Can I Put a Hat in the Washing Machine?

It depends on the hat. Unstructured, soft fabric hats (beanies, soft bucket hats, fabric beanies): machine wash in a laundry bag on a gentle cold cycle. Structured hats (baseball caps with a stiff brim, most caps with a cardboard brim insert, wool felt hats): hand wash only. Machine washing distorts the brim and damages the structure permanently. Modern baseball caps often have plastic brims (safe for hand washing) but vintage caps from before the 1980s frequently had cardboard brims that dissolve in water.

How to Hand Wash a Baseball Cap

  1. 1

    Check the care label and spot test

    Check the inside label for care instructions. Test a small, hidden area with your cleaning solution to ensure it does not fade or damage the material.

  2. 2

    Clean the sweatband and stains with a soft brush

    Mix a small amount of mild shampoo, dish soap or laundry detergent in cool water. Dip a soft toothbrush or nail brush and gently scrub the sweatband (the inside band — where most odour accumulates), any sweat stains on the brim, and any visible dirty areas. Work the solution into the fabric with circular motions.

  3. 3

    Rinse with cool water

    Hold the cap under cool running water or submerge in a basin of clean water, gently squeezing to rinse out the soap. Do not wring or twist — gently squeeze out excess water.

  4. 4

    Reshape and air dry

    Reshape the cap while still damp — this is critical. Place over a rounded object to maintain the dome shape: a bowl, a coffee tin, a large water bottle, or even your own head (briefly). Stuff the crown with paper towels to absorb moisture. Air dry at room temperature. Never use a hairdryer or tumble dry — heat shrinks the fabric and distorts the brim.

For white or light-coloured caps with yellowing sweatbandsMake a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide (for non-wool, colourfast fabrics). Apply to the yellow areas, leave 30 minutes, scrub with a toothbrush, rinse thoroughly. This removes the yellowing caused by sweat salts and body oils that regular washing does not fully address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some people wash baseball caps in the dishwasher (top rack, no heated dry) as an alternative to hand washing. This can work for caps with plastic brims in good condition, but the high water temperature and jet spray can fade colours, damage embroidery and distort the structure. Hand washing is safer and gives better results. The dishwasher method is a last resort if you are comfortable with the risk of the cap being damaged.
Sweat stains on hat brims are caused by salt and oil from sweat combined with sunscreen. Pre-treat with dish soap (excellent at cutting grease) or a stain remover. For white or light-coloured brims: the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste works well. For persistent yellow staining: try an enzyme-based cleaner (Preen, Vanish) left for 15–20 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.