How To Clean Cloth Hats

To restore hat veils to their original best use steam from an iron clothes steamer or hold over a pot of boiling water to carefully reshape a crushed veil.

How to clean cloth hats. The types of hats best suited for hand washing include baseball caps as long as you are not cleaning older hats with a cardboard bill wool hats and hand knit hats. As a hat owner it s important to know how to clean your hat properly. Do not over steam or the entire hat can lose its shape. A panama hat may never be cleaned to its true original cleanliness but it can be well cleaned using this method. If simple water isn t working to clean your hat you can use hydrogen peroxide as a gentle cleaner.

For more stubborn stains sprinkle cornstarch baking soda or baby powder directly onto the soiled areas and mildly rub it in. A suede bar eraser works well to remove stains from light colored leathers. The suede bar must be moved in a circular pattern. Use a clean toothbrush to spot clean any stains. If the hat is dark use a dark cloth.

Buff matted suede hats with caked on dirt with emery cloth or a very fine grit sandpaper. This method is similar to cleaning shoes and will just require a brush and some laundry detergent. Whether you re sporting a cloth or straw version learn the proper way to treat rinse wash and rid your hat of spots and stains and keep it looking fresh. Let it lie in the sun for several hours until thoroughly dry. Dab a clean cloth in some water.

For heavy fabric hats like brocade use a mild detergent mixed with cool water and spot treat stains with a white cloth. If nothing comes off on your cloth you re probably fine to move onto cleaning the rest of the hat. For stubborn sweat stains apply a little shampoo to the stains and scrub it in with the toothbrush. Add 1 tablespoon 15 ml of laundry detergent or dish soap then dip your hat in the water. To wash a baseball cap by hand first fill a sink or bucket with warm water.

Place the hat on a clean dry surface. Clean the whole hat using a hydrogen peroxide solution. The hat should retain its original form and it should be clean. Spray the solution onto a soft cloth. If the hat is white or a light color use a white cloth.