How to Wash a Beret – Quick & Easy Cleaning Methods

July 30, 2021
Greg Palmer
Blog

We all know how a greatly styled beret can get heads turning. Originally a part of an army or a navy uniform, berets have become an all-season fashion statement from fall to spring. But even if you are not in the army or navy, you will still want to wash and clean your berets. Here, we will be guiding you on everything from how to wash a beret to how to take care of them.

Nobody can deny this. Berets are perfect accessories to add a French Couture charm to your wardrobes. And we don’t want you to fall short on flaunting this charm just because your berets are dirty!

Can You Wash Beret?

It is like the question of the century. Everybody wants to know if berets can be washed and are so confused about it. But worry not. BERETS CAN BE WASHED.

But don’t just yet grab your berets and throw them in your machines. Berets are special, so they need special precautions as well. Otherwise, you will end up damaging them.

What to Know Before Cleaning a Beret?

Most of you might be thinking, there are so many different kinds of berets, and how will one figure the best cleaning method. This is exactly why we have this section dedicated to telling you the general precaution of washing any beret first. As you read further, we will be getting into the specifics of the different kinds of berets.

1. Know Your Beret Material

Like all your clothes, berets can be made of different materials, the most popular ones being felt, wool, cotton, velvet, and leather. Everyone knows how leather or cotton cannot be washed the same way.

Understanding what your beret is made of is important to choose the safest method to wash and clean them. For example, Felt is a very common beret material, and it is non-submersible in nature. So, a hand wash or a machine wash is strictly out of the question.

2. Read the Care Label

It is the most important thing to do before washing and cleaning your berets. The care label will have details from the kind of material to the safest washing methods. It will have warnings and other important information regarding your beret. So, follow them to the point and DO NOT try to beat the rules.

3. Seek Professional Help If You’re Unsure

Sometimes the stain on your berets can be a little trickier to handle than home DIY methods, and you might want to take your berets to a professional. In such situations, you must analyze what kind of stain you want to get removed.

4. Get Rid of the Lint

We’ve all been there, right? Materials like wool, fleece, and felt tend to develop lint or small cloth balls on their surface. It can be annoying to remove them and kills the whole look of a classic beret.

But you must get rid of the lint before any washing. You can use a lint roller or even a disposable razor. But if you are using a razor, make sure to move it in the same direction, or else your beret will end up with tears and holes.

5. Say NO to Bleach

Most of the beret materials like wool, fleece, or felt do not react well to bleach. So ALWAYS ensure the detergent that you use is free of bleach.

How to Spot Test Your Beret Before Washing?

It is always better to do a spot test on your beret to make sure it doesn’t bleed any color. And it’s easy to do the spot test.

Using a damp cloth that’s dipped in mild soapy water, dab a small, unnoticeable area of your hat. If the beret doesn’t bleed any color after this, you can be sure of going ahead with the wash.

Methods to Clean Your Beret Hats

How to Hand-Wash Beret Hat?

If you are already reading this, we are assuming you have checked your beret’s care label, which would have mentioned hand-washing as safe as well as the spot test. If that’s done, you don’t need to worry anymore. Just go gentle on your beret, and we are good to go.

Materials Needed:

Instructions:

Step 1: Make the Cleaning Solution

Fill the bucket, sink, or tub with cold water and add a small amount of mild detergent to it. Mix them well so that the soap is uniformly spread in the water.

Tip: NEVER EVER use hot water to wash your berets. They will shrink, and your berets will no longer fit you well.

Step 2: Work on the Stains

Using a felt brush or a toothbrush, gently remove the stains. Do not be harsh while working on the stains, or else the fabric will get damaged. It has to be done before the beret is soaked.

Step 3: Soak the Beret

Now that you have removed the stains, soak your beret in the cleaning solution for at least half an hour. You can soak it up to 1-2 hours, depending on the amount of dirt on your beret.

Step 4: Rinse the Beret

Once you feel the stains have been removed, gently run the beret under cold water. If the stains persist, repeat step 3. If the stain is still there, you may want to resort to other cleaning methods, which we will be discussing in the coming sections.

Step 5: Dry the Beret

DO NOT WRING your Beret. Gently squeeze to remove excess water. Dry the hat by placing it on a clean towel. You can also air-dry the beret on a flat surface at a spot with good ventilation, away from direct sunlight. NEVER hang a beret as it will lose its shape.

How to Machine-Wash Beret Hat?

If your beret is wool, fleece, or felt, machine-washing is not the best method to wash them. As we said, these materials are non-submersible in water due to their tight weave. But again, if the care labels say machine wash is allowed, you can go for it. Let’s see how to do that!

