If you own a lot of baseball caps or hats of different styles, you must know how to clean your hats to keep them looking their best. Not all hats clean up well, so some tips and tricks must be followed to minimize any possible damage.
As far as hat cleaning is concerned, there are a lot of recommendations on the internet today. Here, we’ll look at the hand, machine, and spot wash.
Special Note: Never use chlorine bleach or detergents containing bleach with any baseball cap.
Machine wash your hat.
Not every hat can be thrown in the washing machine. Typically, machine wash is okay for cotton-poly blend, 100% cotton and acrylic baseball caps. Silk, cashmere, wool, straw hats and other delicate fabrics should never be machine washed.
Before washing, the headband or pad can be pretreated to remove stubborn sweat stains.
As an extra layer of protection for hat colour and shape, use a zippered garment bag even if you’ve determined your hat is machine washable. Remember the colour of your hat and the clothes you’ll be washing.
The delicate loop should be used as it has less agitation than the standard-setting.
When it’s time to dry your hat, let it air dry — don’t throw it in the dryer! You can put a towel inside. Place a towel inside to help your hat retain its shape.
hand wash your hat
If spot cleaning is not an option (see below), hand washing your baseball cap is recommended. Hand-knitted hats, wool caps or baseball caps work well with this method. However, keep in mind that if your baseball cap is made of cardboard, there is a chance that the cardboard will disintegrate if it gets wet. For a hat like this, there isn’t much wiggle room for cleaning the bill.
Put cold water in the kitchen sink or a small bowl. Colours will stay more accurate and faster if you avoid hot water.
In water, stir in a little mild detergent. A little is enough. (In a few minutes, soaking an inconspicuous small portion of your hat will allow you to do a preconditioning test). If you don’t end up with any dye in the water, you probably don’t have to worry about the colour oozing out).
Any stains on the hat should be scrubbed first.
Soaking the hat for about 30 minutes will help loosen dirt and dust. It can be longer if needed.
Place the cap under running cold water to wash off all the detergent. To remove excess moisture, gently squeeze the lid with both hands.
Remember – don’t use the dryer! Put a towel on the table and put your hat on the towel. Put a towel ball inside to help it hold its shape.
spot cleaning your hat
Of all the ways to wash hats, this is by far the safest. The stubborn stains may not be removed entirely, but it’s worth a shot. Remember, a little patience can go a long way.
Spot cleaning works best on hats made of delicate fabrics, old cardboard baseball caps, suede hats, leather hats, summer straw hats, etc. Always test the material and elasticity of your hat. If your hat is very fragile, you’re probably best left alone. If a ticket is prone to bending, fraying, or cracking, it is too weak to be cleaned.
Embellishments require particular attention. Be careful with any leather trim, beads, rhinestones, buttons, ribbons and other decorative elements. Sometimes all it takes is a soft, damp cloth and a light wipe.
Using dish soap or a non-bleach laundry detergent and lightly dampening a towel with a little warm water may be enough to spot clean some areas. You can use a toothbrush or soft-bristled brush if the stain is stubborn. Once the site has been cleaned of any soap residue, air drying is the best way to finish the project.
