Summertime is hat season! Baseball caps especially are popular for lots of outdoor activities like fishing, summer sports, and just in general keeping the sun out of your eyes while hiking or playing outside. So when this useful accessory becomes a little too dirty, or a little too smelly, how do you wash it?
First, How Old is Your Hat?
If your baseball cap is 30 years or older, it might have a cardboard brim, which means submerging it in water will effectively destroy the brim. To safely care for a hat with a cardboard brim, simply spot clean with a clean towel and a mixture of warm water and laundry detergent. Gently buff the dirty areas, then, using a towel with just water on it, wipe the detergent off and let the hat air dry.
If your hat is newer, check it for care instructions inside the hat. Most modern-day hats are machine-washable, which gives you two options for cleaning your hat.
How to Wash Your Hat in Your Dishwasher
Washing your hat in the dishwasher will help to keep your hat's shape. This is especially important if you're picky about the fit, so if you need to wash your baseball cap and don't have a dishwasher, find a friend who will let you use theirs.
- Step 1 - Ensure that the dishwasher is empty (you don't want food on your hat, or hat on your dishes!)
- Step 2 - Put in dishwasher detergent just like you normally would for a run of dishes (if you have multiple hats, maybe wash 2 or 3 at a time to best use up that detergent).
- Step 3 - Put your hat on the top rack of the dishwasher.
- Step 4 - Turn your dishwasher on and run a normal cycle. For best results, use a light wash cycle on low-heat.
- Step 5 - When the cycle is done, remove your hat and place it somewhere safe to air dry.
How to Wash Your Hat in Your Washing Machine
Although using a dishwasher is great for shaped hats like baseball caps, a washing machine works just fine for hats without a set shape (think bucket hats, beanies, etc.). If you do choose to put a shaped hat in the washer, make sure it's the only thing in there or else it might get tangled up and misshaped by other clothing in the wash.
- Step 1 - Wash your hat (with or without other clothes - and if with other clothes, make sure it's a small load) with a mild laundry detergent on a gentle cycle with warm water.
- Step 2 - Hang your hat up, or set it out to air dry.
My Hat Isn't Machine Washable
That's okay! Hats that aren't machine washable can still be cleaned. Either use the method above for cardboard-brimmed baseball caps, or do this:
- Step 1 - Add laundry detergent to a bucket of warm water.
- Step 2 - Put your hat in the mixture and let it soak for about 2 minutes (make sure to submerge it if you can).
- Step 3 - Pull the hat out and gently scrub at stains or especially-dirty areas with a cloth towel.
- Step 4 - Rinse the hat off in cool water and make sure to get all of the soapy water out.
- Step 5 - Place the hat on a dry towel and gently pinch the material on the inner and outer sides of the hat to soak up any excess water.
- Step 6 - Allow to air dry.