Extend your Hat’s Life with Proper Care

Your favorite hat, like any other preferred accessory, is likely to get dirty, soiled, watermarked, and scuffed over time no matter how hard you work to take care of it. Since it is your favorite hat, you want to keep it in tip-top shape, but how do you do that well? How exactly do you clean a hat while preserving its integrity?

Here are tips and tricks for keeping your hat looking clean, sharp, and fresh so that you can use it longer:

1. Clean Thoroughly

Cleaning your hat is a proactive measure that will keep your hat at its best. Take a horsehair brush with soft bristles or a clean shoeshine brush to get rid of any dirt that you see. These brushes are less abrasive and will cause less damage to the color and overall look of your hat than other kinds of brushes.

When you clean a hat, you want to ensure that you won’t be doing any damage to the material. Check on the material and cleaning instructions found sewn inside your hat. If you use this as a reference, it is more likely that you will avoid using harmful substances on your hat.

If you find dust, wipe it off with a slightly damp cloth to clean it. Use a gum eraser or soft rubber sponge to combat stains on a felt hat. Use a gentle hat cleaner for stubborn stains. Hat cleaner is typically applied as a spray, but it dries as a powder which is then gently brushed away. Cornstarch can generally be rubbed into greasy stains and then brushed away. For hair, fuzz, and lint, use a piece of tape to pull the debris off of your hat.

2. Handle it Properly

To increase the life of your hat, handle it by its brim and not the crown. Pinching the crown can weaken it over time which makes it less capable of holding its shape. Your hand’s dirt and natural oils can also degrade your hat. Be sure to grip your hat on the brim or back using clean hands. This will help your hat stay nice for longer.

If your hat gets wet, don’t be tempted to try and speed up the drying process by using heaters or blow dryers. Letting your hat air dry is the best option. Artificial heat can cause your hat to warp or shrink. If you have a straw hat, avoid water like the plague. Straw hats tend to absorb water, which can also cause the hat to distort.

Since hats are sensitive to heat, avoid leaving your hat in a hot car. Heat can dry out your hat, which can affect its color and size.

Some Extra Hat Care Tips

Heat and moisture are inevitable where head accessories are concerned, but do what you can to minimize their effects. Treat your hats with a waterproof spray before they come in contact with water. Store your hats in a hat box whenever possible, and handle your hats with clean hands. These steps will help your hats look fresh and clean for as long as possible.