How To Wash A Flat Cap (Ivy Hat) – Without Ruining the Hat

Traditionally a staple winter cap, flat caps, or ivy caps have made it to our all-season wardrobes now. Flat caps are easy, casual, and smart-looking, and wearing them is sort of addictive. Once you start using it, you might want to try and pair them with all your outfits because of their comfort and functionality. But using them so much leads to the risk of getting your flat caps dirty. So, do you know how to wash a flat cap? 

If you answered a no, this article would be life-saving for you because we will show you all tips, tricks, and hacks to get flat caps washed and cleaned. 

Can You Wash a Flat Cap?

Of course, you can.

And why do we say that? Because flat caps are usually made out of cotton, wool, wool blends, leather, tweed, or polyester. And the good news is that you have methods to clean all these materials with ease right at your home. A stain in your flat cap doesn’t have to take you to a professional cleaner always.

What to Know Before Cleaning a Flat Cap?

1. Know the Material

Like we said earlier, your flat caps can be wool, leather, polyester, or cotton, and the washing methods differ for each of these materials. Except for leather, all others can be hand-washed and machine-washed if done with care. 

Leather is a very delicate material that can only be dry-cleaned or spot cleaned.

Check out our complete guide to cleaning and washing leathers hats and caps.

2. Read the Care Label

Reading through your cap’s care label will solve half of your cap washing problems. It has all the information on the cap like its material, safe washing methods, other specific instructions, etc.

3. NEVER use Dryer

We all want our caps to dry quickly and search for the easy way out. But dryers are never a good option to dry your flat caps. The extreme heat is harmful to the cap fibers, and you should only air-dry the caps.

4. Always Do a Spot Test

Before washing your flat caps, you need to be very sure whether your caps will bleed color or not. A spot test will help you check this.

Wet a clean white cloth in water or a mild soap solution and rub it on an unnoticeable spot of your cap, like its underside. If you observe any dye transfer onto the white cloth, your cap is bleeding color, and you might have to take it to a professional. If not, you are good to go ahead with washing flat caps at home.

How Do You Wash a Flat Cap Without Ruining It?

So, there are three methods you can use to clean your dirty flat caps based on the level of staining. If your flat caps are stained only at a specific spot, you don’t have to wash the whole cap. A spot clean would be enough.

If your cap is stained at more than just a spot, you can hand-wash the flat cap. Hand washing is always the best and safest method when washing any hats or caps. They give you complete control over your cap, and the chances of the cap getting ruined are very less.

The last option is a machine wash. But before throwing your caps in the machine, always make sure that your cap’s care label allows a machine wash. If you own a leather flat cap, you can forget a machine wash for good.

 How To Wash A Flat Cap

Can You Wash Flat Caps in the Dishwasher?

Absolutely NOT.

The functioning of a dishwasher is extreme for washing flat caps. Dishwashers spray hot water with a lot of pressure to wash dirty dishes. Most of the dishwashing detergents have bleach content in them, which are harmful to flat caps.

How to Dry Flat Caps?

We’ve told you air-drying is the way, but what exactly are the steps to air dry? Let’s take a sneak peek. 

1. Place Caps on a Clean Towel

Once your caps are washed, place them on a clean towel to remove all excess dripping water.

2. Dab the Cap with Towel

Use the same towel and dab the whole hat gently. It will remove any surface-level moisture on the cap. It’s also the best time to fluff up your caps if they’ve gotten distorted in the washing process.

3. Dry the Hat

Once steps 1 and 2 are done, find a spot with good airflow and set the cap to air-dry, away from sunlight.

These three steps ensure your caps are dried well. If you don’t have so much time in hand, you can, of course, skip steps 1 and 2 and air-dry the cap directly.

How to Care for Flat Caps?

1. Store in Dry, Clean Places

Your flat caps are allergic to damp and moist places. Always store your caps in cool and dry places, so they aren’t prone to any mildew attacks or yellowing.

2. Use Hat Box

If you’re confused about storing hats, use a hatbox. They are a tried and tested option to store your flat caps safely. You can throw in a lavender sachet inside the box to keep the caps smell and feel fresh.

3. Use a Clothes Steamer

If your caps have caught an unexpected, sudden rain, then you need to air-dry them first. But if they are just mildly damp, you can use a clothes steamer to freshen, sanitize and shapen your flat caps. But NEVER IRON THEM.

Final Thoughts

The question ‘how to wash flat caps’ brought you to this article, and now that you’ve all the tricks up your sleeves about cleaning and washing flat caps without ruining them, it’s time you actually put it to practice.

The next time you step out in your flat caps, they need to be bright and shiny!