A lot of dust and dirt can accumulate on hats. Unfortunately, hats, especially knitted hats, are often quite difficult to wash. The safest way to wash hats is by hand, however some (more durable) hats can still be machine washed. Before you start washing, you should determine what material the headgear is made of and whether it can lose its shape. The easiest way is to read what is written on the information label. However, if there is no such label, you will have to rely solely on your own judgment.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Hand wash your headgear
Step 1. Fill a small plastic bowl with cold water
Warm and hot water can cause the hat to shed or shrink (depending on the specific material). You only need to pour as much water as it takes to immerse your belongings in it. If you are only going to wash a couple of hats, you can even use a large plastic bowl instead of a basin.
- This method is best for knitted hats and delicate baseball caps that can rip or stretch when washed in the washing machine.
- If you knitted a hat yourself, read the washing information on the yarn package.
Step 2. Add liquid detergent to the water
Stir in water until completely dissolved in a teaspoon of detergent or soap. The type of detergent you use will depend on the material of your hat and what you are going to wash.
- If your hat is knitted with wool, then you should use a detergent made for wool. This will prevent the hat from rolling, losing color and deforming. If you don't have a special detergent for wool on hand, then any other liquid detergent without bleaching ingredients in the composition may work for you.
- Never use chlorine or enzymatic bleaches for woolen garments.
Step 3. Conduct a spot test
If this is your first time washing your hat in this way, you should first wet only a small area of the garment with the prepared soapy water before immersing it completely. Soak the area in the solution for about a couple of minutes.
- Check the color fastness on the wetted area. You may notice that the paint has started to shed and stain the water. If the water doesn't stain, try blotting the hat on a light colored item.
- When you blot your hat, it is better to take a light-colored thing that you do not mind at all, or one that can be easily bleached.
- Choose a section of the hat for testing that will not be visible when worn. Even if it fades, it will not spoil your appearance.
- If during the test you do not notice any signs that the item is shedding, you can move on to the next step.
Step 4. Soak the headpiece completely with your head
If no traces of fading paint appear on the test area of the headgear after two minutes, you can completely immerse the headgear in the soapy solution. For a simple wash with light stains, you should soak the hat for about 30 minutes. If there is dirt or stubborn dirt on your headdress, you may need to soak it for several hours.
Step 5. Rinse the hat
Remove the hat from the soapy solution. Rinse it under the high-pressure tap to rinse off the detergent. The water should be cold so that the hat does not shed and shrink. Continue rinsing until the hat is no longer tacky and no soap is visible in the dripping water.
Step 6. Squeeze out excess water
Take the hat with your palms and squeeze it gently. Place the hat on a clean towel and continue blotting the water until it stops dripping from the headgear. Do not twist the cap during push-ups, as this may cause it to lose its shape and begin to roll off in pellets.
Step 7. Let the cap dry
Place the hat where there is good air circulation. It should be laid flat on a towel without deforming its normal shape. You can put a fan nearby, but do not use a hot hair dryer to dry. Heat may cause the cap to shrink. Do not place your hat in direct sun as it may burn out.
Method 2 of 4: Washing the knitted hat in the washing machine
Step 1. Place delicate knitted hats in a laundry net
Some hand-knitted hats, especially woolen hats, may warp when washed in the washing machine. To prevent this from happening, they should first be placed in a mesh or purse for washing clothes, or in a headdress. Close the washcloth with a lock or tie if it does not have one. This will prevent the headgear from falling out of it, which is especially important with a small load of the washing machine.
Be careful when choosing knitted items to wash this way. If the hat is knitted of acrylic, machine-washable wool or cotton yarn, then nothing terrible should happen to it in the washing machine. However, if the woolen item does not indicate that it can be washed in the washing machine, then the washing machine can ruin it
Step 2. If possible, fully load the washing machine
Woollens tend to fall off when washed without a full load of the washing machine. Despite the fact that a mesh for washing clothes should protect the hat from such a nuisance, it can open during the washing process. Other co-washable items should have the same color scheme as your hat. The most ideal option would be to wash knitted items together.
Step 3. Start a cold wash cycle before placing items in the washing machine
Let the washing machine fill with cold water, then pause and put the items in the washing machine before starting an active wash.
