How to clean your hats

You probably have your dirty hats on a high shelf or a corner in your closet, or maybe somewhere in your laundry room. You know they’re dirty, but you don’t know how to clean them or even if you should. Hats can get pretty nasty inside the brims from sweat, sunscreen and makeup stains and they definitely need to be cleaned fairly regularly depending upon how often you wear them. We’ve got you covered. Don’t be afraid, it can be done and we are here to help!

Let’s start with hats that are not wool or felt or straw and that do not have a lot of embellishments. Many of these will be your summer sun hats that need to be cleaned and put away for next season. These are often the easiest ones to clean because you can actually submerge them in water. We’ll show you how to do it without stretching them or causing them to lose their shape. You can follow these same steps for ball caps too. Remember that you always want to air dry any hats no matter how you wash them. Do not put any hats in the dryer.

This is a perfect example of a hat that can be washed. It’s all fabric and has no embellishments. Here, we are using some Roux Maison Stain Remover with a microfiber cloth to spot treat stains prior to washing.

To wash one hat, pour just a few drops of Roux Maison Delicate Detergent into enough cool water to submerge your hat.

Submerge hat in the water and gently swish it around. Do not wring it or crumple it. Allow it to sit and soak for 15-30 minutes prior to gently rinsing in cool water. Be careful not to wring it or stretch or pull it.

Try to reshape your hat and let it dry flat for best results.

All dry, clean and as good as new.

For straw hats, felt hats and hats with leather or other embellished rims or trim, spot cleaning is your best plan. If you are not sure about the composition of your hat and whether you should get the whole thing wet, don’t! Get your trusty microfiber cloth. You can get these at the grocery store or almost anywhere. Microfiber cloths are the best to use because they do not leave behind any lint or other residue and they are an excellent tool to have on hand. Use Roux Maison Delicate Detergent and water that is not more than warm to spot clean inside the brims of your hats to get them nice and clean. Try to be careful and avoid getting the rest of the hat wet.

This hat has leather trim, so just spot treat stains with a clean microfiber cloth and Roux Maison Stain Remover.

Spot clean the dirty inside of hat brims with Roux Maison Delicate Detergent and a microfiber cloth for best results.

Knit hats, whether wool, cashmere or acrylic, can be washed just like knit sweaters. Hand wash or machine wash with cool water on your most delicate cycle with Roux Maison Delicate Detergent in your favorite scent. If you’re hand washing, you should not need more than about half of a capful of detergent to wash one or two hats. You can also spot treat with Roux Maison Stain Remover. Never ever put your knits in the dryer. To maintain shape and structure, lay these flat to dry and they should be as good as new.

If you’re ever unsure if you’re washing your hats correctly or if you have questions, send us a picture and let us know. We are always happy to help because we love your laundry!