How do you wash a M1941 jacket?

[bazelot]

I now have 2 Navy M1941 jackets and i would like to wash them. Has anyone tried to wash one before? I am afraid the wool lining would shrink. Is dry cleaning better?

 

[watchmanjimg]

I'm sure others have gotten away with washing, but I'd strongly advise you to dry clean them. It's not worth the risk.

 

[Tim P]

Dry clean. Reduces the risk of fading and eliminates the risk of shrinkage

 

[bazelot]

I just left the jacket at the Dry Cleaners.
Hopefully the USN stamp on the chest won't get damaged, that would suck as the jacket is close to mint.

 

[Grant]

Expect some fading from the USN stencil. I've had slight fading when dry cleaning N-1's.

 

[bazelot]

I had 2 jackets, one i dry cleaned and the other I washed myself. Hands down the gentle wash wins. I will not dry clean a jacket like this again. The fading is way worse on the dry cleaned jacket plus there was absolutely NO shrinking of the one I washed by hand. Another plus of washing it yourself is the smell. The one I washed myself ended up smelling like clean laundry the one that was dry cleaned stinks up to high heaven of chemicals. I am now considering washing the one that was dry cleaned.
THe conclusion of this is that if there is no Mouton on the collar a gentle wash may be the best solution for those jackets.