Most likely, your beloved headwear are filthy. Every time you wear them, the majority will come into intimate contact with perspiration, oils, dandruff, and leftover hair care products. For this reason, understanding how to wash them without damaging them can revolutionize your laundry and personal hygiene regimen. Whether you choose a traditional baseball cap, visor, or bucket hat, or a knit beanie for the winter, knowing how to take good care of your accessories will help them endure for many years.
I asked professionals in laundry and cleaning for advice and product recommendations in order to determine the most effective ways to wash headwear. Additionally, I featured highly regarded products on Amazon that are designed especially for washing hats rather than other clothing.
GO Ahead and SkipHow to wash your hats correctly| How to wash hats| Top hat-washing products| Is it possible to wash hats in the dishwasher?| Why should I trust NBC Select?
Related
Prone to spills? These are the best stain removers for clothes
Would you want more from NBC Select?Shop more wisely by subscribing to our newsletter, The Selection.
Our top picks
-
Best for baseball capsBaseball Cap Washing Frame
$17.99$19.99Amazon
Learn more
-
Best for beaniesHoneycomb Mesh Laundry Bags (3-Pack)
$undefined$7.99Amazon
Learn more
-
Best overallOxiClean Max Force Laundry Stain Remover Spray
$undefined$7.99Amazon
Learn more
Tips for washing your hats properly
I concentrated on three important elements when creating this list, which were outlined for me by the experts I spoke with. These are the things I kept in mind when covering this story, and they should keep your headgear safe:
Material for hats
Cotton, wool, cashmere, and fleece are common materials for hats; nevertheless, some of these materials are too delicate to be washed like, say, jeans or towels. Additionally, Jennifer Rodriguez, chief hygiene office at ProHousekeepers, stated that washing and drying these hats in the same manner as clothing could cause them to become deformed. Hats can lose their shape or even get destroyed if they are thrown in the washing machine with other garments, according to her. The type of headwear greatly influences the cleaning technique.
How frequently you wear it
According to Rodriguez, this will determine how dirty your hat is and, in turn, how frequently you need clean it. Plus, whether or not you wear a hat while also having oily products in your hair and/or things like dandruff or other forms ofdermatitiscan also contribute to how dirty your hats are, even if they don t look so on the surface.
Make use of laundry supplies and mild detergents.
Rodriguez recommends using gentledetergentsand products made particularly for delicates, such as hat frames and garment bags. These will help keep them from becoming splotchy, ripped, or deformed after being jostled around and coming into contact with water.
How to wash hats
How to machine-wash beanies
How to hand-wash beanies (wool, cashmere, etc.)
Both Rodriguez and Dulude agree that hand-washing beanies, especially ones made of wool or cashmere, is the best way to clean them. These materials might stretch out during the washing process and shrink significantly.
How to wash baseball caps
On most occasions, you should hand-wash baseball caps, according to Will Cotter, founder of cleaning companyFreshSpace Cleaning. Plus, hand-washing is a more thorough way of cleaning the outside and the inside of the hat. If you re the type that always wears them, for sure, there s grime in the sweatband area, he says. Spot cleaning or a good hand scrub, in my opinion, better targets specific spots without soaking the entire object.
How to wash structured or delicate hats
The best products for washing hats
All of the products below are either direct recommendations from experts I spoke with, ones NBC Select staff members have used themselves and/or have at least a 4-star average rating from more than 500 reviews on Amazon.
Combat Cleaner Store Ultimate Hat Cleaner Kit
Combat Cleaner Store Ultimate Hat Cleaner Kit
- Comes with a brush
- Includes a deodorizer
- Best for baseball caps
This set comes recommended by Kadi Dulude, the founder of home cleaning companyWizard of Homes, based in New York City. It comes with a brush, fragrant deodorizing spray, and cleaning spray. You can dip the bristles in water and then spray them with the cleaning solution before scrubbing the hat. You can also use a cloth or towel to wipe it clean.
Baseball Cap Washing Frame
Baseball Cap Washing Frame
- Has a secure zipper cover
- Not for beanies or other hats
Dulude recommends using these plastic and mesh baseball hat frames to prevent your washer from deforming your hats. Since they have hooks, you can hang them up to dry afterward, since they have loops and clasps. You can also use them to simply maintain your hat s shape as they sit on a shelf or in a drawer, preventing them from being compressed by other clothing.
Honeycomb Mesh Laundry Bags (3-Pack)
Honeycomb Mesh Laundry Bags (3-Pack)
- Good for all delicates
- Can use for shoes too
- Nothing to note at this time
These laundry bags, which are 16 inches long and 12 inches wide, can help keep delicates, such as silk, undergarments, socks, shoes and hats separated from your other clothes while in the wash. The bags, which have a 4.7-star average rating from 33,126 ratings on Amazon, have anti-rust zippers with a cover on the end or prevent it from coming undone while in the machine, according to the brand.
OxiClean Max Force Laundry Stain Remover Spray
OxiClean Max Force Laundry Stain Remover Spray
- Good for spot treating stains
- Travel friendly
- Can also use on clothing
- Nothing to note at this time
Rodriguez also recommends OxiClean for any hats you need to clean by hand. This travel-friendly sized spray is ideal for spot-treating grease, food or mud stains, according to the brand. To use it, the brand recommends spraying the stain directly and then waiting for at least five minutes before putting in a washer or using other tools, to scrub away the stain.
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
- Ideal for soaking
- Can use it to clean silver
- Also cleans upholstery
- Best for hand-washing
You can use washing soda, also known as sodium carbonate, similarly to baking soda when it comes to cleaning, though the two are not the same and you shouldn t use washing soda while cooking. You can use this washing soda, which has a 4.8-star average rating from 46,932 reviews on Amazon, to clean hats by mixing it with water to make a paste to scrub on your hat. You can also use it orBoraxto strip your hats in water, as described above.
The Laundress Laundry Brush for Stain Removal
The Laundress Laundry Brush for Stain Removal
- Safe on delicates and bedding
- Ideal for food stains
- Nothing to note at this time
Similar in shape to a toothbrush, you can use this laundry brush on T-shirts, bedding, knits and more, according to the brand. You can apply it directly to a stain and scrub the stains in slow circular motions.
Can you wash hats in the dishwasher?
Yes, you technically can wash hats in the dishwasher, according to Rodriguez, but you should do it carefully and with a mild dishwasher detergentwithoutbleach. Also place the hats (by themselves) on the top rack of the dishwasher doing so on the bottom may damage it with cold water.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
-
Jennifer Rodriguez
is the chief hygiene office atProHousekeepers
, a housekeeping services company.
-
Kadi Dulude
is the founder of home cleaning companyWizard of Homes
, based in New York City.
-
Will Cotter
is the owner and founder of cleaning companyFreshSpace Cleaning
.
Why trust NBC Select?
I m a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I cover home and kitchen-related topics, including explainers onhow to clean your mattressand thebest way to clean grout. For this story, I spoke with two cleaning experts for their guidance and recommendations and kept in mind different circumstances for cleaning winter hats, baseball caps, fedoras and more.
Catch up on Select s in-depth coverage ofpersonal finance,tech and tools,wellnessand more, and follow us onFacebook,Instagram,TwitterandTikTokto stay up to date.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!