How To Wash A Hat In The Washing Machine? Something You Should Know

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It’s not always easy to keep your favorite baseball cap or wool knit hat in pristine condition. Sweat, body oils, and the environment are the most typical causes of stains on all forms of headgear. When you’re short on patience or time, though, spot-cleaning or hand-washing a hat isn’t an option. That’s when you should think about using old reliable – yes, the washing machine.

While there is always the possibility of shrinking, fading, or other unforeseen damage when machine-washing any hat, use your best judgment and follow the rules we’ve set below. We don’t want you to lash out at the machine, so make sure you follow these procedures to ensure your hat arrives fresh, clean, and ready to wear.

If you’re not sure whether machine washing is the best option for your hat, consider one of these alternatives first.

Table of Contents

Type Materials of Hats

Hats made of straw

A straw hat should never be washed in the washing machine. Don’t do that, even if you believe it’s strong. The entire hat will be destroyed.

Hats made of cotton

Cotton is a natural textile that is sturdy enough to endure a wash cycle, whether it’s a cotton twill baseball cap, beanie, or other form of hat. It may shrink somewhat when cleaned, but not much.

Cotton/polyester blends and synthetic fabrics

Cotton polyester mixes and synthetic textiles like acrylic or mesh are generally safe choices for machine washing because the substance is sturdy and the colors don’t run.It is not suggested to clean older baseball hats (those from the early 1980s or before) in a washing machine since they most likely contain a cardboard brim. Newer hats frequently include a plastic brim, a cotton-blend brim, or another robust material. If you have a vintage cap, follow our instructions for hand-washing a baseball cap.

Hats made of wool

The agitation of a washing machine can cause certain hand-knit wool hats to lose their form. Placing the hat in a pillowcase or garment bag will avoid this, but if you’re worried about destroying the hat form, read our instructions on how to hand wash a wool hat.

How to Wash a Hat in the Washing Machine?

It’s time to make your move once you’ve gone through the checklist of assessing if you should wash your hat in a washing machine.

If the interior liner or headband of a cotton or synthetic hat is very soiled with sweat stains and the like, pre-treatment is a good idea. Spray a non-bleach stain remover on the unclean spots and let it work for around 30 minutes to break down the grime.
Put the hat in a wash bag or pillowcase to dry. While this is especially important for delicate knit or wool hats, it’s always best to be safe than sorry with any cap. Even though the care instructions state that a hat is acceptable for the washing machine, the motion of the washer might nevertheless harm it.
Make sure the bag or pillowcase is firmly packed so the hat does not come out during the wash cycle.
Prepare a large load of like colored items since caps might become matted if the washer isn’t fully loaded.
Use a moderate non-bleach detergent – for wool or hand-knit hats, use Woolite or a laundry detergent designed for wool and other sensitive materials.
For optimal results, set the temperature to cold or chilly water. Using hot water might cause the cloth to bleed or discolor.
Allow the clothes to soak for an hour or so, depending on how dirty it is.
To avoid any potential harm to the hat, wash the load on the gentle cycle.
Remove your headwear once the wash cycle is complete before loading the rest of your stuff into the dryer.
Regardless of the material, air dry the hat instead of putting it in the dryer, which might cause the hat to lose its form or harm it in a variety of ways. It’s also recommended to avoid using a hair dryer, which can promote undesirable shrinking. If you wish to shrink a hat, follow our step-by-step instructions to discover how to shrink a wool cap securely.
Place the hat on a clean, dry towel in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight, which will cause the fabric to fade. If you don’t mind the moisture, you may wear the hat or set it on a plastic form so that it naturally dries in a shape that adapts to your head.

Tips for Washing Baseball Caps

Dishwasher detergents are strong and frequently include bleach, which can destroy the fabric of your cap. Furthermore, excessive drying temperatures may cause the cloth to shrink.
Also, don’t wash your cap with other clothes since any agitation or friction with other objects when washing might destroy the form of the hat.
Tap the area to see if your hat has a cardboard bill. If you hear a hollow sound, you’ve got a cardboard bill.
If you wish to wear a signed cap, first set the ink to protect the signature. To help set the ink, cover the signature with a white pressing cloth and iron on high heat.

Takeaway

When your hat need more than a spot clean or isn’t going to the dry cleaners, the techniques outlined above are a certain way to keep it in pristine condition. It’s pretty simple once you know how to properly handle your hat in the washing machine.

If you have other problems with washing machines, welcome to check the following guides!