In the past I’ve written about how to keep your hat from stinking, but what do you do if it has already developed a funky, stinky odor? If the hat is made of 100% wool or cotton, you can simply wash it. Hat cleaning methods vary slightly by material so below are separate instructions for each kind of hat. Wool hats should be dry cleaned only, while cotton hats can typically be washed on “delicate” in cold water with either dish soap or baby shampoo, then hung to dry.
Some words of warning before we get started:
Attention!
NEVER put your hat in the dryer and always use caution when putting your hat near an open flame (eg., candles). The air around us is full of tiny particles floating in the air that can eventually find their way into your hat where they will cause deterioration. Airing out your hat regularly helps prevent this from happening, but if you have a particularly smoky room or must use a candle for some reason, put your hat on before entering and take it off as soon as you’re done.
If you want to wash a cotton hat:
- Fill the sink with cool water and add either one drop of baby shampoo or a capful of gentle dish soap.
- Add your hat and soak for 5-10 minutes.
- Rinse well by hand under running water, wringing the soapy water out as much as possible.
- Place your hat on a clean, dry dishtowel and roll it up to squeeze out the excess water.
- Unroll your hat and reshape it as necessary. Allow the hat to air dry overnight with a fan pointed at it if possible.
If you want to wash a wool hat:
- Fill the sink with cool water and add either one drop of baby shampoo or a capful of gentle dish soap.
- Add your hat and soak for 10 minutes, gently massaging the soapy water into the fabric without wringing or twisting.
- Rinse well by hand under running water, rolling your fingers against the inside of the hat to make sure it’s fully rinsed.
- Put your hat in a clean sink with enough cool water to cover it and add either one drop of baby shampoo or a capful of gentle dish soap.
- Using your fingers like claws, swish your hat around gently for about 20 seconds (again without wringing or twisting).
- Rinse well by hand under running water. Roll your fingers against the inside of the hat to make sure all soap has been removed.
- Place both hands on opposite sides of the crown and roll the newly cleaned hat back and forth lightly to distribute moisture evenly.
- Allow the hat to air dry overnight with a fan pointed at it if possible.
If your hat is badly stained, you can mix either one drop of baby shampoo or a capful of gentle dish soap with cool water in a spray bottle and mist your hat down before washing it.
Alternatively, you can soak the hat directly in a sink full of cool water and gently scrub the fabric with a soft-bristle toothbrush to loosen the stain before washing it.
Once your hat is clean, take care not to stretch or damage it as you put it on; this may cause permanent creasing (and if you’re wearing one of those snapback hats, snapping it back into shape). If the hat is made of wool, stretching it to shape will cause it to lose its natural shape over time.
If you have a favorite hat that has become sweaty and stinky, give these instructions a try!
