Can You Put a Hat in the Washer? A Safe-Cleaning Guide

Yes, many hats can go in the washer, as long as the hat is built for it. You can put a hat in the washer when its care label allows machine washing and it has a plastic-supported brim, sturdy fabric like cotton or polyester, and no leather, straw, or felt parts. Put it in a mesh laundry bag and wash it in cold water on a gentle cycle. Leather, straw, felt, and structured dress hats need hand cleaning.

Knowing how to wash a hat correctly keeps it looking sharp for years. Sweat and dirt build up with regular wear, and a hat that fits right and holds its shape is worth a few extra minutes of care. The right method depends on the brim, sweatband, trim, and material more than on how dirty the hat looks.

 If you’re unsure about how to care for a hat from our collection, our team is happy to help. You can reach us at info@americanhatmakers.com. We can help you determine the right cleaning approach before you begin.

Key Takeaways

• Check the care label, brim, and sweatband before a hat goes near the washer.

• Wash eligible caps in a mesh bag with cold water, mild detergent, and a gentle cycle.

• Always air-dry hats on a rounded form and keep them out of the dryer.

How Can You Tell If a Hat Is Machine Washable?

A hat is machine washable when three things line up: the label allows it, the material handles water, and the build won't warp when wet. A cotton baseball cap with a plastic bill usually passes all three. A felt fedora or a leather outback hat fails at least one.

Check the Care Label, Fabric, and Construction

Start with the tag inside the crown. Some hats say "machine washable" or "hand washable." Others say nothing. If the label is missing, the brim feels delicate, or the hat seems fragile, spot cleaning or hand washing is the safer choice.

Next, look at the hat materials:

Then check the construction. Tap the bill. Hats made before 1983 often have cardboard brims, which sound hollow when you flick them and should only be spot cleaned. Water softens cardboard, so the brim will bend and stay bent.

Which Hats Are Better Kept Out of the Washer?

Keep these styles out of the machine:

• Leather hats and suede hats. Water and tumbling dry out leather and leave spots. Use the methods in our guides to clean a leather hat or clean a suede hat.

• Straw hats. Most straw is not waterproof. Soaking it can loosen the weave and warp the brim.

• Felt hats. Felt shrinks and loses its shape when agitated in water.

• Vintage caps with cardboard bills.

• Structured dress hats, such as fedoras and top hats, which have stiffened crowns.

Across our range of leather, straw, felt, and mesh styles, care varies from hat to hat for this reason. Machine washing will not ruin every hat right away, but these materials lose their shape faster than a basic cap does.

Why Do Brims, Sweatbands, and Embellishments Matter?

The parts you don't think about are often the ones that fail first. Many of our brims have a metal band sewn inside so you can reshape them. That makes a brim adjustable, but it does not make the hat washer-safe. Wet metal inside fabric can rust or kink during a spin cycle.

Sweatbands matter too. Leather sweatbands stiffen and crack after soaking. Fit systems hidden behind the band, like Velcro, sticky sizers, or elastic, can lose their grip or stretch out. An adjustable fit is not a sign that a hat can go in the washer.

External embellishments can also be ruined by agitation and soaking. Hatbands, feathers, metal conchos, patches, and glued embellishments can come loose or bleed color. Remove any detachable embellishments first, and keep hats with delicate trim out of the washer.

How to Wash an Eligible Hat in the Machine

Knowing how to wash a hat in the washer helps protect its shape while removing grime. Machine washing hats works when you protect the crown and use the mildest settings your machine has. Test the color first, treat stains, then bag the hat and run a cold, gentle load.

Test for Color Bleeding and Treat Sweat Stains

Before washing hats with bold colors, check for color bleeding. Rub a little diluted detergent on a hidden spot, like the underside of the bill. If color comes off on your cloth, clean the hat with plain water only.

Next, work on the sweat line. Dab mild detergent mixed with water on the inner band and scrub gently with a soft toothbrush. Heavy yellowing takes more than one pass. Our guide to get sweat stains out of hats covers tougher stains.

Protect the Hat and Choose the Right Settings

Follow these steps:

1. Place the hat in a mesh laundry bag or a hat cage. This prevents snagging and helps the crown keep its shape.

2. Wash it with a few similar colors, or alone.

3. Use cold water and a gentle wash cycle. If your machine has a delicate or hand-wash setting, use that. If it doesn't, choose low agitation and low spin.

4. Add a small amount of mild liquid detergent.

Even on the gentle cycle, a top-loader with an agitator can still press a cap out of shape. If your cap is a favorite, hand washing gives you more control.

What Should You Keep Out of the Wash Load?

Skip bleach, powdered detergent, and stain-remover sprays in the drum, since they leave residue and weaken fibers.

Leave out fabric softener too. Using liquid fabric softener coats the sweatband, diminishes breathability, and traps odor over time.

