This will solve everything

The House passes an amendment to the Constitution destined for failure in the Senate:

The proposed one-line amendment to the Constitution reads, "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." For the language to be added to the Constitution, it must be approved not only by two-thirds of each chamber but also by 38 states within seven years.

I would think throwing a flag in the washing machine would count, wouldn't you? And as Atrios remind us, the only proper way to dispose of a flag is by burning it. So I guess you'll just have to let your American flag touch the ground before you take it to a protest where you intend of burning it, right?