How to Wash a Baseball Cap and Keep It Looking Fresh

The baseball cap has stayed under the fashion limelight generation after generation. It went from a staple in your uncle’s wardrobe to a featured piece on the runway and in magazines.

But from the sweltering sun, while doing yard work to the heat of being in a crowd during a competitive baseball game, dirt, oils, hair products, and sweat can easily be absorbed by your cap. They also pick up lots of dust and grime from the outside world and may turn it into a stinky, dirty mess.

Due to its unusual shape and material, washing baseball caps isn’t easy. There are lots of issues that can make hats complicated to clean, from stains, deformed brims to fading colors.

The best way to wash it is through hand washing since it’s the gentlest method to clean it. Putting it in a washing machine may possibly damage the structure and fade the color of the cap.

To help keep your hats clean, we listed below some simple and sweat-free ways to hand wash your baseball cap.

1. Check the Label

Before anything, make sure to read the washing instructions indicated on the tag, which is usually inside the cap. If it says dry clean only, then you may continue handwashing it.

2. Know the Material

The fabrics of hats can be mostly found on the tag as well. If you’re not sure what your hat is made out of, you can look at some examples of cotton, straw, and wool fabrics to compare it with.

• If your baseball cap is made of wool or hand-knit fabric, be gentle with washing it and avoid aggressively scrubbing it. Do not use hot water; otherwise, the color would fade out.

• If it’s made of straw, do not soak it in water and simply wipe the stain with a cloth dipped in warm suds and mild detergent.

• Caps made of man-made materials like polyester, jersey mesh, and polyester are usually durable to be put in the washer.

• Cotton baseball caps can shrink in size and fade in color under pressure. As such, it’s best to hand wash these.

3. Let the Hat Soak

Empty your dishwasher and fill it with clean and cool water.

Add about a tablespoon of mild, non-bleach laundry detergent. Avoid using warm or hot water for this can permanently damage the cap by bleeding the color, and shrinking the fibers.

Once you’ve determined that your cap is suitable for hand washing, you can now soak the cap in the water. Gingerly submerge its entirety and let it be for at least an hour. If your hat has no serious dirt and just needs to freshen up, a half an hour soak would do the job.

Check on it from time to time if there’s dye swirling around. It’s preferred that you don’t let it soak for more than an hour.

4. Scrub the Spot

If there are still visible stains on the cap once you’re done soaking it, it’s time to scrub it up.

Wet a soft-bristled brush or a small cloth with warm water and add a dash of mild detergent on the dirty spot. In gentle circular motions, gently rub away the dirt. Remember not to be aggressive in scrubbing. Otherwise, you’ll leave abrasions on the fabric.

Let the soap sit for at least half an hour.

5. Rinse It Off

Once the hat is free of dirt, place it under a soft stream of cool running water until all the soap is washed away. Make sure that all stains have been removed. Avoid twisting the cap to not deform it.

6. Dab It Down

Lightly pat away the extra water in the cap with a dry towel so that it does not drip out. Use the same color of the towel as the cap to avoid transferring any lint. Do not rub it too hard to avoid damaging it.

7. Let It Air Dry

Once your cap is squeaky clean, it’s time to dry it out.

The sure way to dry a baseball cap is by letting it air dry. Let the cap sit on a well-ventilated and clear area, away from humidity and direct sunlight that could cause unwanted damages like discoloration and shrinking.

After an hour or so, your cap should look clean as new!

If you need to dry the cap as fast as possible, you can opt for a blow dryer on a low-heat setting.

And that’s it!

While regularly washing your baseball cap is good, it’s still ideal to protect your baseball cap from dirt and damages as early as possible.

These tips should be handy in keeping your favorite baseball cap in great shape for years to come. You can now show up for the next baseball game in support of your winning team looking awesome!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)