How to Wash Polyester Hats and Caps (Best Tips and Guides)

After a few months of usage, you might have come here to check out how to wash a polyester cap properly without ruining the quality and shape of your favorite hat.  Since caps are structured, it’s necessary to follow a proper cleaning method to preserve their shape for long-lasting usage.

Whether you want to refresh your old cap, remove the noticeable stain, or get rid of that stinking smell without washing, we’ve got you covered with the easy, effective methods!

Let’s go in!

What is Polyester?

Before doing anything, it’s necessary to understand the features of your polyester cap.

Polyester is the most common synthetic fabric, which is used from pillow covers to caps and curtains to shoes. They are a widely popular choice for their mind-blowing durability, shrinkage resistance, stretchability, anti-pilling, and anti-fading qualities.

Another important thing to know is, polyester is very sensitive to heat, and washing them in hot water might cause them to shrink and deform.

What to Know Before Cleaning a Polyester Hat?

There are a couple of important things to keep in mind before cleaning a polyester cap.

1. Avoid Using the Washing Machine

Both washer and dryer. Even though it’s possible to wash your cap in a cool, gentle cycle, the cap can still have chances to lose its shape due to the washer’s agitation and increased load. Some caps will also be designed with an elastic that a washing machine can damage. Dryers can be very hot to polyester, which might shrink them.

2. Test the Color Fabric

Suppose, if you want to clean their stains deep, make sure you do a test to check whether they bleed colors. Rub a small amount of oxygen-based brightener on a hidden part of the cap. If you notice color bleeds, you have no other choice than to wash them with water.

3. Check the Visor

If your cap contains a visor that is inbuilt with cardboard and you fully submerge in water, the shape of your vintage cap will be ruined. Tap or flick the visor to check if it is cardboard. If you hear a hollow sound, you can assume it’s cardboard and spot clean using the soft-bristled toothbrush to remove stains.

4. Do Not Use Chlorine Bleach

Even when cleaning a white cap, don’t use chlorine bleach. They might be harsh on polyester fibers and ruin the shape.

5. Busting the Dishwasher Myth

Dishwashers are the same as washing machines and not recommended to wash your caps. The extreme heat and bleach detergents might deteriorate the quality and color of the cap. 

6. Read the Care Tag

Not all manufacturers produce their hats and caps in the same process. It’s always better to read the care instructions of the specific cap before washing it.

How to Wash Polyester Hats?

The above don’ts to wash polyester hats might help you understand what you should not do with polyester caps.

Now, we will walk you through the whole process of how to wash polyester caps with two methods: a quick cleaning method and a deep clean method to remove sweat stains, etc.

How Often to Clean  Polyester Caps?

According to head and shoulders, a sweat-stained cap may lead to fungal infections and hair loss. It’s up to you on how many times you should wash your cap.

But, aim to wash your cap at least two to three times in a season. Don’t wait until your cap smells. Wash it once a week if you wear your favorite one all the time.

How to Store Polyester Hats?

If you’re a hat person, storing your caps might be a difficult task for you since they take a lot of space, and their shape is difficult to hang or stack neatly. Storing them in hat boxes prevents dust and stains.

Wide shoe boxes and plastic boxes are also good ideas to store caps. You can also stack them one above the other and keep them in your cupboard.

Another space-saving idea is clipping the unused curtain rings onto the bottom crossbar of the hanger and threading the caps onto the rings.

How to Remove the Smell of the Cap without Washing?

Does your hat smell terrible? No time to wash?

Sprinkle them with baking soda on the inner panels of the caps, let them sit for at least 30 minutes, and shake them out. 

According to spruce, baking soda is alkaline and neutralizes the odor of acidic compounds like sweat and smoke. They also can absorb oil molecules.

Another idea is to spray them with a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water on the inner panels of the cap. This will kill odor, releasing bacteria.

What Are the Benefits of Using Polyester Caps?

• Unarguably, polyester caps have excellent long-lasting durability and retain the color and shape for long-lasting usage.
• They are also resistant to shrinkages.
• Their long-lasting elasticity allows them to stretch to most head sizes.
• Above all, they are available at affordable prices.

All these qualities of polyester make them an irresistible choice for making caps, hats, and other apparel.

Final Thoughts

Remember, don’t use chlorine bleach, and check whether your cap is made up of cardboard brims like the old ones before submerging into water. It’s time to stop the usage of washing machines and dishwashers. Handwashing is the best method to make your cap last for years.

If you’re owning a baseball cap that you really love and won’t go out without wearing it, you don’t need to wash them every day.

Remember the rubbing alcohol and baking soda method to remove the stinking smell of your hat without washing it! Now you might have a clear idea of how to clean your polyester cap.  So, give it a go!