After a couple years of heavy use, as everyone knows baseball hats are perfect for keeping your face shaded on a sunny day. But between the sweltering sun and a friendly game of baseball (or even just a brisk jog), dirt, oils, and sweat can get trapped in your baseball hat, leaving behind a stinky, dirty mess.
Unfortunately, Cleaning baseball hat isn’t as simple as throwing them in the laundry like you would with your embroidered t-shirt or polo shirt. Tossing baseball hats in the wash can beat them up so that they lose their form and the custom logo might fray if you aren’t careful. From misshapen brims to fast-fading colors, there are lots of issues that can make washing baseball hats tricky.
General baseball Hat-Washing Tips
Don’t put caps into the laundry — either the washer or dryer. A high-efficiency washer that doesn’t have a center agitating column can be okay, but even then it has to be cool water on the gentlest cycle, and you also have to be concerned about other clothes in the load squishing the hat’s form. Dryers are too hot, and the tumbling isn’t good for the shape. Better to just avoid the laundry machines altogether.
Don’t use any products with bleach in them; you want your ballcap colors to stay nice and bright for years to come.
The most important thing to take note of before washing your baseball hat is what type of brim it has:
Hats that have cardboard-supported brims are older, and when you tap or flick the brim, it will make a hollow sound. Unfortunately, these types of baseball hats can only be spot cleaned—submerging one in water will deform the brim, ruining the baseball hat altogether!
1. To clean a cardboard brimmed hat, drop your favorite detergent pod into warm water and let it fully dissolve.
2. Take a clean towel and dip it into the solution and lightly buff out any stains on the cap or inner headband. Be careful not to soak the brim! For tougher stains, use a soft-bristled brush to pull the grime out of the fabric.
3. Rinse the towel thoroughly and gently wipe the detergent off the baseball hat until none is remaining.
4. Let the baseball hat air dry, and enjoy!
Newer baseball hats typically have plastic-supported brims, and are usually machine-washable. (Always check the care label first, just to be sure!)
If your baseball hat is machine-washable, you have two methods:
- baseball hat dishwasher
- Use Your Dishwasher (our preferred method!)
Using your dishwasher can better maintain the shape of your baseball hat:
But can you really clean a baseball cap in the dishwasher?
While you certainly can wash a baseball cap in the dishwasher, you may not want to do, If you have a vintage baseball hat with a cardboard brim, you definitely cannot wash it in the dishwasher. If you do decide to go the dishwasher route for convenience, choose cold water and a gentle cycle, place the baseball hat on the top rack, and check that your dishwashing detergent does not contain bleach.
1.Start with an empty dishwasher to ensure that heavily soiled dishes do not result in food residue staining the hat.
2. Add a dishwasher detergent pod into the dishwasher dispenser.
3. Place the hat into the dishwasher on the top rack. You can use a cap frame to better maintain the shape of the hat.
4. Turn on the dishwasher and run a normal cycle on light wash or low-heat.
5. Allow the hat to air dry.
Use Your Washing Machine
1. Place the baseball hat into the washer (alone or with a smaller load of laundry so it doesn’t lose its shape) with a mild detergent and wash with warm water on a gentle cycle. For especially soiled hats, toss in an oxi-booster pac as well to eliminate even the toughest stains! You can even place your hat in a hat form to prevent it from losing form in the washer.
2. Let the hat air dry, with the hat form or head mold if necessary, or hang it up!
If your baseball hat is not machine-washable…
1. Drop a gentle detergent pac into a basin or container of warm water and let it fully dissolve.
2. Place your hat into the solution and let it soak for 1-2 minutes.
3. Scrub any stains or soiled areas gently with a clean towel or a soft-bristled brush.
4. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
5. Remove the hat from the solution, and place it on a clean, dry towel, and lightly press the towel against the hat to soak up any excess water.
6. Let the hat air dry, using a mold if necessary, and enjoy!
I believe everyone knows how to clean the hat now, so let’s customize a hat by aungcrown.