Prep first
Before you start
- Read the care label inside the cap first, since its instructions beat general advice.
- Squeeze the visor: a paper-like or compressible feel means a cardboard visor.
- Structured fitted caps are spot clean only, while unstructured cotton or polyester caps with plastic visors can be hand washed.
- For a specific stain, treat it first with that stain's own method, then start here.
A hat is harder to clean than it looks, because the visor, crown and sweatband each react to water and heat in their own way. Heat can warp a visor or shrink wool, and the wrong water temperature can change the dye.
Most baseball caps can be hand washed in cool water with mild dish soap, but structured fitted caps are spot clean only. Check the label and squeeze the visor before you start, and test the dye on a hidden spot. Sweat marks on the sweatband need a soft brush rather than pressure.
Before you start
What hats can take
Use with care5
- Water
- Soaking
- Enzyme cleaners
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid3
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Heat (dryer, iron, hot air)
9 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Soft-bristled cap brushLifts dust and lint without changing the fabric's texture or color.
- Clean white clothShows whether dye transfers during the colorfastness test. (opens Amazon)
- Mild liquid dish soapA teaspoon in cool water is enough for the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Soft-bristled toothbrushScrubs the sweatband without pressing on embroidery or patches.
- Basin or clean sinkHolds the cool water for the soak. (opens Amazon)
- No-bleach stain removerPretreats a dirty cap before the soak.
- Lint-free towelPats the cap dry without leaving lint behind. (opens Amazon)
- Round form, bowl or balled towelKeeps the crown in shape while the cap dries.
- Acid-free tissueFills the crown when the hat is stored.
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Brush off the loose dirt
Use a soft-bristled cap brush to lift dust, lint and loose dirt from the crown, visor and sweatband. Brush gently, and go lightly on knit yarn so it doesn't snag.
Step 2 of 6
Test the dye on a hidden spot
Dampen a clean white cloth with cool water and a drop of mild detergent. Dab an inside spot on the cap and watch the cloth.
Careful. If dye lifts onto the cloth, the cap must stay out of the soak and be spot cleaned instead.
Step 3 of 6
Mix a cool, mild soap bath
Fill a clean basin or sink with cool to lukewarm water. Add about a teaspoon of mild liquid dish soap, and leave out bleach and any extra soap.
Tip. Stir the water so the soap dissolves before the cap goes in.
Careful. Hot water can change the dye, so keep the water cool.
Step 4 of 610 to 15 minutes
Soak and scrub the cap
Submerge an unstructured cotton or polyester cap, gently agitate it, and let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Then scrub the sweatband and any stained spots with a soft-bristled toothbrush, using no pressure on embroidery or patches.
Tip. For a dirty cap, pretreat stains with a no-bleach stain remover, after testing it on a hidden spot.
Careful. Structured caps and caps with a cardboard visor are never submerged.
Step 5 of 6
Rinse out all the soap
Rinse under cool running water until the suds are gone. Squeeze gently from the crown only, and let the water run through the sweatband.
Tip. Leftover detergent attracts new dirt, so keep rinsing until no suds show.
Careful. Twisting or wringing the visor can bend or crack it.
Step 6 of 6
Shape the cap and air dry it
Pat the cap dry with a lint-free towel, then reshape the crown and visor. Set it on a round form, bowl or balled towel in a shaded, ventilated spot to air dry.
Tip. Reshape the crown while the cap is still damp.
What makes the job easier
Best products for cleaning hats
A mild liquid dish soap with no bleach works for the wash, and a soft-bristled cap brush covers everyday dust.
BallcapBuddy Original and Patented Hat Cleaner, Hat Washer
How we picked these: each product is made for cleaning hats, its maker doesn't warn against using it on hats, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely before you use it again.
How to tell it's really done →Spots that survive a deep clean are usually stains, and each stain has its own method.
Find the guide for your stain →Heavy grime or a lingering smell usually needs a second round once it's fully dry.
See what to do for what you're seeing →When to call a professional →How to tell it's done
The cap is clean when the sweatband and any stained spots look even and no suds remain after the rinse. It is dry when the crown, visor and sweatband feel dry all the way through, with no damp spots. If it still feels damp, let it air dry longer in the shaded spot rather than using heat.
Treat stains with their own method
Got a stain on it?
A deep clean lifts everyday dirt, but most stains need their own method. Pick yours:
What changes for yours
Adjust for your hat
Structured fitted caps
Structured fitted caps are spot clean only, so skip the basin and work on one area at a time. Dampen a cloth in cool water with a small drop of mild detergent, and blot or dab the stain rather than rubbing it.
Wipe the visor lightly, and keep the rest of the cap dry around it. Dry the cap on a round form so the crown keeps its shape.
Cotton caps
Cotton caps can be hand washed in lukewarm water with a mild detergent, and they should always be air dried, since high heat shrinks cotton. For sweat stains on the headband, mix baking soda with water into a paste, spread it on the spot, and leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.
Scrub gently with a soft brush, then wash the cap. For oil-based stains, dab a small amount of dish soap on the spot before washing.
