Flameproofing is making a material more resistant to fire. Most combustible material can be chemically treated to reduce its ability to support flames, but nothing can be made completely fireproof. Material can be flameproofed in several ways. It can be basically changed by replacing combustible elements with noncombustible ones; it can be painted, coated, or dipped. These treatments may occur during manufacture or after a material is already in use.
Flameproofing of clothing and cloth decorations is a relatively simple process. The fabric to be treated should be soaked in 1 gallon of water in which 9 ounces of borax and 4 ounces of boric acid have been dissolved. It should then be wrung out by hand and dried on a clothes-line. Material so treated will remain flameproof for about a year; however, washing will remove the chemicals and will make it necessary to repeat the process. This treatment is suitable only for light fabrics; flameproofing of heavy fabrics, such as duck or canvas, should be done only by specialists. Wood already in use may be painted with a fire-retardant paint.
