| A baseball hat that is a grimy, sweaty mess can | | | | A newer baseball hat, except one made of wool, |
| easily be restored to its original condition with a | | | | can be treated with prewash spray on the dirty |
| good washing. | | | | areas, particularly the headband. Then you can |
| To begin, take a look at the tag on the inside of | | | | toss the hat into the laundry with the rest of |
| the hat. That should tell you what your baseball | | | | your clothes. When washing, make sure your hat |
| hat is made of and the manufacturer's standard | | | | is washed with clothes of similar colors, and use |
| washing instructions. If the tag is still there, great. | | | | cold or warm water. Don't use hot water, and |
| Follow those instructions. If your tag is missing or | | | | don't use bleach! |
| unreadable, you will need to figure out what your | | | | Never put your baseball hat in a clothes dryer, as |
| hat is made of. | | | | this will deform its shape. Ther are cheap plastic |
| Baseball hats are typically made of the following | | | | molds that you can purchase that will help keep |
| materials: | | | | your hat keep its form as it dries. This is optional, |
| Cotton twill is a strong and durable material with a | | | | but it can help. |
| "cotton" look and feel to it. | | | | If your baseball hat is made of wool, it will have a |
| Cotton polyester is a tough, bright fabric blend | | | | tendency to shrink in water or in heat conditions. |
| that is often colorfast. | | | | Wool hats should be hand washed in the sink with |
| Jersey mesh is a durable, colorfast knit material, | | | | cool water and a mild laundry detergent. Then |
| and is simple to wash. | | | | they must be air dried over an object, like a |
| Many people are concerned that washing a | | | | coffee can, to keep its shape. |
| baseball hat will change the shape of the cap, | | | | Some resources suggest using a dishwasher to |
| wreck the brim, or cause overall shrinkage. | | | | clean your hat. This is not recommended for any |
| If you have a fairly new baseball hats made of | | | | type of hat, as the high heat from the |
| cotton blend of some type or jersey knit, you | | | | dishwasher can cause damage -- even on the top |
| can wash the hat in a clothes washer. Most | | | | rack. Dishwashers are for dishes, not clothes. |
| current baseball hats use a plastic form to shape | | | | A good wash will keep your baseball hat looking |
| the brim, rather than cardboard. Plastic can | | | | like new! |
| withstand a clothes wash without deforming. | | | | |