Wool-blend caps
Wool-blend caps need cool water only, because heat and agitation mat and shrink wool. Use a mild pH-neutral detergent or a dedicated wool wash, and avoid enzyme cleaners entirely.
Lay the cap flat on a clean towel and reshape the crown while it's damp. Keep it away from a hair dryer, which can permanently change the shape of wool.
Straw hats
Straw absorbs water, so use as little as possible. Wipe away surface dirt with a clean, dry cloth first, and follow the label if one is attached, since weaves differ in durability.
For deeper cleaning, use a damp cloth with a small amount of mild dish soap in a circular motion, testing a small area first. If the soap doesn't lift the dirt, a specialty straw hat cleaner can be used. Air dry the hat in a cool, well-ventilated spot out of direct sunlight.
Felt hats
Start by brushing off dust with a soft brush, moving counter-clockwise from the left side. Then wet a microfiber cloth and clean the surface with gentle circular motions.
A removable satin lining can be soaked in soapy water, and otherwise spot cleaned with a damp cloth. Lay the hat flat to dry in a well-ventilated area, turning the leather sweatband down so it dries out. Keep it away from heat, since heat on a wet felt hat can reactivate the felting.
Between deep cleans
How often to clean it
A cap brush lifts dust, dirt and lint without changing the fabric's texture or color, so use it between deep cleans. There's no set schedule for a deep clean, so wash the cap when the sweatband looks soiled or a stain sets in.
Hang or lay brimmed hats flat when you're not wearing them so the brim doesn't bend, or stand them upside down on the crown in a hat box. Turn the leather sweatband down now and then so it can dry out, and store the hat with acid-free tissue in the crown, inside a breathable bag rather than sealed plastic, to avoid mildew and odor.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work for cleaning hats?
Plenty of household cleaners look like they would help a stained hat, but most are too harsh for one. Mild dish soap is the one cleaner to use, and baking soda is only for sweat marks on cotton caps.
Works1Helps1Skip2Avoid3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't put a hat in the dryer
Heat from a dryer warps visors, shrinks cotton, mats wool and can melt the adhesive on logos. Let the hat air dry, even if that takes longer.
Don't use bleach on a hat
Bleach and other harsh cleaning products can damage hat materials, and wool-blend caps can't take bleach at all. Stick to mild detergent and cool water, even on a stubborn stain.
Don't add extra soap to a stubborn stain
A stronger soap mix can discolor some materials and strip their natural oils. Use about a teaspoon, and rinse until no suds remain.
Don't wait on a fresh stain
Treat a spill as soon as you notice it, because fresh stains lift much more easily than set ones. Blot it gently with a clean cloth rather than rubbing.
Troubleshooting
If it still isn't clean
Pick what you're seeing:
The crown or brim has lost its shape
Heat from a dryer or hair dryer warps the shape, so keep the hat away from both. Reshape the crown while it's still damp and let it dry on a round form, bowl or balled towel.
A wool-blend cap feels matted or shrunk
Heat and agitation are what mat and shrink wool. Lay the cap flat on a clean towel, reshape the crown while it's damp, and use cool water from now on.
The visor feels soft or paper-like after cleaning
A cardboard visor must never be soaked, so it took in too much water. Dry the cap on a form away from heat, and spot clean it from now on.
When to call a professional
Heavy stains and fur felt hats are best left to a professional cleaner. When you're unsure whether a hat can take water, don't soak it to find out.
Questions
Can you put a hat or fitted cap in the washing machine?
Only unstructured cotton or polyester caps with plastic visors can go in a machine, inside a mesh bag or cap frame on a gentle cold cycle with a small amount of mild detergent and no bleach. Structured fitted caps, wool-blend caps and caps with cardboard visors never go in the machine. Take the cap out as soon as the cycle ends, reshape it and air dry it.
How do I clean a white hat?
Hand wash an unstructured white cap in cool water with mild dish soap, and leave out bleach, since it can damage hat materials. Test a hidden spot first, and treat sweat marks on a cotton cap with the baking soda paste.
How do I clean a hat without ruining it?
Start with the care label and a colorfastness test, then use cool water and mild detergent. Keep the hat away from heat, skip bleach and harsh chemicals, and air dry it on a form in a shaded spot.
Can you dry clean a hat?
Dry cleaning is not generally recommended for hats, because it can distort the interlinings and brims. Most hats can be cleaned at home with a gentle hand wash or spot clean, using the method for their material.
How do I clean a golf hat or golf cap?
Golf caps are cleaned like any other cap, so check the label and the visor before you start. Unstructured cotton or polyester golf caps with plastic visors can be hand washed in cool water with mild detergent, while structured styles should be spot cleaned.
How do I clean the brim or visor of a hat?
Wipe the brim with a cloth dampened in cool water and a small drop of mild detergent, using light circles. Lay the brim flat to air dry, and keep it away from heat so the visor doesn't warp.
Methods, care labels and related guides
Good to know
More cleaning guides
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.