A lot of dirt and dust can accumulate on the hat. Unfortunately, hats are often difficult to wash, especially if they are made of hand-knitted wool. Washing the hat by hand is the safest way to use it, but tougher hats can be machine washed. Before washing the hat, find out what the hat is made of and whether the hat may lose its shape or not. The easiest way is to check the label on the hat that contains this information. However, if there is no label on the hat, you need to use your best judgment.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Hand Washing Hats
Step 1. Fill a small plastic bucket with cold water
Warm or hot water can cause the hat to fade and even shrink depending on the material. The hat just needs enough space to be submerged. If you only want to wash a hat or two, you can use a large plastic basin instead of a bucket.
- This is especially good for hand-knitted hats or fragile baseball caps that you're worried about breaking or stretching in the washing machine.
- If the hat is knitting yourself, check the label on the yarn for washing instructions.
Step 2. Mix in a mild soap
Stir a teaspoon of laundry soap or body wash into the water until it's completely dissolved. The type of soap used is determined by the material of the cap and the type of dirt to be removed.
- If the knitted hat is made of wool, you should choose a soap specially formulated for wool. This will reduce the appearance of lint, discoloration, and other types of damage. If this type of soap is not available, a mild detergent without bleach or other additives can be used.
- Do not use chlorine bleach or enzymes for wool hats.
Step 3. Test the hat a bit
If it's your first time using this method on a hat, you'll need to soak the hat a little before soaking it completely. Hold the section in the water for two minutes.
- Check for color smudging while the hat is still wet. You can see the fabric dye smudging in the water. If not, try rubbing the hat on a bright surface or object.
- When scrubbing that part of the hat, be sure to do it with something that's easy to handle with bleach or something that won't cause a problem if it bleeds.
- Determine the part of the hat that is not visible when worn. That way, if the stain is visible, it won't affect the overall appearance of the hat.
- If there is no color fading or general discoloration, you can move on to the next step.
Step 4. Soak the hat
If the part of the hat being tested shows no signs of damage after two minutes, go ahead and soak the hat. For a light, regular cleaning, the hat only needs to soak for about 30 minutes. If there's mud on the hat or stubborn dirt, you'll need to soak it for a few hours.
Step 5. Rinse the hat
Remove the hat from the soapy water. Rinse under running running tap water to remove soap. Use cold water so the hat doesn't change color or shrink. Continue rinsing until the hat doesn't feel sticky and there are no visible traces of soap.
Step 6. Remove excess water
Hold the hat with both hands and squeeze it gently. Place the hat on a clean towel and continue to pat until no more water drips off. Do not twist the hat, as this could cause the hat to bend or the fibers to pop out.
Step 7. Let the hat dry on its own
Place the knit hat in a location with good air circulation. Place it on a towel and arrange it so that it is in its original shape. You can speed up this process by turning on a low-power fan near the hat, but don't use a hot hairdryer. The heat can make the hat shrink. Do not place the hat in direct sunlight, which can cause the hat color to fade.
Part 2 of 4: Washing Knitted Hats in the Washing Machine
Step 1. Put the fragile knit hat in the laundry bag
Some hand-knitted hats, especially those made of wool, can be damaged by the movement of the washing machine. To prevent this from happening, tuck the hat into a pillowcase, mesh bag, or the back of a washable garment. Cover the bag with string or tie the top if there is no string. This will prevent the hat from falling off, especially if you wash a small amount.
Be careful with knitting materials that will be washed this way. If the hat is made of acrylic, superwash wool (which can be washed in a washing machine), or cotton yarn, it is likely to be machine washable. However, wool that is not specifically labeled “superwash” or “machine washable” can wrinkle in the washing machine and damage the hat
Step 2. Prepare large quantities of laundry if possible
Knitted items are likely to get tangled in a lightly loaded washing machine. While a laundry bag can protect the hat, it can be damaged during the wash cycle. Make sure the rest of the laundry is the same color. Ideally, this laundry is knitted as well.
Step 3. Start the wash cycle with cold water before loading the laundry
Fill the washing machine with cold water. Do not start the washing machine before the kneading cycle has started and load the laundry.
