Stop Washing Your Baseball Cap in the Washing Machine (and Do This Instead)
Whether you wear a baseball cap every day to hide an exceptionally bad haircut or lack of a recent shower, or to protect yourself from the sun while you’re baking at a kid’s outdoor sporting event, chances are that a cap doesn’t look its best. If you’re like me, sometimes when you remember, you throw this in your washing machine with all your other laundry. But it’s not the best way to keep your favorite cap from college or on a once-in-a-lifetime family trip. Here’s how to wash properly.
How to clean a slightly soiled baseball cap
If your cap just needs a quick cleaning, the best way to freshen it up is gently, by hand. Fill a clean sink or bucket with cool water and add a few drops of mild detergent (no bleach). While we all know that the best way to get lather is to add detergent first, if you forget, shake the water by hand to create bubbles. Soak the hat for 5-10 minutes.
When this is done, rinse the hat with cold water. Wrap a clean towel around all but the edges to gently squeeze out excess water. Hang to dry, or to better retain its shape, stuff the cap with a small towel, bowl, or ball and allow to air dry. Don’t put it in the dryer.
How to deep clean a cap
If you’ve worn your cap during a Tough Mudder race or it’s suffering from a heavy buildup of sunscreen, sand, sweat, or other vague odour, you’ll need a deeper cleaning. (You may need gloves for this.)
Start as above with a clean container or bucket of cool water, but this time add a color-safe oxygen bleach like OxiClean (or save a few bucks and make your own with 2 parts water, 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 1 part washing soda is not the same as baking soda .)
Soak the cap in the cleaning solution and water for about one hour. During this time, you can target specific stains by applying OxiClean and brushing. (Personally, I would also use a toothbrush to clean the dirtiest part of the hat, the inside of the beak, which sucks juices, lotions, and dirt off your forehead all the time.)
After the cap has been cleaned, rinse it with cold water and dry as described above. Note. These instructions do not apply to vintage caps with cardboard bills. For those who clean with stain remover or mild detergent, but do not submerge the bill in water.
Can you wash a baseball cap in the dishwasher?
While you can toss it in the dishwasher for convenience, it’s not the best way to keep the shape and color of a cap over time. If you go down this path from time to time, be sure to use cold water, a gentle cycle, and bleach-free dishwashing detergent, and put it on the top shelf only.