How To Wash A Fitted Hat – All Things You Should Know

August 15, 2021
Greg Palmer
Blog

Is it wrong to say that your most favorite kind of baseball hat is a fitted hat? Definitely NO. But you are in some trouble right now, not knowing the best way to wash a fitted hat, right? We know what’s going through your head right now. We’ve been there, which is why we’ve put together this epic article on everything that you need to know about washing fitted hats.

We know how attached you are to your fitted hat. After all, fitted hats take care of you so much – from protecting you from harmful sun rays, representing your favorite basketball team, or just making your outfits way cooler than they actually are. But in all of this, they’ve become pretty dirty, and it’s time to shower them.

So, grab your fitted hats, and let’s run the run to get them washed and cleaned!

Can You Wash Fitted Hats?

Of course, you can.

Most of your fitted hats are made of cotton, cotton blends, or acrylic. These are super sturdy materials that can tolerate any washing.

So, washing fitted hats is not an impossible task, but there’s always a right way to do things, right? So here, we’ll be guiding you on how to wash fitted hats the right way.

What to Know Before Cleaning a Fitted Hat?

We know you’re here after a tiring search on finding the best way to wash fitted hats. You might have also read a hundred ways to wash them by now. But are they all really safe? We don’t know.

But what we do know is that if you follow the tips that we’ll be giving you now on washing fitted hats, you can be assured of your hat’s shine and safety.

1. Check the Care Label

Care labels are the manufacturers telling us the what’s and how’s of your hat—confused about the hat material? Check the label. Not sure of the right washing method? Check the label. Some hats can only be hand-washed, some can be hand-washed and machine-washed, etc.

When it comes to washing, your care label is more important than the hat itself!

2. Check the Hat’s Brim

Your hat’s brim can either be made of plastic or cardboard. If it’s plastic, you’re saved, but if it’s cardboard, you’ve got a slightly bigger problem to deal with. Carboard brimmed hats will disintegrate when washed in water.

If you want to wash your cardboard-brimmed hats at home, spot cleaning is your only bet. We’ll see how to do that in a bit.

3. AVOID Detergents with Bleach

Hat fabrics aren’t very bleach-friendly. They tend to dull your hats, especially if they are dark-colored. So always ensure that the detergent you use is a non-bleach one or one that’s made specifically for that fabric.

4. ALWAYS Do a Spot Test Before Actual Wash

How would you know if your hat’s color won’t bleed while getting washed? If you start washing and realize mid-way that your hat’s bleeding, it’ll be too late. But don’t worry. We have a fool-proof solution for you. Do a spot test.

How to do a spot test?

Well, to begin with, it’s very easy. Dampen a clean white cloth and rub it gently on a small, inconspicuous area of the hat. If any dye transfers to the white cloth, your hat is bleeding color, and you shouldn’t be washing your fitted hat at home. Take them to a professional.

But if the white cloth remains white, you can relax because your hat isn’t bleeding any color and you can proceed to wash them at home!

How To Wash A Fitted Hat

How to Quick Wash Fitted Hat?

We’re all people looking out for the easiest way to solve things, right? And like everything else, fitted hats also have a quick wash method. We know you can’t keep calm, not knowing what it is. So here it goes.

If your fitted hat is soiled only at specific places, you don’t need to wash the whole hat. Our quick wash method for fitted hats is the spot clean treatment, and before you know it, your fitted hats are going to look super spotless.

Materials Needed:

Instructions:

Step 1: Make the Cleaning Solution

In a bowl filled with water, add a small amount of mild laundry detergent. Mix the two well so that the soap is spread evenly.

Step 2: Work on the Stained Areas

Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, gently work on the stained areas in small, circular movements. DO NOT put too much pressure on the hat while scrubbing.

Step 3: Rinse the Hat

Once the stains are removed, rinse the hat under cool running water. Ensure there is no left-over soap on the hat because soaps can cause staining if not washed away.

Step 4: Dry the Hat

DO NOT TWIST OR WRING the hat. The best thing about fitted hats is how snugly they fit your head, and you don’t want to ruin it.

Either ball up a towel and place it inside the hat or keep it to dry on a coffee can. DO NOT dry them on any flat surface, for their structure will get distorted.

And always ONLY air-dry them, away from direct sunlight.

How to Wash Fitted Hat by Hand?

It’s our favorite method to wash fitted hats. There’s nothing a good hand-wash cannot do. You have complete control of your hats when washing by hand.

But before you go ahead, we hope you’ve checked the care label that’s okayed a hand-wash.

Materials Needed:

Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-treat the stains

For best results, always pre-treat the stains with a stain remover. Doing so will break down and dissolve the dirt particles before the actual wash. Leave the stain remover on for about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the staining.

Consider half your job done.

Step 2: Prepare the Cleaning Solution

In a bucket filled with water, add a small amount of mild laundry detergent. Mix the two well.

Step 3: Scrub the stains.

Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, scrub the stained areas gently.

Step 4: Soak the hat

Submerge the hat in soapy water, giving a gentle sway. Leave the hat in water for about an hour.

Step 5: Rinse the Hat

Rinse the hat thoroughly under cool running water to get rid of the dirt and left-over soap. If the stain persists, repeat steps 3-4.