If your washing machine is not a front-loading washing machine, go ahead and load your laundry as usual before starting. While this isn't ideal, chances are the hat won't have a problem
Step 4. Add one bottle cap of liquid bath soap or liquid laundry soap
If you're washing woolen items, a special wool laundry soap works best. These laundry soaps often contain lanolin which will statically make the wool and increase its water resistance. If you don't wash woolen items or you don't have a special laundry detergent available, use a mild liquid laundry soap that doesn't contain bleach and other harsh chemicals.
Step 5. Soak the laundry
Do not start the washing machine. Let the laundry soak for at least an hour. Dirty laundry needs to be left overnight. Don't worry if wool objects float. Later, the woolen objects will absorb the water and sink by itself.
Step 6. Turn on the washing machine with the “spin-only” function (function to dry the laundry)
That way, the laundry goes to the stage which is usually the last part of the wash cycle. The washing machine will gently stir the laundry before removing the soapy water. The drying cycle will also work to dry partially washed items by removing excess water through the centripetal force. If the washed items are still wet, dry them again with the drying cycle.
Step 7. Let the hat dry on its own
Spread out a clean, dry towel on a flat surface. Place knitted items on top. A well-ventilated location, as a room with a ceiling fan is great to use. Let the hat dry naturally. This only takes a few hours.
Part 3 of 4: Washing Baseball Caps in the Washing Machine
Step 1. Handle the head loop on the inside of the hat first
This headband is probably the dirtiest part of the hat, as it absorbs sweat and skin oils when worn. Take an enzyme-based laundry detergent and spray it to break down this kind of dirt.
- Most modern baseball caps are made within the last 10 years so they can be machine washed without a problem.
- Wool baseball caps are best washed by hand.
- Old baseball caps tend to have a cardboard brim. Hats like this should not be completely submerged in water. On the other hand, it is best to clean with a spray and a washcloth.
Step 2. Put the hat in the regular laundry
At this stage, treat the hat like any other laundry. Pair the hat with clothes of the same color and use whatever laundry detergent you like.
- Wash with cold water for best results. However, warm water can also be used. Do not use hot water when washing the hat.
- Do not bleach.
Step 3. Let the hat dry on its own
When the wash cycle is complete, remove the cap and place it on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area. You can place a fan nearby to speed up the drying process. Do not put the hat in the washer dryer; the hat may shrink or lose its shape.
Part 4 of 4: Washing the Straw Hats
Step 1. Check if the straw hat is washable
Some types of straw are too fragile to wash, even by hand. However, most straw hats are made of a tougher type of straw, which allows hand washing. Check the hat maker's label. Raw straw and shantung are probably the toughest breeds.
If you can't determine the type of straw hat maker, gently bend the brim of the hat. If it does not move or return to its original shape, the hat is quite strong. If it bends easily or starts to fray, the hat is too brittle
Step 2. Remove any hat trimmings, if possible
Rope, ribbon, buttons, or other elements are often attached to the straw hat with a small piece of hand-crafted wire. The wire is easy to remove so the decoration is easy to remove. However, if the decoration is attached with thread, you do not need to remove it. Decorations can be damaged if you try to sew them back together instead of cleaning them.
Step 3. Gently clean with a washcloth
For light cleaning that cannot be done with a brush, use a damp washcloth. Wipe the hat directly, carefully, to remove dust from the surface. Don't let the straw get damp.
Step 4. Clean the entire cap using a hydrogen peroxide solution
If water alone can't clean the hat, you can use hydrogen peroxide as a gentle cleanser. Fill a spray bottle, half with hydrogen peroxide and half with water.
- Spray the solution on a soft cloth. Gently wipe the entire hat with a rag.
- For very tough stains, spray the solution directly on the hat and wipe it off with a washcloth. Straw hats should not be soaked, as they can warp and shrink.
Tips
- If it says “dry clean only” on the hat label care instructions, take the safe steps and take the hat to the dry cleaners. The cost of an occasional chemical wash is much cheaper than the cost of replacing a new hat that has been damaged by washing.
- Separate soiled linen hats from other laundry in the basket. This will ensure that the hat is separated from regular laundry and will protect it from creasing.
- Some people wash their baseball caps in the dishwasher. However, this method is not recommended by dishwasher manufacturers. In addition, the high heat from the dishwasher can cause the plastic parts of the hat to bend and the canvas to shrink.
- Spray the dirty parts and stains with spray laundry soap before washing.