Materials Needed:

Mesh bag
Soft towel
Mild detergent for delicate fabrics

Instructions:

Step 1: Place Beret in Mesh Bag

Berets can easily lose their shape if not handled with care. And you will want to save yours from all the whirling and spinning that happens inside the machine. So, toss them inside a mesh bag before putting the beret in the machine.

Step 2: Set Your Machine Controls

ALWAYS set your machine on a gentle cycle. If your beret is wool, some machines will have a specific setting for wool. You can set it in the same. Also, make sure to use cold water.

Step 3: Put Beret with Similar Colored Clothes

We know how much electricity a washing machine eats. So, we are assuming most of you will be washing your berets along with other laundry. There isn’t anything wrong with it. But keep in mind only to put similar colored laundry along with it.

In short, if your beret is white, but only white clothes along with it.

Step 4: Add the Detergent

Use a mild detergent to wash the beret. But always make sure the detergent does not have bleach content.

Step 5: Dry the Beret

Once the cycle is complete, take out your beret and place it on a clean towel to soak up all the excess dripping water. NEVER hang a beret to dry because it will lose its shape. Air-dry the hat on a flat surface and keep away from direct sunlight.

How to Wash Leather Beret Hats?

Leather Beret hats are a charm in themselves. Julia Roberts’s beret hat look in Notting Hill is one nobody can ever forget. That said, leather is a tricky material. It is sophisticated in look as well as in cleaning it.

If you own a leather beret, you will have to wash it at some point or the other. So, let’s get to it.

Materials Needed:

Instructions:

Step 1: Dampen the Cloth

Dip the soft cloth in water. Make sure the cloth isn’t fully wet. It just needs to be damp.

Step 2: Apply the Shampoo

Apply a small amount of mild shampoo onto the damp cloth. Work the cloth and shampoo together to make a good lather.

Step 3: Work the Cloth on the Beret

Gently work the soapy cloth on the beret at the site if the stains. This method is particularly effective in removing the stubborn sweat stains that we so hate. Once this is done, wipe away the excess soap using a clean cloth.

Step 4: Dry the Leather Beret

Place the cleaned beret on a soft towel, or you can air-dry the hat on a flat surface.

Step 5: Apply Leather Conditioner

We love leather for its texture. Any washing is going to take away some of the natural oils on your leather berets. So, you must apply a leather conditioner after every wash.

How to Wash Wool Beret Hat?

Like we said earlier, wool berets require special care compared to all other beret materials. You might feel overwhelmed reading up about all kinds of berets and cleaning methods. But trust us, it is worth it. A great, clean wool beret can make your trench coat and a pair of jeans stylish like it’s never been!

Do you want to know more about wool berets? Read our complete A-Z guide on how to clean wool beret hats.

How to Get Sweat Stains Out of Beret Hats?

Sweat stains are gross. We know that. But you cannot stop sweating, and that’s the sad truth.

But our job is to give you solutions to every hat problem, and we’ve got you covered on this one too.

Firstly, is there a way to prevent sweat stains from sticking on your berets? YES.

You can place paper towels or tissues inside the sweatband. But always make sure you change the paper towels from time to time, especially during summers.

Secondly, what to do in case there is already a sweat stain?

To remove stains on your hat, you can use a mixture of white vinegar and warm water in equal proportions. Gently dab the mixture onto the hat using a clean cloth.

Often, you find a leather thong underneath the beret that helps the hat stay on your head. And this area is what tends to accumulate the most amount of seat stains. Being leather, cleaning with a mild shampoo is going to help remove those nasty stains!

But if your hat is felt or wool, make sure the shampoo does not touch the main beret area because shampoo can leave stains on them.

How to Care for Beret Hat?

Now that you know berets can indeed be washed using simple, easy methods, it is time you learn how to take care of them.

1. Brushing Your Berets

While brushing your beret hats to remove dirt or dust, always make sure that you brush using short strokes and in the direction of the fiber and not against it. Being delicate, if brushed the wrong way, berets will develop lint and fuzz.

2. Storing Your Berets

Store your berets in a cool and dry place. If possible, you should store them in a hatbox, which is the safest method.

If you are throwing in mothballs, it is good, but make sure they do not touch the fabric. The chemicals in the mothball can be harmful to the beret. You can also place a lavender pouch to keep your berets fresh.

Final Thoughts

If you own a beret, you know you need no other accessory to brighten up any outfit. But just like your pet, your berets also need caring and pampering now and then. How to wash a beret should no longer be a problematic question for you, now that we’ve taken care of it! Now run along and wash them spick and span so that you can rock your new look with Berets!

How to Wash a Beret – Quick & Easy Cleaning Methods

Can You Wash Beret?