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Learn how to wash a hat by hand, how to wash a hat in the dishwasher and if you can wash a hat in the washing machine. We’re breaking it all down in this post.
My husband wears a lot of hats. Yes, figuratively but literally the man wears so many hats that I have had my share of practice over the years cleaning them.
Especially this time of year, after a summer of golf, baseball games, outdoor time and lots of sweating they are more than do for a good scrub.
Now, when it comes to washing hats you can wash them in the dishwasher (which I’ll cover below), and I know some people toss them in the wash (we’ll discuss that too) but nothing gets them good and clean like a little elbow grease. So we are going to start with how to wash a hat by hand.
How to Hand-Wash Hats: Easy Steps for Safely Cleaning Your Favorite Caps and Headwear
Before we look at how to wash a hat by hand it’s important to note that you’ll want to check the tag of the hat first for any special care instructions. Most times, the methods listed here will be fine but some older or vintage hats may have bills made from materials that can’t get wet.
Step 1 : Grab Your Supplies
To wash a hat by hand you’ll need a bucket, laundry detergent (liquid or powder) and a laundry booster such as oxygenated bleach (like Oxiclean), borax or washing soda.
Step 2 : Pre-Treat Stains
If the hats only have a few dirty spots on them then spot cleaning with a stain remover or a good detergent may be all you need.
Apply to the area and work it in with a toothbrush style scrub brush. Let sit a little then rinse and air dry.
If the hats are dirty all over, then you’ll still do this step as a pre-treat before soaking. Make sure to treat any obvious stains and don’t forget the band that sits against the forehead.
My favorite stain removers for this are below. The Miss Mouth’s however, I would only use on white hats as it can fade colors. Peroxide works as a stain remover too.
Step 3: Soak
Fill a bucket with hot water and add a scoop of laundry powder (if using liquid I would use 1/4 tbsp for one hat and 1 tbsp for multiple hats) followed by a scoop of oxygenated bleach or borax or washing soda.
You could also do what is called laundry stripping which is to add a scoop of both borax and washing soda along with the detergent to the hot water. If you are cleaning a bunch of hats at once do 2 scoops each.
Place the hats in the bucket and let soak for 30 minutes to an hour or until the water turns cold.
Step 4: Rinse and Dry
After they have soaked remove from the water, rinse well and air dry. The dryer is not good for hats because the heat can be bad for them and tumbling around can damage their structure so air drying is best. If the hats are white sit them in the sun outside to dry. This will sun bleach them and brighten them more.
And that’s it! That is how you wash a hat by hand. It’s really so easy that it’s my go to method because it doesn’t take too long and works great. But, if you want a simpler method then the dishwasher might be for you.
How to Wash A Hat in the Dishwasher
For this method, you could toss the hat in and wash on the top rack of the dishwasher by itself (just run a normal cycle).
But if doing this method, my recommendation would be to use a hat cage. You’ll still pre-treat any stains then place the hat in between the pieces of the cage and place on the top rack. It helps to hold the hat’s structure and protects it more.
The only catch with washing a hat in the dishwasher is that if you are washing with dirty dishes in there too make sure there isn’t anything coming off of the dishes that could further stain the hat, like spaghetti sauce.
After the hat is washed, remove the top piece of the hat cage and let air dry. Keeping it on the bottom half will help hold its shape as it dries.
Washing Hats in the Washing Machine
I have seen people do this either by tossing them in a delicates bag or using the hat cage. The instructions of the hat cage only recommend the dishwasher or a portable washing machine.
The washing machine is typically avoided because the tumbling could damage the structure of the hats. So, I personally would skip it and opt for the top rack of the dishwasher instead.
See These Tips in Action!
More of a visual learner like me? Check out my YouTube video!
Hopefully these tips help revive those dingy, dirty hats and gets them looking like new again.
And if you like this post be sure to check out this one on How to Whiten Clothes Without Bleach
Let me know what other areas you need help tackling around your home.