Don't wash caps with jeans, towels with zippers, or anything heavy that will crush the crown. Take out removable sweatband liners and wash them by hand.

When Is Hand Cleaning the Safer Choice?

Hand cleaning is the safer choice for any hat that is structured, unlabeled, vintage, or made from felt, straw, or leather. It also works well for fabric caps you want to keep crisp. The approach changes with the material, so match your method to the hat.

Spot-Clean Structured or Water-Sensitive Hats

Spot cleaning means treating only the dirty areas. Dip a soft cloth in warm water mixed with a little detergent, wring it well, and dab the stains and inner band. Keep cardboard brims dry. Wipe the hat again with a cloth rinsed in clean water, then let it air-dry.

For felt, start with a soft hat brush. Brush counterclockwise to lift dust, and use a damp cloth for smudges. Avoid nylon brushes, which are too rough for felt. A travel hat brush makes daily brushing easy, and our steps to clean a felt hat cover deeper stains.

Hand-Wash Suitable Fabric Hats Without Distorting Them

For cotton, polyester, or nylon caps, here's how to wash a hat by hand:

1. Fill a clean sink with cool or warm water and a few drops of mild detergent.

2. Scrub stains with a soft brush.

3. Soak the hat for about 15 minutes.

4. Rinse in clean water, then press out water with a towel. Don't wring it.

Our Cabana hats are made of nylon and polyester. Clean them with a mild dish soap and a brush, then dry them on a hat cone out of the sun. The full walkthrough to wash a hat has more detail.

Clean Straw and Leather According to Their Materials

Straw hats: Brush off dust first. Water easily damages woven straw hats, so never submerge them. Pat cornstarch or talc onto sweat stains, wait a few hours, then brush it away.

For tougher marks on straw hats, use a cloth dampened with water and dish soap. Our hat care guide suggests careful use of water with hydrogen peroxide for the hardest stains.

Leather: Wipe with a microfiber cloth following the grain. Apply a leather cleaner lightly, and never soak the leather. Let it dry, then condition it so it stays soft. A leather care travel kit keeps these supplies together. For suede, use fine sandpaper or a suede bar, with no water. A suede nubuck cleaning kit handles this job.

Good hat care prevents problems too. Wash removable liners often, and browse our hat care products for brushes and conditioners.

How Should You Dry a Hat Without Losing Its Shape?

Always air-dry a hat on a rounded form so it dries in the shape you want to wear. Drying is where most washed hats lose their shape, even after a careful wash.

Reshape and Air-Dry the Hat

While the hat is still damp, push the crown out and smooth the brim with your hands. Set it over a rounded object like a coffee can, a small bowl, a hat cone, or a hat stand. Stuff the crown with a clean towel if you don't have a form. Dry it indoors, away from direct sun and heaters, which fade color and warp straw. For brims that need more help, see how to shape your hat.

Don't let a hat dry resting on its brim, which flattens and warps it.

Why Is the Dryer Usually a Bad Idea?

Heat and tumbling shrink or warp the brim, fabric, and elastic. A cap that fit perfectly can come out a size smaller with a bent bill. Heat also tightens sweatbands. If a hat has already shrunk, a hat stretcher can help; learn how to stretch a hat.

Keep in mind that damage from washing or drying counts as improper care. Our 50-Year Craftsmanship Guarantee covers defects in materials and workmanship, not wash damage. Refurbishment is sometimes possible, but not every hat can be refurbished.

Let the Hat’s Construction Decide How You Clean It

Use the hat's build to choose how you clean it. Labeled fabric caps with plastic brims handle a gentle cycle in a mesh bag with cold water and mild detergent. Felt, straw, leather, suede, vintage cardboard-bill caps, and structured dress hats need brushing, spot cleaning, or material-specific products. Before any wash, check the label, tap the brim, look at the sweatband, and remove the trim. Afterward, reshape the hat and air-dry it on a rounded form, away from heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put a baseball cap in the washing machine?

Yes, if the care label allows it and the bill is plastic. Most baseball caps made from cotton or synthetic blends can handle this process. Use a mesh bag, cold water, and a gentle cycle. Caps with cardboard bills or wool fabric should be cleaned by hand.

Can you wash a hat without a mesh laundry bag?

You can, but the risk goes up. Without a bag, the hat can snag or get crushed by heavier items. A pillowcase tied shut is a workable backup.

Is it safe to put a hat in the washer and dryer?

The washer can be safe for eligible caps, but the dryer is not. Heat and tumbling shrink fabric and warp brims. Air-dry every hat on a rounded form.

Is hand washing better than machine washing for hats?

For most hats, yes. Hand washing gives you control over water, scrubbing, and shape. Machine washing works for sturdy, labeled fabric caps.

Can you wash a hat in the dishwasher?

We don't recommend it. Dishwashers use high heat and harsh detergents that fade color and weaken fibers. Hand washing in a sink is gentler and just as effective.