Is it possible to wash caps and baseball caps?
The instructions on the label will tell you how to properly wash a baseball cap. If it is cut, then when choosing a washing method, you need to take into account the material of the visor, the type of fabric and the color of the item.
Visor.
As a rule, visors come in two types:
- Cardboard. They do not tolerate contact with water. If the dirt is fresh, try not to wet the cap, but clean it dry using a brush or roller. If you had to wash the item, treat the stain without touching the visor.
- Plastic. These visors are stronger, but washing them in a machine can break or bend them. Therefore, it is better to wash the hat on a delicate cycle with the spin switched off, or clean it by hand.
Material.
Cotton, denim and synthetics are not afraid of exposure to moisture, so they tolerate machine and hand washing well. It is better not to soak wool, drape and leather in water: only dry cleaning is suitable for capricious materials.
Color.
Colored items may fade, so they require gentler cleaning methods. To see if a baseball cap can be washed, do a shedding test. Lightly dip a white cloth in warm water and wipe a small area from the inside. If there are traces of paint on the rag, it is better to clean it dry. If the napkin remains clean, then wash based on the material and type of visor. The main thing is that the cleaning product does not contain bleach.
To prevent streaks on the cap, use gels and detergents for washing children's clothing. If the stain is small, do not wash the accessory completely: it is enough to treat only the dirty area.
Cleaning accessories
Every housewife has tools for work at hand:
- Roller for cleaning clothes. Suitable for dry cleaning: collects dust, small hairs or lint. You can use tape instead of a roller, but it may leave traces of glue on the fabric.
- A soft-bristled clothes brush or an old toothbrush. Needed for wet cleaning. Removes traces of detergents well.
- Sponge. Useful for removing dirt when hand washing. It is better to take a clean sponge: a dirty one will leave stains and stains.
Is it possible?
Before washing a baseball cap, check what material it is made of . There is information about this on the product label, which also indicates the basic care rules recommended by the manufacturer.
Then it becomes clear whether the baseball cap can be machine washed or not, at what temperature, etc. To check whether the fabric will fade after getting wet, run a damp, soapy sponge over an invisible area of the cap on the reverse side.
If after drying the paint has not lost its color, then the product can be washed without fear. If stains appear, wash only with clean cool water by hand or resort to dry cleaning.
You can machine wash it if:
- the visor of the cap is made of plastic that does not deform;
- the material from which the cap is made, cotton, denim or synthetics;
- There is a permission symbol on the tag.
How to properly wash a cap or baseball cap
In the washing machine.
First, look at the product label for directions. If machine wash is recommended, follow label directions. Turn off the spin cycle to avoid deforming the cap.
When washing at low temperatures, it is better to use gel rather than washing powder - it will retain the color and will not leave streaks.
If there are complex stains on the cap - blood, grass, berry juice, then you should not experiment: it is better to take the item to the dry cleaner.
Manually.
Remove dust, hair and pet hair with a clothes roller. If there are signs of grime on the baseball cap, scrub away the dirty areas with a toothbrush and stain remover.
What to do when hand washing:
- Mix the cleaner with water.
- Soak the cap for several hours without submerging the visor.
- Remove dirt with a sponge from the front side, and then from the back.
- Clean the visor last. Try not to get it too wet.
- Pay attention to the rim of the cap - dirt accumulates there due to friction against the skin. Treat stains with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Rinse the baseball cap in cool water, dry with a clean cloth or towel and leave to dry.
If the cap has stripes, go over the outline of the design with a toothbrush. This will get rid of dust accumulated in the seams.
Handy cleaning tools
To effectively clean a baseball cap, you will need some available tools:
A special sticky roller for clothes or tape . With their help, dust and fine lint are removed from fabric. Only use caution when cleaning white fabric with tape, as it may leave adhesive marks.- Soft brush . An unnecessary toothbrush can be an alternative. They easily remove stains left by detergents.
- Compact sponge . Helps remove dirt during hand washing.
How to remove sweat stains from a cap
Hydrogen peroxide will help: apply the solution to a cotton pad and rub the stains. Do not wash off the peroxide for 2-3 hours, then remove the remaining product with a damp cloth. This method is only suitable for white fabric - colored fabric may fade.
Aspirin can deal with old stains - dilute 2 tablets in 100 ml of warm water. Apply the solution to dirty areas and leave for 1 hour. Rinse the cap thoroughly to ensure no streaks remain.
If you don't have aspirin at home, table salt will do. Dissolve 2 tsp. salt in 100 ml of water, mix and apply to stains.
To wash children's caps, you can use laundry soap. Gently scrub the dirty areas with soap or soak the entire cap in the soapy solution.
How to remove stains without ruining the item?
Ways to help deal with stains without subsequently washing the baseball cap:
- Traces of sweat can be eliminated with hydrogen peroxide. Apply it to dirty areas and leave for a couple of hours. Then remove the remains with a damp cloth. But this option is not suitable for colored material, since it will most likely fade.
- Mix salt with soda and add water until a paste is obtained. This composition is applied to the stains and rubbed with a soft brush. A mixture of only one salt does an excellent job of removing traces of grass, various drinks, food, and others.
- Several aspirin tablets are crushed to a powder and a little water is added. It is worth noting that this method will not help with old stains.
- Stubborn stains on white baseball caps can be easily removed with a mixture of acetic and citric acid. To do this, combine the ingredients in equal proportions and add 1 part of water. Apply the product to the stain.
The nuances of washing caps made of different materials
In order not to spoil the hat, you need to choose a detergent and washing temperature taking into account the type of material. Let's see how the washing processes differ for caps made of different fabrics.
