How often do hats need to be washed?
How Often Should You Wash a Hat? It's really up to you as to how often you wash your baseball cap. If you want to avoid smells or stains, aim to clean it at least 2 to 3 times every season. Increase it to once a week if you wear your favorite hat all the time!
Not cleaning your baseball cap can result in skin and scalp problems such as acne, dandruff and dry scalp. Wash your cap gently with a mild detergent and never throw it in the dryer.
Some parts of your hat, specifically the bill, are structured items, making hand washing helpful for preserving its specific shape. As dirt, oils and sweat start to build up, you can give your hat a much-needed refresher with a thorough cleaning.
If you have a baseball hat that is more than 20 years old, do not douse it in water. Most older baseball caps have cardboard bills and if those get soaked, the hat will be ruined. Likewise, if you have a suede or leather baseball hat, do not clean with water as this can cause permanent damage.
According to Real Simple's When-to-Wash-It Handbook: Winter Edition, hats, gloves, and scarves should be washed three to five times per season.
Fill a sink or bucket with cool or warm water. Then, put in a couple of drops of laundry detergent or a tablespoon of a stain removal powder. Try not to use a detergent with bleach or a bleach alternative so you can preserve the hat's color. Soak the hat in the water for about 15 minutes.
Fill a basin or sink with soapy water, using either detergent or dish soap. Hand-wash the hat by soaking the whole thing in the basin for around 10 minutes and then swishing it around a bit. If your hat is particularly gnarly, you may need to replace the water (not that I would know from experience).
Dispelling the dishwasher myth.
Dishwasher detergents often include bleach, and the appliance usually runs at high heat (both for washing and drying), which can damage the hat as well. Hand-washing is really the best method to retain both the color and shape of the hat.
If you don't have time to hand wash your baseball caps, you can toss them in the washing machine. Don't stress, your baseball caps can be cleaned in the machine without getting damaged. If you're concerned about the materials or colours, hand-washing is almost always a safer bet.
Aim to wash your winter hats at least once a month. You may need to clean them more frequently if you're wearing the same one every day, or putting it on for outdoor exercise.