How do you wash a hat?
By brotha
@brotha (228)
United States
February 26, 2010 1:11am CST
I have a hat that I've been wearing for a couple years now and it's really getting rancid. It's a flat billed hat and is made of wool. I've heard multiple theories of how to wash your hat and was wondering which one I should use/what works. If you mess up you can deform your hat and/or shrink it.
Apparently you can put your hat in the dishwasher and it helps keep its form and the bill unbent and it doesn't shrink, and you can dry it by placing it on something head shaped and waiting for it to air dry. My dishwasher only has hot water settings so I'm afraid it would shrink anyways. Also, could lint get in the dishwasher and mess it up?
Others say just to use the washing machine but I've heard bad things about that too. Washing machine is too rough for a flat billed hat and can mess things up. The one thing people agree on is to never put the hat in the dryer.
All these theories depend on what material your hat is too. Again, mine is wool, and the bill is cardboard. I'm also worried the colors might run.
Help please! Thanks.
3 responses
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
26 Feb 10
I think the easiest and best way to wash a hat is just take it to the cleaners. I'm sure they would be able to clean it for you. That is where I would take a wool hat. They would probably steam clean it because water I don't believe would be a good idea for a wool hat.
@magtibaygom (4858)
• Philippines
27 Feb 10
Have you tried dry-cleaning? I saw that "service" in a laundry shop near our place. I am also wondering how they do that... dry cleaning? :)
@ksherrie (891)
• Singapore
26 Feb 10
I suppose you can try hand-washing it, at least to the wool part. This way, you won't spoil the cardboard part. Make sure to dry it under the hot sun... The sun can kill 90% of the germs.
Unless you can find a way to remove the cardboard, you can wash it in the machine without any worry!
