Can Baseball Hats Be Washed?

No matter how much you love and cherish that baseball hat, there comes a time when it has to be washed. From hair creams and oils to dirty hands and a host of other ways, the baseball hat is bound to get dirty. The trick though is not just about washing but washing it well. This is so that the bill does not get soft or the hat becomes destroyed altogether. Let us know ‘Can Baseball Hats Be Washed?’.

 

Can Baseball Hats Be Washed?

Yes, the baseball hats can be washed. One of the ways by which to wash a baseball hat is by soaking it in a bath or bowl of cool or cold water with a little detergent. After about ten to fifteen minutes of soaking, just agitate the water a little to remove dirt and detergent then rinse off. You can either squeeze out or towel dry the baseball cap after that but make sure not to wring it out. Lastly, stuff the hat with materials so that it dries out in its original shape.

The above is about the simplest way you can wash your baseball hat. However, if the hat is really dirty and cannot be cleaned with ordinary household detergent, do not fret. We have more in stock. Read through the rest of this article.

How not to wash a baseball hat?

While it is important to know how to wash the baseball hat, it is also very imperative to know what not to do when washing it. The hat could be very dirty and you have the bright idea to soak it for long hours or in very hot water. Those bright ideas may not appear so bright after washing. So, let’s take a brief look at what not to do when washing baseball hats and why.

1. Never use bleach on a baseball hat except it is completely white in color. When bleach is used, you risk having patches of bleached-out areas on the hat, fading of colors, or a color washing over the other. There are ways to clean deep stains from baseball hats and those are discussed in the next subheading. Read on.
2. Never wash a baseball hat in a dishwasher. If that baseball hat is precious to you, please do not use a dishwasher to clean it, especially if the bill is made of cardboard. If for any reason you do not have any other choice apart from the dishwasher, make sure the hat is on the top rack. The detergent or washing soap you use must not have bleach in it. 
3. Don’t wash the baseball hat in a washing machine, especially if you would like to keep the shape intact. The agitation of the washer will cause the hat to deform and you do not want that.
4. Also, don’t tumble dry a baseball hat. Tumble drying involves spinning in hot air in the dryer. The spinning is not good for your hat at any rate. Airdry instead.
5. Lastly, never wash your hat in hot water. This is to avoid shrinkage, deformation, and color washing out. Always make use of cold or cool water at all costs.

How to deep clean a baseball hat without losing form?

Sometimes it feels as though the baseball hat has been dipped in used engine oil. We have mentioned that using hot water, a washer, a dishwasher, or bleach on the baseball hat is never a good option. How then do you get the stain off? Here are a few easy steps.

1. First, check the material that the bill of the cap is made of. If it is made of plastic, you don’t have an issue but if it is vintage and it is made of cardboard, you will need to do a spot test (more on this later).
2. If the bill is made of plastic, clean it by
   • Soaking in cold or cool detergent water for some minutes and using your hand to wash off the dirt.
   • If the dirt is deep-seated, you can apply cleaning solutions to the dirty areas and wash them with a toothbrush.
   • Soak again for a few more minutes beforehand cleaning the hat and rinsing off the soap. 
   • If you see that the stains are not all gone, you can repeat the process again till you have a clean hat.
3. If the bill is made of cardboard, do a spot test by applying cleaning solutions to a particularly dirty spot and see if it washes the dirt or creates white patches. Just like the hat with a plastic bill, use a toothbrush to wash the stain gently before rinsing off.
4. If you must wash in the washing machine, make sure you don’t wash the hat with too many clothes in that circle. Also, make sure that the spin is set to the minimum. This can only be done to a hat with a plastic bill. A cardboard bill will deform. Always remember this.

Conclusion

The best way to clean a baseball hat is by washing manually because then, you are sure of each stage of the process. However, if you do not have time to go through the rigors of hand washing, putting it on the top rack of the dishwasher or in a gently spinning washing machine is also a good choice.

FAQ

How often should I wash my baseball hat?

How often you wash your baseball hat depends on how often you wear it. If you wear it very often, you should wash it every other week. Otherwise, you can wash it a few times a year.

Is it possible to remove sweat stains from a baseball hat?

Yes. Simply apply a paste made of baking powder and water to the area and add a few drops of vinegar. Gently scrub the area with a toothbrush before rinsing in a bowl of water. Your hat should be sweat-stain-free.