How To Wash A Hat?
QUICK ANSWER
Hand wash hats in cool water with a few drops of mild detergent. Gently scrub stained areas with a soft brush. Rinse with cool water. For machine washing, use a hat frame to preserve the shape. Never put hats in the dryer; air dry over a coffee can.
Hats have two enemies in washing: the brim and the dryer. Old baseball caps had cardboard brims that warped when wet; modern caps have plastic brims that survive but the dryer damages all hat shapes. Hand washing is safest. Machine washing works with the right hat frame. Either way, air drying is essential to maintain the shape. Here is the method that cleans hats without destroying them.
Can you wash a hat in the washing machine?
Modern hats with plastic brims (most caps made after the 1980s) handle machine washing in a hat frame (mesh cage that holds the shape during washing). Wash with cold water, gentle cycle, mild detergent. Skip fabric softener. The hat frame keeps the brim curved and the crown shaped. Vintage hats with cardboard brims must be hand washed; the cardboard disintegrates when wet. To check brim material, flex the brim gently; cardboard creases and stays creased, while plastic flexes back to its original curve. For unknown brim material, default to hand washing.
What is the hand wash method?
Fill a sink or bowl with cool water and add a few drops of mild liquid detergent (Woolite, dish soap, or a sport-specific wash like OxiClean Versatile). Stir to dissolve. Dip the hat in the water. For sweat stains and discoloration on the inner sweatband, scrub gently with a soft toothbrush or hat brush. For the outside, dab stains with a clean cloth dipped in the soapy water. Avoid soaking the hat fully if possible; surface cleaning preserves the shape. Rinse with cool water. Press out excess water without wringing or twisting.
How do you preserve the shape?
Squeeze out excess water (don't wring). Place the hat over a coffee can, balled-up towel, or hat form to maintain the crown shape. Reshape the brim by hand. Air dry away from direct heat and sunlight; takes 24 hours. Never put hats in the dryer; heat shrinks fabric, warps plastic, and ruins the shape. Never hang hats by the brim, which stretches the fabric.
What about sweat stains and discoloration?
Sweat stains on the inner sweatband and outer fabric where the head touches: apply a paste of baking soda and a bit of water to the stained area. Let sit 15 minutes. Scrub gently with an old toothbrush. Rinse. For yellow sweat stains, use OxiClean (test colors first) or hydrogen peroxide on whites. For colored stains (food, ink, blood), treat with the appropriate solvent for that stain type before the full hat washing. Soak heavily stained hats in cool water with OxiClean for 30 minutes before scrubbing the affected areas.
Hats wash well by hand in cool water with mild detergent, or in the machine with a hat frame for modern plastic-brim caps. Never put hats in the dryer; air dry over a coffee can or balled towel to preserve shape. Treat sweat stains with baking soda paste before full washing. Vintage hats with cardboard brims must be hand washed only. With proper care, quality hats last years through many washes; the shape and color stay close to new.
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