizontally on a traditional ?ag pole or a
wall-mounted pole, the union should be adorned
closest to the pole. In other words, it should
be positioned to the ?ags right and the
spectators left. You can hang your ?ag
vertically as well, but it too also comes with
speci?cations. The union should be positioned at
the top of the ?ag, never at the bottom unless as
a means to represent extreme distress. These
distinctions are for the American ?ag, but they
can also apply to other ?ags that use the
union/stripes imagery as well.

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Raise your ?ag in the morning
CHAPTER 4
Raising your ?ags can be a proud moment, but
there are speci?c times of day to which you
should do it, regardless of what ?ag youre ?ying.
Based on the U.S. Flag Code, the ?ag is meant to
be raised at sunrise. This gives your ?ag the
light it needs to be shown in the daytime with
proper respect. It is also meant to be briskly
raised for immediate honor, so do not treat it
as a meandering activity. There are exceptions
to raising your ?ag in the day. In particular,
your ?ag should not be raised during inclement
weather such as heavy rain. This will prevent
it from getting damaged or torn o? and risk
touching the ground. Nonetheless, raising your
?ag should be a daily occurrence when possible.
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Lowering your ?ag at night
CHAPTER 5
Like all good things, you can only raise your
?ags so often during the day. Nighttime is no
exception as the U.S. Flag Code dictates that you
are to lower your ?ag before night hours.
Unlike raising the ?ag, which requires brisk
motion to signify the start of the day, you
lower the ?ag down slowly. This is to ensure
that the moment is respectful and not rushed,
especially if you are doing so in the presence
of others. The main reason behind lowering the
?ag at night is due to the lack of light
provided to the ?ag, and it is customary to give
the ?ag respect when such light is not present.
If you are ?ying other ?ags, this guideline is
not necessarily mandated. However, it is still
a good procedure to follow as it can keep your
?ag from getting damaged during overnight
storms or weather, especially in the early
morning hours that you would be asleep.

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Lighting your ?ag with a ?ag light
CHAPTER 6
Tying back into the previous tip, you might be
wondering about ?ags that are still risen during
nighttime hours at businesses or o?ce spaces. The
reason for that is the special light installed
near the base of the ?ag that gives it extra
illumination, providing a substitute for
sunlight. You too can install your own ?ag
light on your property, but that requires
additional time and resources (not to mention
costs). For most residential ?ag users that want
to ?y their ?ag at night, they rely on
solar-powered ?ag lights installed just below
the ?ag ornament at the top. The bene?t of using
a solar-powered ?ag light is that it will
charge during the day and provide the light
necessary to keep your ?ags in accordance with
the U.S. Flag Code at night. Many of them are
easy-to-install and require little if any
instructions on use. Even if youre ?ying a ?ag
on a wall-mounted pole, models are being made
that give the same type of light in a more
convenient size. That way, no matter what type
of ?ag you ?y, youre still able to keep it
going even after the sun goes down. In fact, one
of the top-selling solar ?ag light companies for
your American, state, and local ?ags can be
found in just a short click away.
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Storing your ?ags for safekeeping
CHAPTER 7
When your ?ags are not in use, proper storage
will prevent most damages that come its way. A
few tips for storing include
KEEP AWAY FROM SUNLIGHT Keeping your ?ags stored
away from sunlight is a must if you want to
prevent exposure to extra UV rays. This will keep
it in top shape and not degrade from ultraviolet
exposure.

KEEP AWAY FROM MOISTURE Make sure your ?ag is
kept away from extreme moisture and humidity.
One key way to prevent moisture damage is to
store it in an airtight container such as a tube.
DO NOT STORE IN PLASTIC BAGS Do not store your
?ag in plastic bags- much worse garbage bags.
This is not only bad form for respect but it
will increase the amount of wrinkles your ?ag
has when you bring it back out.
DO NOT LET IT TOUCH THE GROUND Never let your ?ag
touch the ground. This is considered one of the
most disrespectful acts when handling a ?ag.

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Folding your ?ags properly
CHAPTER 8
Regardless of whether youre transporting the ?ag
or simply putting it away for storage, learning
how to fold your ?ag is a sure sign to show
proper decorum. To fold the American ?ag
Lay your ?ag across a table or ?at surface that
is not the ground. (?g.1)
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Starting from the bottom, fold the lower section
of the ?ag over the top section horizontally,
covering the union. (?g.2)
2
Starting from the bottom, fold the bottom half
of the ?ag over the top half of the ?ag
horizontally to expose the union again. (?g.3)
3
Fold the bottom right corner of the ?ag to the
top of the ?ag, creating a triangle. Turn the
fold inward to continue making the triangle
shape. (?g.4)
4
Continue folding the triangle pattern until the
entire ?ag is folded, leaving a triangle that
only displays the union. (?g.5)
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This same folding technique can apply to any ?ag
that has a stars-and-stripes pattern.

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Clean your ?ag often
CHAPTER 9
Your ?ags are a representation of you, so it only
makes sense that you would keep it clean and
tidy for others to see. After all, you wouldnt
want others to see you as unkempt, right? The
U.S. Flag Code has no speci?cations for washing
your ?ag, but you can certainly put yours in the
washing machine if its made of nylon,
polyester, or another washable material. You
want to be gentle with washing it, so cold water
and a delicate cycle is advised. Alternatively,
you can also handwash your ?ags using cold water
and non-abrasive material. The caveat here is
that if its an American ?ag, you want to
prevent it from touching the ground for
additional respect. After you get done washing
the ?ag, let it air dry or lay it across a ?at
surface. Use this time to inspect it for any
tears near the grommets (metal openings along
the edge closest to the pole for you to hang the
?ag) or frays that can be trimmed. Having a ?ag
that is cleaned routinely and given proper
maintenance goes a long way towards showing true
respect and saving time and money in the long
run.

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Destroying your ?ag after a full lifetime of use
CHAPTER 10
Just like with anything, your ?ag has a limited
lifespan. From weather to constant use to
outside factors, your ?ag may end up in
less-than-optimal shape. Throwing your ?ag away
is a sign of disrespect, so American ?ags are
destroyed respectfully with ?re in accordance
with the U.S. Flag Code.
Ceremonies are often conducted for destroying
?ags properly, typically held on Flag Day (June
14th). You can donate your ?ag for destruction
in a ?tting moment with the American Legion.
It is done in a safe manner with a controlled
?re that can be easily extinguished.
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It is done respectfully, including folding the
?ag, preheating the ?re before destruction, and
reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with a salute
while burning.
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The same ceremony can be done at home as long as
the following conditions are met
Taking care of your ?ag from ?rst purchase to its
last moments requires a great deal of attention,
respect, and admiration. Whether youre getting a
?ag for your state, country, or yourself, always
treat it as the treasured item it is, and let
others know about how they can get their own
?ags. Happy ?ying!
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