Hat Cleaning Tips
Tips for the care and Maintenance of your wool or fur felt hat
Best Tip: The best tip we have to share with you to help keep your felt hat in great condition over many years is this: Try your best to avoid getting your felt hat soaking wet. We know that being caught in the rain or snow is going to happen, but try, if you can, to avoid major downpours of rain. If your hat is weather protected (via scotchgaurd etc), or if your hat is a very high quality & treated fur felt, it can withstand various weather conditions much better than hats that aren’t. Hats that are pre-treated with scotchgaurd will usually say so. Your hat may shrink or totally lose its shape if becomes too wet, especially untreated wool felts.
If your hat gets wet: The main thing you want to do is minimize shrinking and loss of shape. Turn out the inner sweatband of your hat to keep it from shrinking, and place a towel in the hat to fit at the size your head would. Work out any kinks in the hat before they set when dry. Let the hat dry naturally on a flat surface with the turned out sweatband and towel as a prop.
Scotchgaurd: If you wish to scotchguard your own hat, you may find a brand for hats that we prefer at our store (actual and online store). If you find scotchgaurd elsewhere, it is best to read the instructions carefully and ensure it’s safe for felts.
Unless the hat you want to scotchgaurd is new, you should clean it before scotchguarding. You can clean your hat at home with a special hat brush or with hat foam (porous aquarium tank sponge works)! You can also bring your hat to us for a steam and brush. We do not charge for this service, and we welcome all hats purchased from anywhere.
Cleaning: To clean your hat at home, turn on the teakettle until you have a steady steam going. Expose the hat to steam carefully and for a few seconds at a time. Brush the hat (with foam or hat brush) counterclockwise, since hats are felted in that direction. Steam from the kettle loosens the dirt and debris, while the brush whisks it away.
Stains: For deeper stains, we recommend having an expert look at your hat. You may bring your hat to Headcase for advice.
Reshaping: Using steam from a kettle is also how you would reshape your felt hat. If your hat has a kink in the brim from improper storage or from years of wear, you can shape the brim by hand while the hat is being steamed. Please ensure you either wear your hat or store it upside on its crown for at least 20-30 minutes to allow your hat to re-stiffen into its new shape. Hat stiffener is another product we carry at Headcase if needed.
Clean Hands: It’s a good idea to have clean hands when handling your hats, but it’s a GREAT idea to have clean hands when handling your light colored felt hats!
Protect Your Crown from ‘Pinching’: You heard this before, but unless you’re trying to create the ‘pinched’ look, avoid pinching the crown of your hat when removing. It wears the crown down, bends it out of shape, and collects oils from your hands, which, over time, creates stains.
Resting your Hat: The best way to rest your hat when not in use is on a hook or upside down on its crown. This prevents the snap down brim from warping. This is especially important for safari cuts and fedoras. Bowlers and other such hats that are commonly worn with the brim up are less vulnerable.
Storing your Hat: Your hat will be stay in the best condition if you clean it before storing. Clean your hat following the above instructions, or bring it into Headcase for a steam and brush. Once your hat is clean, place it in a box (usually on its crown) and store in a cool, dry place. We carry simple plain hat boxes at a very affordable price, (some hats come with boxes, but most do not). If you prefer to have decorative boxes, HomeSense carries a nice selection at very good prices.
Tips for the Care and Maintenance of Straw Hats
Men's Straw Hats
Best Tip: Straws, much like felts, stay in the best condition when dry. Some of our favorite hat companies have been weatherproofing their straws with a type of scotchgaurd, and we think that’s great! You can’t always avoid the rain, but you need to make sure you have the right hat for the right situations (much to contrary thought, most hats are not rain hats)! Paper straw is the most vulnerable to rain as it can lose its shape. Panama straws, on the other hand, can handle very humid conditions, and do well getting steamed a few times a year (especially if you live in Alberta)!!!
Pinching the Crown: Don't! Please and thank you! You'll eventually crack the straw.
Cleaning: There are some straw cleaner products on the market. We use Scout Nustraw. Follow the instructions carefully and always do a little test patch first. You can use a hat brush (designed for straw) to whisk away dust and debris. Always feel welcome to come to us at Headcase and ask for suggestions on how to clean your hat if you're unsure.
Steaming: Some of the more sturdy straws can be steamed back into shape if they've been "kinked" from wear and tear, or improper storage.
Storage: Store your hats using the same considerations as you would for your felts. Make sure your straw hat is clean, and store on its crown, in a box. You want your hat to come out of storage the way you left it, therefore, please position your hat the way you want it to fit on head when it's out of storage! The main thing is to store it in a box that's big enough. A box that's too small can warp the brim.
Woman's Straw Hats
All of the tips from the men's straw section apply to women's straw, but with a few additional considerations
Sinamay and other fancy hat straws: Sinamay is a beautiful straw-like fibre that comes from banana plant leaf, and it’s used in stunning ladies’ hats. One thing you must be aware of is that Sinamay is not really "clean-able", therefore, avoid getting it dirty in the first place (most Sinamay lovers know this, but we just want to make sure). The major dirt culprit in most cases is dirty hands!
Storage: We'll say it again; Store your hats the way you want them to look when they come out of storage! If you have a hat with veiling, position tissue under the veil to keep it full and curved (the way you would want it to look around your face). Keep feathers protected and keep all weight off of them. Make sure your storage box is big enough (and tall enough) for your hat. We carry big boxes in the store and provide one for all fancy oversize hats. If you want something more ornate for your hat, we suggest trying HomeSense.
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Tips for all other Hats
Follow the instructions if sewn in (like Lillie and Cohoe). If no instructions are available, then we suggest hand washing cottons, lay flat to dry, or place light colored towel inside to maintain shape of head. Avoid dishwashers (yes we know people are putting their hats in dishwashers...shame, shame, shame)! Take all other hats you're unsure of to your local hatter for advice.