Hat Tips

[TinyTim]

Doubtless all of us own a hat; or multiple hats ( mine multiply with no end in sight).

I'm curious to find out how you gents care for your hats. Each category of hats has its own care requirements.

I brush my wool hats regularly, but am afraid that if I sent them to the dry cleaners or washed them by hand that something bad would happen to ruin the hat. What do you do?

What I have the most of are baseball-style hats. These I occasionally throw in the washing machine with no ill effects, scrubbing the inside of the head band a bit with a stain remover before washing.

This topic might lend itself to lots of different tips about the many aspects of hat care (or no care) for a wide variety of hat types that may be of interest to forum readers.

 

[ByMyBeard]

Interesting topic. I've washed a few of my Tilley hats in the washing machine. Coincidentally, I had assumed my sweat was staining them. However, I'm now curious if it was actually the "stain remover" I sprayed them with prior to washing. I'm trying to be a bit more careful with which hat I wear regardless, just so I have one that doesn't get too stained to wear out.

Regarding baseball hats, I have washed a few of those in the washing machine as well. Eventually, the bill began to fail. I treat most baseball style hats as disposable now anyway.

 

[Ivo4u2]

So far I have simply hand washed my bush hat, fishing hat. Anything with a rim. Those without beanies etc of course washing machine.
So far I never had to wash one of my tilly hats but I only wear them on holiday

 

[Sabre]

I dry clean my wool flat caps without issue.

 

[TinyTim]

I dry clean my wool flat caps without issue.

I dry cleaned my wool flat cap and it shrunk. I could still wear it but the fit was really tight.

 

[cleanshaved]

I dry cleaned my wool flat cap and it shrunk. I could still wear it but the fit was really tight.

Stream and stretch should fix that.

My oil skin hat gets a brush, and a re coat of bees wax every year or so. The wife's hair dryer helps to spread the wax evenly.

 

[tankerjohn]

I hand wash my ballcaps and flatcaps, usually in Woolite. I just brush my Stetson and spot clean as necessary.

 

[Doc4]

I dry cleaned my wool flat cap and it shrunk. I could still wear it but the fit was really tight.

 

[TinyTim]

View attachment 1240865

Interesting! I've never seen or heard of a hat stretcher before. Live and learn!

 

[Lefonque]

Hat stretchers are wonderful things. I use my regularly. Some hats can shrink in the rain or certain conditions so the hat stretcher comes in handy.

 

[Doc4]

Interesting! I've never seen or heard of a hat stretcher before. Live and learn!

I have one and it's great!

 

[FarmerTan]

Interesting! I've never seen or heard of a hat stretcher before. Live and learn!

Look on the 'Bay. Less than $20.

 

[FarmerTan]

I wash my Tilley's PRN....

And sweat does leave a stain on them, so don't sweat it, or don't sweat in them.

And they will also shrink from being rained on.

But stretchers are marvelous things!

 

[TinyTim]

I wash my Tilley's PRN....

And sweat does leave a stain on them, so don't sweat it, or don't sweat in them.

And they will also shrink from being rained on.

But stretchers are marvelous things!

"PRN"? You must have worked in healthcare. I worked for decades as a medical lab scientist. We had a patient with the last name of STATT who loved his last name when getting testing done, because he often got his test results back quicker.

Speaking of stains, I use a little stain bar I got as a bonus gift when ordering laundry detergent from The Laundress. It works really well for ball cap sweat bands and on other clothing stains.

 

[FarmerTan]

"PRN"? You must have worked in healthcare. I worked for decades as a medical lab scientist. We had a patient with the last name of STATT who loved his last name when getting testing done, because he often got his test results back quicker.

Speaking of stains, I use a little stain bar I got as a bonus gift when ordering laundry detergent from The Laundress. It works really well for ball cap sweat bands and on other clothing stains.

I'll have to remember that product. Yes, I'm an RRN..... retired RN, the best part of waking up is actually being able to enjoy my coffee now!