If your washing machine has a front door, load it normally before washing. Even though this is not the most ideal option, nothing should happen to your knitted hat
Step 4. Add detergent to the machine
If you are washing woolen items, it is best to use a special wool detergent. It usually contains lanolin, which helps protect the wool from static electricity and protects it during washing. If you do not wash wool or cannot find a special detergent for it, then use any other detergent without bleaching ingredients and strong chemicals.
Step 5. Let things get wet
Do not start washing immediately. Leave the clothes to soak for about an hour. Heavily soiled items can even be left to soak overnight. Don't worry if your knitted items remain on the surface at first. Eventually, they will absorb enough water and plunge into it themselves.
Step 6. Start the "rinse cycle with water drain"
In a normal washing process, this is usually the final phase of the wash. The washing machine will rinse your clothes very gently and drain the water without spinning. The centrifugal force of rotation of the drum during draining will remove only excess water from the items. If, at the end of the wash, the laundry remains too wet, you can start the drain cycle separately again.
Step 7. Let the caps dry
Spread a clean, dry towel on a flat surface. Place your knitted hats on a towel. It is best to do this in a well-ventilated area, such as where a fan is installed. Let the caps dry on their own. It only takes a few hours.
Method 3 of 4: Washing your baseball cap in the washing machine
Step 1. Treat the lining and inner perimeter of the bottom edge of the baseball cap with a stain remover
Most likely, these areas will be the dirtiest, as this is where your sweat and sebum is most absorbed when wearing a baseball cap. Take an enzyme stain remover and apply it to the stains in question.
- Most of the baseball caps made in the last 10 years can be safely washed in the washing machine.
- However, baseball caps made from woolen fabric are best hand washed.
- Older baseball caps may have cardboard visors. These baseball caps must not be completely soaked in water. It is best to clean them using a spray bottle and a cloth.
Step 2. Place the baseball cap in the washing machine along with the rest of the laundry
At this stage, it should be treated like any other item in need of washing. Combine it with items of the same color and use your usual detergent.
- For best results, use a cold wash cycle. However, there is nothing wrong with warm water. However, it is better to refrain from hot water.
- Do not use chlorine bleach.
Step 3. Leave the baseball cap to dry
At the end of the wash cycle, take your baseball cap and place it on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area. To speed up drying, you can turn on the fan nearby. Do not dry your baseball cap in the dryer, as this may shrink and deform.
Method 4 of 4: Washing your straw hat
Step 1. Make sure your straw hat is washable
Some straws are too delicate to wash even by hand. However, most straw hats are made from straw that is strong enough to be hand washed. Check the manufacturer's tag sewn into the hat. Rice straw and comb hats are usually quite durable.
If you don't know what kind of straw your hat is made of, gently bend the brim. If at the same time they resist and strive to return to its original shape, then the hat can be considered durable. If the hat bends easily or even begins to break, then it is too fragile
Step 2. If possible, remove the decorative elements from the hat
Often, straw hats may have strings, ribbons and ornaments secured with thin wires. In this case, the wire can be easily unscrewed to remove these elements. If the decorations are sewn on, it is better not to touch them, otherwise the likelihood of damage to these decorations when trying to sew them back after washing will be higher than the likelihood of damage during washing.
Step 3. Wipe the hat lightly with a cloth
You can use a damp cloth to clean the hat of light dirt that cannot be removed with a brush. Gently wipe the dirty area with a rag sweeping motion. Do not let the straw get wet while doing this.
Step 4. Clean the hat with a hydrogen peroxide solution
If water doesn't help clean your hat, you can use hydrogen peroxide as a gentle cleaner. Fill a spray bottle with peroxide and water in a 1: 1 ratio.
- Spray the prepared solution onto a cloth. Use it to gently rub the entire hat with it.
- For particularly stubborn stains, spray the solution directly onto them and then wipe off with a cloth. Do not allow the straw to get wet, as it can begin to deform and bend.
Advice
- If it is indicated on the headdress that it can only be dry cleaned, it is better not to risk it and give it to dry cleaning. This step will cost you significantly less than buying a new headgear.
- Keep washable hats in a laundry net separate from other textiles. This will keep them away from the normal wash cycle and prevent them from rolling off.
- Some people wash caps in the dishwasher. However, dishwasher manufacturers do not recommend this. In addition, high temperatures in the dishwasher can deform the plastic base of the visor and shrink the fabric.
- Treat particularly dirty areas and stains with a special stain remover before washing.