Avoid using extremely hot water since it could make the colors on your hats bleed. If you’re cleaning a wool hat, use cold water to prevent the fabric from shrinking.
Borax helps break down stains and dirt so they’re easier to remove from your hats. Washing soda makes it easier for detergents to penetrate the fabric so the stains break apart faster. Stripping laundry with liquid detergent isn’t as effective, so it won’t clean your hats very well.
Leaving your hats to soak for longer could start damaging the fabric. Clean hats that are a similar color at the same time. Just be careful mixing in dark or reddish colors since the dyes may bleed and stain the other hats you’re stripping. Avoid stripping hats that have cardboard brims since submerging them can damage their form.
Hang hats on a coffee can or large jar to help it retain its shape and speed up drying times.
Avoid using any stain removers with bleach since they’ll discolor your hat. If you don’t have any commercial stain remover, try applying paste made from 4 tablespoons (55 g) of baking soda and 1⁄4 cup (59 ml) of water and letting it sit for about an hour.
Spot-cleaning works best for cleaning hats that have cardboard brims so you don’t have to submerge and potentially damage them.
If you can still see the stain after cleaning your hat, try spot-cleaning again until it disappears.
Alternatively, use a lint roller in between cleanings to remove any dust or debris that built up since the last time you wore your hat.
Avoid machine-washing your hat if your washer has a center agitator since it’s more likely to damage or misshape the brim. Avoid putting your hat in the dryer since the heat could shrink the fabric.
Some experts recommend against using your dishwasher since they’re more likely to damage hats. If your hats are sentimental and you don’t want to risk ruining them, stick to hand-washing them. Put your hat in a washing cage to help it retain its shape better.
