Almost every woman has at least one white hat in their wardrobe for a nice spring or summer day. But not all of them know how to clean a white hat properly. As a result, the beautiful hat gets such ugly stains and dirt that you can’t wear it outdoors again.
Thankfully, you can give the beautiful white back to your white hat as long as you know these tips.
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Before You Wash A White Hat
Not all white hats are the same. They are made of different fabrics, so you can’t apply one cleaning method for all. So make sure you read the label carefully in the first place. Otherwise, you will even ruin your white hat forever.
To-do list:
- Read the washing instructions and the material. For example, if the label requires to “dry clean only,” then do not involve soak or water
- Never involve the bleach since that chemical solution will disintegrate the materials and discolor the hat. As a result, it leaves stains behind rather than get rid of them
- Do not use the dishwasher. This tool is so powerful that it will fade or shrink your lovely hat. Some dishwashers even feature bleach
- Refer to several cleaning instructions. This tutorial on how to clean a white hat is among your must-read.
How to Clean a White Hat – 4 Ways That Work
Get a professional dry cleaner do for you
If your hat is pricey or has a valuable memory, you should think of hiring a dry cleaner.
It is better safe than sorry.
In that case, I recommend you not to apply any pre-treat. Firstly, it wastes time and effort. Secondly, you might clean the hat improperly and it even makes the stains harder to remove.
Wash by hand with non-bleach detergent
When you have time, the hand-washing is always the most recommended to clean stains off your white hats. Obviously, it takes both careful preparation and patience, the payoff is well worth. Your white hat will be white and even whiter.
Recommended for: hats made of wool, synthetic components, and cotton
What you need:
- A cup of non-bleach laundry liquid and a cup of hydrogen peroxide
- Some baking soda or the Woolite soap
- A soft brush, for example, a new toothbrush and a white cleaning towel
- A sink filled with water
- Your hat
How to clean a white hat:
- Create the cleaning solution: For cotton or synthetic hats, please mix all ingredients (hydrogen peroxide, the detergent, and baking soda) in the warm water. Stir the solution with a spoon. If the hat is woolen, use the cold water and replace the baking soda with a Woolite soap.
- Soak the hat with the mixed water: Submerge the hat into the soap and soak it there for a while. To be exact, wait for 30 minutes when it comes to cotton or synthetic hat and 1 hour for the woolen one.
- Scrub the stains with the soft brush: 30 minutes to 1 hour are enough for sweat stains and tough dirt to be dissolved. Now, use the brush to gently remove them off the cap. Remember to follow the nap of the woolen hats to avoid pilling the fabric.
- Clean the soap and leave the hat to dry: Use a clean white towel to dad the excess water. Do not squeeze. Hang the hat somewhere indoor to air dry. You should not expose the hat to direct sunlight unless you want to fade the color.
Clean spots rather than the whole hat
If you do not want your hat to be wet-dripping or the materials are not well-submerged with water, then do a spot-cleaning.
Recommended for: hats made of wools, straw, or synthetic fabrics or those having a strong and solid shape (e.g. the trilby or the fedora.)
What you need:
The required supplies are the same as those of the hand-washing method.
- A cup of non-bleach laundry liquid and a cup of hydrogen peroxide
- Some baking soda or the Woolite soap
- A soft brush, for example, a new toothbrush and a white cleaning towel
- A sink filled with water
- Your hat
How to clean a white hat:
Nevertheless, the steps are a bit different.
- Make the cleaning solution: Add all supplies to cold or warm water to create an effective washing mixture as above
- Wet the stains or specks of dirt: Use the towel to apply the mixture to the stains.
- Clean off the stains with a brush: Dip the soft bristles of the brush into the prepared solution and scrub the dirty spots gently. Also, massage the stains with your fingers and fingertips
- Wash all soap and dirt under cool water or a towel
- Air-dry the hat against direct sunlight
Clean by a washing machine
In case you are too busy for handwashing, you can use your washing machine instead. But careful not to misshape or ruin the fabric. Do not throw the hat directly into the machine. You had better prepare a protective bag.
Recommended for: hats made of cotton or synthetic materials
What you need:
- Some non-bleach solution that is recommended for the washing machines
- Some chemical-free stain remover and the White Revive
- A mesh laundry coverage or bag
- A laundry sprayer with water
- Your hat
How to clean a white hat:
- Pre-treat the hat, especially the tough stain spots: Fill the sprayer with a mixture of warm water, non-bleach detergent, and stain remover liquid.
- Put the hat into the protective bag: To avoid unwanted fades or shrinks, you must place the hat into the mesh bag before washing it in the machine.
- Wash the hat under the delicate mode: Other cycles are too powerful; hence, you should go for the delicate cycle only. As long as you apply the pretreat properly, the stains will go away when the cycle ends.
- Allow your hat to air dry: The drying mode of the washing machine is fast, but it can ruin the hat. So, leave the hat to the air where has no direct sunlight.
Try Cleaning Your Hat Now!
You must pay extra care when it comes to the white stuff. This post on how to clean a white hat is really useful, isn’t it?
If you have any other effective recipes to clean white hat, please let me know in the comment box. I share to be shared.
Read later: DIY Tips: How to Make Your Own Candles?