Leather
Items made from genuine leather cannot be washed, otherwise the material will become deformed. Any dirt can be cleaned with regular soap. Dip a clean dish sponge in the soapy water and wipe both sides of the cap, then wipe the item dry with a cotton rag.
To clean stains on a light baseball cap, ammonia is suitable. Mix 1 tbsp. l. with a glass of water and a soft sponge, apply the product to the fabric, rub a little and leave for a couple of minutes. Then rinse the treated area under running water.
Leatherette
If greasy stains appear on the leatherette, wipe it with a damp cloth. Alcohol and water in a 1:1 ratio will help restore shine to the material.
To get rid of white stains, treat them with lemon juice and dry your hat on the balcony.
Felt
Prepare a cleaning solution: mix ammonia half and half with water, dip a sponge in the solution and treat the baseball cap with it. Caution: the felt product should not be too wet.
If you have a white felt cap, mix equal parts wheat or oat bran with salt. Gently rub the dry mixture into the cloth, leave for 15-20 minutes, and then brush off with a napkin or brush.
Wool
Woolen items require more careful care than cotton or denim. To prevent your wool cap from deteriorating, follow these rules when washing:
- Do not use hot water to prevent the item from shrinking. The optimal washing temperature is 30 °C.
- To clean, use wool detergent.
- When washing, use conditioner for softness.
- Do not wring out the headgear.
Fur
Fur products deteriorate from contact with water. To clean fur, it is better to contact a professional dry cleaner.
If you want to clean the stains yourself, you can use gentle methods. You can clean the fur from fresh dirt using table salt and soda. Mix the ingredients, spread the mixture evenly over the surface and brush the cap with a clothes brush.
To remove dried stains, mix water and vinegar in equal proportions. Dampen a sponge with the solution and wipe the dirty area.
Synthetics
The synthetic cap can be washed either by hand or in an automatic machine on a delicate cycle. The washing temperature should not exceed 30 °C. Do not use aggressive detergents, otherwise you may damage the fabric.
Cotton or linen
Caps made of cotton and linen with a plastic visor can be machine washed in the “Delicate Wash” mode at a temperature of no more than 40°C.
To remove old stains, laundry soap, baby powder or dishwashing gel will help. You can use oxygen bleaches and special stain removers.
Drying rules
It is prohibited to wring out or twist a cap made of any material. Excess moisture should be blotted with a terry or waffle towel. For light-colored hats, use only white towels.
After washing, the garment should be straightened to maintain its original shape. A wet headdress is put on an item of suitable configuration and size. For example, on a balloon, a small ball, the bottom of a glass jar, a pan, a bottle. The surface of the fabric must be smoothed until folds and creases disappear.
The cap is left on the frame until completely dry.
The visor is simply laid out on a surface suitable for the profile, it can be a lid or a plate.
A flat and even visor is placed under a heavy object or a stack of books. It will no longer be able to curl and will be smooth after drying.
It is important to remember that baseball caps and caps should not be dried in the dryer at high temperatures. It is forbidden to leave them in the sun, radiators or heaters. The drying process should be gradual and natural.
Mistakes when washing a baseball cap
- Too much detergent. A large amount of foam is difficult to wash out of things. As a result, the fabric becomes stiff and covered with white streaks.
- Use of bleaches for black and colored products. Such products really clean, but they wash out the dye along with the dirt.
- Spin in the washing machine at high speed. High-speed spinning affects fabric fibers - they become less durable. Plastic cap visors may break or bend.
- Twisting of material, strong mechanical friction. The cap must be washed carefully, otherwise it will lose its shape.
Wool
Products made from woolen fabrics require careful handling. It is better to subject such hats to dry processing, since if the fabric is frequently exposed to moisture, it can stretch or, on the contrary, shrink.
Wool baseball caps must be washed very delicately. Such products should not be processed in too cold water; they may stretch. And at hot temperatures they will shrink a lot.
The wool itself will stretch over time, if this happens, just leave it in hot water for a while, and then move it into cold liquid for 10 minutes.
It is necessary to use detergents designed for this type of fabric. Conditioner is used to wash caps so that the fabric remains soft after treatment.
Such hats cannot be compressed; dry only in a horizontal position.
How to keep your cap looking good for a long time
Here are some simple rules:
- Do not pour the detergent directly onto the item; dilute it with water and treat the contaminated areas with a sponge.
- When hand washing, rub the fabric carefully, otherwise you can damage the decorative elements and ruin the structure of the fabric.
- Rinse off the cleaner with plenty of water to avoid streaks.
- To make the cap hold its shape better, sprinkle it with a solution of 50 g of starch and 1 liter of water.
When purchasing a cap, choose a product with a rigid base. Such accessories are less susceptible to deformation.
Unusual but effective ways to cut hair
You don't have time to hand wash, but washing your cap in a machine is impossible? There is a great way to wash all dirt on your headdress without harming the product, and most importantly, saving your time. But, unfortunately, this method is not for everyone, but only for those who have a dishwasher. If you own a dishwasher, all you need to do is place a cap or baseball cap in any upper compartment of the machine and wash it, just like dishes.
6 mistakes when washing in a washing machine
What are the advantages of such washing, you ask. And there are quite a few of them!
- Effectively removes stains, dust and dirt from headwear.
- Saves time by 3 times.
- The cap will not “dangle” throughout the drum, which means its deformation during the washing process is impossible.
- Due to the water flow that comes from below, gentle care is guaranteed.
