How To Care For Your Hat: Hat Care 101

How to clean and care for your wool wide brim hat

How To Clean & Care For Your CEO Hat: 


Spot Cleaning

  • Use a soft brush such as an unused soft-bristled toothbrush or a hat brush or sponge- specially designed for felt hats. Our favorites are here: Hat sponge- Amazon https://amzn.to/3pzUvYI
  • Start on one side of the hat and work your way around with short, gentle counter-clockwise strokes along the direction of the fabric's nap to maintain the material's integrity while removing dust, dirt, and lint.
  • For any noticeably stained area of the hat, you can carefully dab it and spot clean with a slightly damp cloth or sponge (such as a makeup sponge). Make sure the cloth is not too wet.
  • To absorb and remove oily stains caused by hair products, makeup, lotions, or body oils, sprinkle the stained area with cornstarch and leave for at least a couple of hours before brushing away.
  • Repeat any or all of these steps as necessary.

 

Cleaning the Entire Hat

  • Fill a bowl with cold water — NEVER hot water as that will very likely ruin the hat.
  • Add a small amount of mild, non-bleach laundry detergent (about a teaspoon) such as Woolite until it's dissolved.
  • Before you dunk the entire hat in the cool water, spot test it first by soaking a small, unnoticeable part of it for a few minutes to make sure the color doesn't bleed.
  • Gently brush away any stains with a soft-bristled brush such as a toothbrush or felt hat brush and allow it to set for at least 15 minutes before hand washing.  
  • Once that's done, submerge the entire hat in the bowl for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the hat from the soapy water and rinse in cold water to remove any leftover detergent. 
  • Place the hat on a clean towel, on a flat surface and gently pat it down.
  • Air dry the hat in a clean spot away from direct sunlight.

 

Wavy / Warped Brim

  • Designate a clean flat surface that can withstand heat.
  • Use your iron on steamer setting (make sure it's pushing out a lot of steam) and lightly brush the hot air around the brim either on the specific spot you're trying to flatten, or the whole way around. You can use an industrial  steamer or any over the counter hand held steamer. 
  • Immediately after steaming  and while your hat is still hot and soft, take it over to the designated surface and lay it flat.
  • Push down on the brim to make it even flatter! (Tip: use a few heavy books to get that brim really flat.)
  • Count down 5 minutes and voilà! Your brim should be stiff again and back in shape!
  • Repeat the process as needed until the desired shape is achieved.