How to Clean Baseball Hats in 5 Simple Steps

If you feel like you’ve got better things to do than learn how to clean baseball hats, read on. You may be surprised how important it is to do a little maintenance on your favorite headgear.

Firstly, if you wear your baseball hats constantly, they’re going to get sweaty. Most baseball hats are made from fabrics like cotton that wick moisture away from your head, particularly around the forehead and hairline. This sweat carries germs and odor, so if left uncleaned, it can lead to a stinky hat.

Your hat is also soaking up other substances including:

• Sunscreen
• Hair products like wax, mousse, or gel
• Aftershave or perfume
• Dust and outside pollutants

If you put your hat on straight after a dip in the pool or sea, you’re adding chlorine or salt water to that mix. Both of these can cause bleaching or mineral deposits which leave white marks on your hat.

It’s worth checking your hat over to see what type of stains (if any) are most prominent. This will determine what cleaning products and methods you use. A single stain between regular cleanings won’t need the same overall care as a hat that’s not been washed for months.

If your baseball cap doesn’t have a cardboard brim, it’s technically possible to use the washing machine. However, caps may become misshapen when washed in a machine. Also, it’s not always simple to tell if the brim is cardboard or not.

You can tap and flick it and sometimes tell from the sound. However, high-quality hats with reinforced fabric may sound very solid and give the impression of a plastic brim when it’s actually sturdy cardboard. This is especially true of older caps, particularly from the early 1980s and before.

If you do decide to wash it in the machine, place the hat in a pillowcase or mesh bag first. Put this in the washing machine by itself or with just a few other items. Make sure the laundry detergent you use is bleach-free. Only ever wash hats on a cold cycle intended for delicate materials.

Avoid the temptation to put the hat in your dishwasher. Dishwasher detergent may bleach your hat and the machine itself can cause deformities. Use the following steps to discover how to clean baseball hats the right way.

You will need:

• Your baseball hat
• Protective gloves
• A sink or tub of cool water
• Bleach-free laundry detergent
• Gentle stain remover
• Small brush, for example, an unused toothbrush
• A towel

Always use gloves as laundry detergent can irritate even tough skin.

Quick, regular baseball hat cleaning method in five steps:

1. Add a couple of drops of detergent to the water and swirl.
2. Place the hat into the soapy water and gently rub it all over until suds start to form.
3. Rinse in non-soapy water.
4. Check if any stains remain and repeat if necessary.
5. Once the hat is damp rather than wet, place it on a towel to dry.

This method removes sweat and light stains. It’s worth doing this three to four times a year, depending on how often you wear your hat. If you notice this method hasn’t brought out all the stains, move on to our five-step stain removal method.

Here’s how to clean baseball hats that have stubborn stains:

1. Put on your gloves and clean as above. If, once the hat is dry, some stains remain, go to step 2.
2. Locate the stains and rub a very small amount of stain remover into each stain. Avoid bleach-powered stain removers unless the cap is white.
3. Leave the stain remover for the time indicated on the packet. This is usually 5-10 minutes.
4. Use the small brush to gently scrub the stain in circular motions.
5. Rinse the stain remover off with cool, clean water.

If the hat has multiple stains, you can make a tub or sink full of stain remover solution. Soak the hat for an hour and then rinse thoroughly. Whichever method you use, always towel then air dry your baseball hat. Never put your hat in the dryer. This will most likely deform the hat or even shrink it.

While learning how to clean baseball hats is an important skill, sometimes you just need to buy a new cap. Custom Hats Now offers all types of baseball caps and, best of all, you can order them in any design you like. Get your favorite team on your hat or grab the finishing touch for your local club’s uniform. Whatever you need, contact us at 1-877-204-7351 or see our range of baseball caps online.