How to Clean a White Hat

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 References

In many cases, you can wash a white hat by hand with a few simple supplies. Once you determine whether your hat is capable of being washed, you can clean it with water, cleaning agents, and a toothbrush or dish brush. Your white hat can then dry in the sun or inside your home.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Determining If and How to Wash a White Hat

1
Examine the hat. Before you decide to wash a white hat, you should carefully examine it. Look at how the hat is stitched, at the headband, and at the brim. If the hat appears to be constructed of quality material, has durable stitching, and has a plastic brim, it is a good candidate for washing.^{[1]
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- Do not attempt to wash a hat with a cardboard visor.
- Avoid washing a hat if it has loose or flimsy stitching.
2
Check the material. You will need to figure out what type of material the hat is made of. Look at the tag or printing inside the hat. It should tell you what material the hat is made out of, such as cotton, polyester, twill, or wool. These materials are all washable.^{[2]
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3
Look for washing instructions. The tag or printing inside your hat can tell you how you should wash the hat. These instructions can include what temperature of water to use, whether to hand or machine wash, and how you should dry your hat. It is important to follow these directions if you hat’s tag includes them.^{[3]
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4
Go to a dry cleaner. If you are unsure about whether or not you can safely wash your white hat at home, consider taking the hat to a dry cleaner. A dry cleaner can clean the hat for you, or provide you with suggestions about how you can launder the hat yourself.
5
Reconsider the dishwasher. Washing a hat in the dishwasher can lead to damage. This is due to the high temperatures and washing intensity of the machine. For best results, you should wash your hat by hand or take it to a dry cleaner.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Hand Washing a White Hat

1
Gather your supplies. To wash a white cotton or polyester hat, you will need one cup of hydrogen peroxide, one tablespoon of dish liquid, and one scoop of a product like Oxi Clean White Revive. For a white wool hat, you will need a detergent specially designed for wool like Woolite. You will also need a sink or washtub to wash the hat in, and an old toothbrush or dish brush to remove tough stains.^{[5]
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2
Prepare the sink according to fabric type. If you are washing a cotton or polyester hat, fill a sink or washtub with warm water. As you are filling the sink with water, add one scoop of a product such as Oxi Clean White Revive, one cup of hydrogen peroxide, and one tablespoon of dish liquid. Once your sink is about 2/3 full, turn off the water and swish it around to combine.^{[6]
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- For a wool hat, fill a sink or washtub with cool or cold water and add one capful of detergent designed for wool, such as Woolite.^{[7]
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3
Soak the hat. Once your sink is about 2/3 full and you have swished around the cleaning agents to combine them, place your hat in the sink. You will want to make sure the hat is fully submerged in the cleaning mixture.
- Let a cotton or polyester hat soak in the mixture for 10-15 minutes.^{[8]
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- Soak a wool hat for at least one hour.^{[9]
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4
Scrub a cotton or polyester hat with a toothbrush. After you have soaked the hat for 10-15 minutes, you can work on removing tough stains. Grab an old toothbrush or a dish brush. Gently scrub any tough stains. Then scrub the entire hat to remove any remaining dirt.
- If your hat is made of wool, you should avoid scrubbing the hat as this can cause pilling of the wool.
5
Rinse the hat. Once you are done cleaning the hat, rinse it with water. If the hat is made of cotton or polyester, rinse it with warm water. If the hat is made of wool, rinse it with cool or cold water. Make sure all of the cleaning agents are rinsed from the hat.^{[10]
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Dry the hat. Once your hat is rinsed, you will need to air dry it. You should not put the hat in a dryer. Instead, place the hat over an upside down bowl and allow it to dry in the sun. This will help the hat keep its shape. If you cannot place the hat in a sunny spot, dry it indoors. You can speed up the process by placing a fan near the hat.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Washing a White Hat in a Washing Machine

1
Pretreat the headband and any stains. Use a laundry spray to pretreat any stains on the hat. You can also spray this on the headband of the hat. If your hat has colored stitching or graphics, make sure your laundry spray is color-safe.
2
Place the hat in a mesh laundry bag. If you have a laundry bag that is designed for washing delicate items, such as lingerie, you can use it to wash your hat. Washing your hat in a lingerie or laundry can add a degree of protection from the washing machine.
3
Wash the cap with cool water on the delicate cycle. After pretreating any stains, choose the appropriate cycle on your washing machine. For most hats, you will want to set it to a delicate or gentle cycle with cool or cold water. Wash the hat in the machine and remove once the cycle ends.^{[12]
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4
Allow the hat to air dry. You should never place your white hat in the dryer. Instead allow the hat to air dry outside. You can also allow the hat to dry in a well-ventilated area.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Spot-Cleaning Stains

1
Create a solution according to fabric type. For cotton and polyester hats, combine one cup (250 mL) of hydrogen peroxide, one tablespoon of dish liquid, and one scoop of a product like Oxi Clean White Revive to a gallon of warm water. For a wool hat, add one ounce of a detergent specially designed for wool like Woolite to a gallon of cool water.
2
Wet the stain with plain water. Before you begin cleaning the spot, you will want to wet it with water. If you are cleaning a cotton or polyester hat, use warm water. For a wool hat, use cool water.
3
Gently scrub the stain with a soft toothbrush. Dip the toothbrush in the solution of cleaning supplies and water. Then gently scrub the stain with an old, soft toothbrush. If you are worried about pilling your hat, you can massage the cleaning solution in with your fingers.
4
Rinse and air dry. Once you scrub the stain, rinse the area with cool water. Make sure you remove all the cleaning solution from the hat. Air dry the hat in the sun, if possible, or inside your house.