The day comes when you simply got to wash that hat and can't find any care instructions label to help you make the right cleaning method decisions for that hat.
Ball caps are made of a multitude of different material components that will not react the same way to typical laundry cycles. It's almost like washing a pair of sneakers and you have probably experienced good and bad results.
Chances are you probably have developed your own foolproof method for cleaning your baseball caps.
Baseball caps are both functional and fashionable. They are an all time favourite accessory which bares a lot of traditions, philosophies, and rituals. They become an extension of ones personality, faithful companions and memory holders. Memories of your trip to Europe, the cottage you built with your father, the ultimate street game of 1976. Memories triggered by the scents, wear, scuffs, and stains found on your cap. They are as valuable as the original patina of an antique cupboard.
A walk in the morning rain or a dip in the lake represent creative alternatives to the washing machine. Spot cleaning is in our opinion; the best method for keeping most of your favorite cap's original attributes and qualities for the longest time. The sweatband area of your cap collects the most part of the problematic elements.
A good way to clean and sanitize the sweatband area is to use a 50/50 mixture of some Dawn dish detergent and baking soda; just a soup spoon's worth.
- Rub the mixture into the sweatband fabric all along the crown
- Do this on a dry cap
- Let the mixture sit for an hour
- Rinse it off with high pressure clear water while rubbing the sweatband vigorously until mixture foaming disappears
- No need to wet the whole cap or dip it in deep water at this stage
- Shape the cap back to how you like it, visor and back strap included
- Let the cap dry out loosely on a stand
The washing machine method goes as this;
- Spot clean the cap prior to washing
- Machine wash the ball cap separately in cold water (no bleach)
- Do a partial tumble dry, at the low heat setting
- Let it finish drying out loosely on a stand
Do not use bleach in any form as it will not only affect the fabric original color hue, but also weaken seams and eat up polyester components in the long run.
Do not use any full dryer cycles or the dishwasher method. Artificial heat is your ball cap's worst enemy.
Do not use dry cleaning services.
This pretty much wraps it up.