Step 6: Dry the Hat

NEVER use a dryer. The heat generated by a dryer can be too much for the hat. You can either place the hat on a clean towel to get rid of excess dripping water and air-dry or directly air-dry.

How to Wash Fitted Hat by Washing Machine?

Being made of sturdy materials, your fitted hats can easily go for a machine wash. But make sure you check the care label for confirmation.

Let’s see how to wash fitted hats safely in a washing machine!

Materials Needed:

Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-treat the stains

Washing machines wash the hats as a whole, so there are chances of specific stains getting missed out in the process, which is why you need to always pre-treat the stain.

Apply a small amount of remover on stained areas. Keep it for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Step 2: Place your hat in Hat Frame or Mesh Bag

Hat frame or a mesh bag, the choice is yours. Both help keep your fitted hat’s structure intact. The hat frame, being sturdy, protects the hat a little better from all the spinning that will happen inside.

So, place your hats in one of these before throwing them in the machine.

Step 3: Set Your Machine Controls

Adjust your washing machine to a ‘Delicate’ cycle and use only cool water.

DO NOT overstuff your machine with clothes if you’re washing hats with general laundry and avoid heavy clothing like rugs, jeans, towels, etc.

Step 4: Dry the Hat

Once the wash cycle is over, air-dry your hats in a spot with good air circulation and away from direct sunlight.

How to Wash Fitted Hats in Dishwasher?

To wash or not to wash in a dishwasher is a tricky thing. We’re sure you must have heard many good and bad things about washing fitted hats in a dishwasher. So, let’s just try to decode the mystery here.

Not all hats and caps can be washed in a dishwasher. Dishwashers have a high heat setting which is not good for most of the hats and caps. Only the strongest materials can withstand the heat. And luckily, being sturdy, baseball caps and it’s variants like fitted hats can be washed in dishwashers.

But always check the label to confirm whether the hat is machine-washable.

We hope the mystery is solved for you. Now it’s time to see how to wash fitted hats in a dishwasher in the safest of ways!

Materials Needed:

A dishwasher
A hat frame
Dishwashing deterge nt (bleach-free, non-lemon flavor)
Stain remover

Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-treat the stains

Like we always say, pre-treating is the most important step that will make your job easier. Apply a small amount of remover on specific stains. Leave it for about 30 minutes to an hour.

Step 2: Place Hat in Hat Frame

If you want to wash hats in the dishwasher, you CANNOT AVOID using a hat frame. These will ensure your hats stay protected from extreme temperatures and water pressure inside the dishwasher.

Once the hats are placed in the hat frame, keep them on the top-most rack of the dishwasher. This is the only place where the heat is slightly lower compared to the rest of the racks.

Step 3: Add the Detergent

Add the required amount of dishwashing detergent to the soap dispenser. Ensure that the detergent you use is free of bleach and is not lemon-scented. Lemon being acidic will damage the fabric.

Step 4: Set Your Dishwasher Controls

Adjust your dishwasher to a normal cycle. And switch off the HEAT DRY OPTION in the dishwasher.

Step 5: Dry the Hat

Once the wash cycle is complete, take them out and air-dry.

Do Fitted Hats Stretch Out or Shrink After Wash?

YES.

Fitted hats tend to stretch out or shrink a bit after a wash, especially if you’ve washed the hats using a washing machine or a dishwasher.

But do not panic. Some amount of shrinking is to be expected, and you can always re-shape the hat. It is important to know that you can bring a fitted hat back to shape while it’s wet and not when dry. As soon as the wash is over, wear your hat and let it sit on your head and dry. This way, the hat will retain the correct fit.

If you don’t want a wet hat to sit on your head for too long, wear the hat and dry it using a hairdryer set at the lowest temperature.

Now, if you want to avoid the burden of re-shaping your hat, your safest bet is to always go for a hand-wash. Chances of stretching out and shrinking are comparatively less compared to the machines.

How to Care for Fitted Hats?

Now that your fitted hats look and feel fresh, what’s the next step? Toss them in the corner of your room? No way! Taking care of your fitted hats is equally important as washing them. Let’s see what some of the best fitted hat care practices are.

1. Storing the Hats

If you own a fitted hat, you should know how to store it as well. Hat boxes are the best and safest options to keep your hats.

If you don’t have a hatbox, keep it in a dry, clean, dedicated spot inside your cupboard. You can throw in some mothballs and a lavender fragrance sachet so that the hats remain fresh even when not in use.

DO NOT store them in plastic bags. They do not allow any air movement and will thus lead to yellowing of hats or promote mildew growth.

2. DO NOT Leave Hats in Car

We’ve all been there and done that many times. But leaving your hats in the car is the worst thing to do to a hat. The direct sunlight will dull the hat’s color and spoil the texture.

Final Thoughts

Fitted hats are special. They fit perfectly on just one head which is why they have the name. So, if you’ve bought a fitted hat with so much love just for you, you need to know how to take good care of it. Now that we’ve shown you how to wash fitted hats the best way, it’s your turn to up the game!

Be a sport and give your dirty, fitted hats a good shower! A bright, shiny cap always looks better on you than a dull one, after all!

How To Wash A Fitted Hat – All Things You Should Know

Can You Wash Fitted Hats?