It’s important to keep your headwear in tip-top shape if you want to give off the right impression about your personal style. A stylish cap can effortlessly spruce up your appearance, but disheveled and soiled headwear can do quite the opposite.
It’s important to regularly clean your caps. If your favorite hat is covered in stains or infested with unpleasant odors, it’s time to show it a bit of love and affection!
Key takeaways
- For caps that are in need of a deep-clean
- For hats needing a simple spot treatment
- For removing sweat stains from a fabric sweatband
- For removing stains from a fabric hat
- For putting hats in the washing machine
- For cleaning and deodorizing caps
Keep reading, and we’ll share six ways you can easily remove sweat stains from your hats.
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#1. For caps that are in need of a deep-clean
If your hat is looking a little worse for wear, it might need a bit more than just a tender wipe-down. If you want your hat to live out its days looking its best, it’s important to regularly clean and maintain it.
But sometimes, it might seem like your hat is a little too far gone. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to remove those yellow sweat stains and get your ball caps looking spotless again!
Remove sweat stains and other dirty marks with a deep clean
A deep clean can transform your hat from a run-down mess into a dazzling piece of headwear.
Whether you’re looking to tidy up your summer bucket hat or reinvigorate a colorful trucker hat, the right cleaning method can reintroduce some vibrancy and precision into your hat collection.
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All Solid Jade Foam Trucker
To deep clean a hat, create a cleaning solution with laundry detergent
The first method we’ll cover is often referred to as “The Soak Method.” This cleaning method involves creating a cleaning solution for your hats or caps. Soaking your hats lets the cleaning mixture deeply penetrate into any sweat stain or dirty mark.
That way, you’ll be left with amazing, wear-able results!
Start by filling the sink (or a bathtub, if you’re looking to clean many hats at once) with hot water. Then, add one tablespoon each of Borax, some laundry detergent, and washing soda.
Submerge the hat, agitate the warm water, and let each hat soak. The more hats there are bathing in the warm water, the longer they should soak. If they’re still a little dirty after this soak, be sure to hand wash them to remove any remaining stains and soil.
After that, rinse them with cold water, gently reshape them, and let each air dry completely on a clean towel.
#2. For hats needing a simple spot treatment
Sometimes, you don’t need to deep clean the entirety of your favorite hats for them to look amazing. An easier way to remove stains is with a localized treatment.
Otherwise known as “The Scrub Method,” these procedures will help remove those pesky yellow stains from your hat. Start by creating a solution with one part dish soap or non-bleach dishwashing detergent and two parts hydrogen peroxide.
Grab a scrub brush or a toothbrush, and use it to work the solution into any visible stains. After addressing the stained area, let the hat sit for a while. Finally, rinse them with cool water and let each hat air dry.
#3. For removing sweat stains from a fabric sweatband
One of the most stain-prone areas is the hat’s sweatband. Start by folding down the sweatband, and then mix a solution of mild detergent and lukewarm water.
With a soft-bristled nylon brush, work the soapy water into each sweat stain on the band. Use a clean cloth soaked in clean water to blot the sweatband, and leave the band folded downward as the hat air dries.
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#4. For removing stains from a fabric hat
Sometimes, your approach needs to be specific to the material of your hat. Whether you’re looking to clean your collection of baseball caps or some knitted beanies, fabric can make it hard to properly remove sweat stains.
Pre-treat your hats with an enzyme-based laundry stain remover. You can also use heavy-duty, non-bleach dishwashing detergent or laundry detergent.
Work the solution into the soiled areas and let it sit for at least fifteen minutes before rinsing the hats and letting them air dry.
#5.For putting hats in the washing machine
Most of the time, if you’re considering putting your hats in the washing machine, you should think again. The high-speed spinning and fins of many washing machines can be too aggressive for plenty of caps. And this can lead to irreparable damage to your favorite hats.
Hand-washing hats is more often than not the way to go. But there are some cases when you can toss your caps in the washing machine, especially if you’re looking for a quick clean!
Double Portion Supply’s
The Hilo Hat
How to get sweat stains out of hats with the washing machine
If you’re trying to determine if your hats can go in the washing machine, start by checking the care label. This will tell you straight away if you can safely put your caps in a washer.
You might be able to skip the hand-wash and instead use a gentle wash cycle if you’re looking to clean a flimsy hat that doesn’t have a shape that needs to be maintained. This mostly works for beanies, and won’t be suitable for your beautifully customized snapback hats.
Again, it’s best to completely avoid the washing machine when it comes to cleaning hats. But if you can’t resist the convenience of a washing machine, always run your hats on the gentle cycle and let them air dry.
#6. For cleaning and deodorizing caps
Baking soda is an excellent cleaning ingredient in general, and even better for sprucing up your caps. Not only can it remove sweat stains, but it can also deodorize the hat material.
You can either apply the dry baking soda directly or mix it with warm water and scrub it into the sweat stains.
Mixing baking soda and white vinegar is best for those with sensitive skin. Plus, it’s one of the most effective methods for stain removal out there!
Final thoughts
Cleaning a sweat-stained hat might not be easy at first glance, but it’s easy once you have the right method in mind. That way, you can ensure your headwear is perpetually clean and looking fresh!
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Double Portion Supply is the largest snapback superstore in Hawaii. Since 2001, we’ve helped clients across the United States make their creative vision a reality. From wholesale hats to ANXD brand apparel, we carry everything you need to keep your own brand stocked. Plus, our custom services extend to T-shirt printing, so you stay fresh from head to toe. Get all the latest information by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.