How to Wash a Flat Billed Hat

Read the label on the inside of the hat. It will advise you of the type of the material it is made from and its laundering temperature. However, older hats might have lost their label or the information might have been rubbed off. Keep that in mind as you clean the hat and use your judgment. For example, if the hat is wool then using cool water is suitable.

Fill the sink with lukewarm water. Put on dishwashing gloves to protect the hat from dirt or oils on your hands.

Identify any stains or obvious marks on the hat and target them first. Dab mild detergent onto a toothbrush and moisten it. Very gently rub the marks and stains with the brush. The light abrasions will lift the dirt.

Submerge the hat in the clean bowl of lukewarm water. Use a cloth to wipe over the hat's surface. Pay particular attention to the area underneath the flat bill where it has been in contact with a sweaty head. Do not handle roughly, however, as you might bend the hat too much and misshape it accidentally.

Remove the hat from the water, and rinse it under warm running water. Get rid of the detergent suds. Allow the hat to completely air dry. Do not put it in a tumble dryer, as the heat could shrink it.