How to Wash Black Hats and Caps – The Right Way

How to Spot Cleaning Black Hats?

As mentioned earlier, if your black hat’s brim is made out of cardboard, spot cleaning is your best way to clean at home.

Materials Needed:

• Sink or bucket
• A clean cloth
• A toothbrush
• Mild laundry detergent
• Coldwater

Instructions:

Step 1: Do a Spot Test on Hat

Like we said earlier, before jumping into any washing, do a spot test to check for colorfastness.

Step 2: Make the Cleaning Solution

Fill the bucket or sink with cold water and add a few drops of any mild laundry detergent. Make sure the detergent doesn’t contain bleach. If your hat is made of delicate fabrics like wool or felt, use detergents specific to those materials.

Step 3: Work on the Stains

Dip a clean cloth in the soap solution and gently rub on the hat to form lather. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and work on the stains.

Step 4: Clean the Residual Soap

Once the stains are removed, use a fresh damp cloth and wipe away all the soap and water from the hat. Make sure to remove all the soap from the hat, or else the fabric will be damaged.

Step 5: Dry the Hat

Air-dry the hat in a well–ventilated area away from direct sunlight. Drying also depends on the material sometimes. For example, for hats like Berets, never hang them to dry as they might lose their shape. You can lay them on any flat surface.

How to Hand-Wash Black Hat?

Hand-washing is the best and safest method to clean any hat or cap. Do you know why? Because while washing my hands, you have complete control over the hat. If something goes wrong, you can take the necessary steps immediately. But in the case of a machine wash, you will have no idea what is happening to your hat till it comes out of the machine, by which time things might be too late to change! If you love your hat, we suggest you always go for a hand-wash irrespective of the material.

Materials Needed:

• Bucket, tub, or sink
• Mild laundry detergent
• Soft-bristled toothbrush
• Cool water

Instructions:

Step 1: Do a Spot Test on the Hat

By now, you know the drill. Do a spot test on your black hat. It is the one step that you cannot afford to miss. 

Step 2: Make the Soap Solution

Fill a bucket with cool water, add a few drops of color-safe, bleach-free laundry detergent. Make sure to mix the solution well so that the soap is distributed uniformly.

Step 3: Soak the Hat in Soap Solution

Soak your black hat in the soap solution for at least 20 minutes. You can leave it for up to 2 hours as well, depending on the amount of staining.

Step 4: Scrub the Stains

By this time, all the stubborn stains would have loosened due to the soaking, and it will be pretty easy to remove the dirt. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and scrub the hat gently. Do not be too harsh while scrubbing, for it can damage your fabric.

Step 5: Rinse the Hat

Once the stains have been scrubbed, rinse your hat under cold water. Let the excess water drip. But DO NOT twist or WRING the hat. 

Step 6: Dry the Hat

You can either place the black hat on a clean towel to dry or air-dry it at a well-ventilated spot. But always make sure the hat is away from direct harsh sunlight. Direct heat is bad for the hat.

How to Machine-Wash Black Hat?

If your hat’s care label says it’s okay to machine wash, then you can go ahead with this method. But always be EXTRA careful and follow the steps below to the point.

Advice: While machine – washing hats and caps, it is always safe to use a front-loading machine than a top-loading one because the central agitator in a top-loading machine can damage the fabric.

Materials Needed:

• Front-loading washing machine
• Hat frame or mesh bag
• Pre-treating stain remover

Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-treat the Stains

Apply a small amount of pre-treating stain remover on the specific stains on your black hat. Keep it for about 10 minutes so that the dirt particles can be broken down.

Step 2: Adjust Machine Controls

Set your machine on a gentle or delicate cycle and use only cold water. In the case of wool hats, your machines might have a wool function. You can set the controls accordingly.

Step 3: Toss the Hat in a Hat Form or Mesh Bag

Even if the machine is set to a gentle washing cycle, there can be chances of fabric damage due to the constant whirring and spinning. To be on the safer side, always keep your black hats in mesh bags or hat forms and put them in the machine.

Step 4: Dry the Hat

Once the wash cycle is complete, you can take it out. But do not twist or wring the hat—only air-dry.

How to Wash Black Hats in Dishwasher?

Dishwashers are very tricky when it comes to clean hats. Hat experts and lovers will consider it a sin to wash hats or caps in a dishwasher. Dishwashers use hot water, which is meant for washing dishes, and most of the dishwashing detergents come with chlorine bleach content.

So, if we were to advise you, you should never use a dishwasher. 

But baseball caps, being sturdier than most caps, do survive a dishwasher. If a dishwasher is the only way you want to clean your hat, well, then we do have a method that you can follow! Let’s check it out.

Materials Needed:

• Dishwasher
• Dishwashing detergent (bleach-free and non-lemon scented)
• A hat frame
• Stain Remover

Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-Treat the Stains

Apply a small amount of stain remover on specific stain areas. Keep it for about 30 minutes so that the dirt particles are broken down.

Step 2: Place the Cap in a Hat Frame

A hat frame ensures your hat does not lose its shape. So ALWAYS use one if you are washing your hat in a dishwasher. Place the hat frame ONLY ON THE TOP RACK.

Step 3: Add the Dishwashing Detergent

Add the required amount of dishwashing detergent to the soap dispenser. Ensure that the detergent is bleach-free and does not have citric content, for it can damage the fabric.

Step 4: Set Your Dishwasher Controls

The machine has to be set to a normal wash cycle and make sure the cap in the top rack of your dishwasher to prevent from heating elements. THE HEAT DRY option needs to be TURNED OFF.

Step 5: Dry the Hat

Once the wash cycle is complete, air-dry your hat overnight, you can also use a mannequin head to dry the hat. But make sure to keep it away from direct sunlight.

How to Remove Sweat Stains Out of Black Hat?

Sweating is not something that we have any control over. And hats being in constant contact without heads and faces are likely to take the brunt for it. Most of the sweat stains will usually go with one or the other washing methods we discussed above. But sometimes, these stains can be too stubborn that they will need some special treatment.

It’s quite easy, and you only require a simple product in our homes all the time.

Any guesses?

It is baking soda!

We will show you a step-by-step account of how to remove sweat stains using baking soda paste.

Materials Needed:

• Baking soda
• Water
• Soft-bristled toothbrush

Instructions:

Step 1: Make the Baking Soda Paste

To four tablespoons of baking soda, add a small amount of warm water, and stir well until you paste.

Step 2: Apply the Paste on the Hat

Apply the baking soda paste to specific stain areas. Using a toothbrush, work the paste on the stain. Leave it for about an hour so that the paste gets properly absorbed.

Step 3: Rinse the Hat

Rinse the paste from the hat using cold water. Make sure all the soda gets removed.

Step 4: Dry the Hat

Place the hat on a wet towel to remove all the excess dripping water. Air-dry the hat.