Stacey Koziel
Do you put on a baseball cap before you do just about anything? Maybe you have a favorite hat you wear to the gym, to the golf course, or just while you’re running everyday errands. Has it seen better days?
Dirt and sweat stains can end up making your favorite hat look, well, gross. Thankfully, you can get rid of those stains quickly with a couple of ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Try to avoid tossing your cap in the washing machine. While it might remove the dirt and sweat stains, it could also end up damaging your hat or causing it to lose its shape. Washing your hat by hand is the easiest and most effective way to get it clean and to get the stains (and smells) out of the fabric.
Make a paste out of 1/2 cup of baking soda, one tablespoon of salt, and one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide. After trying out a “test spot” on the hat, rub the mixture all over with a soft brush, paying extra attention to the brim and sweatband.
Let the paste sit for about 20 minutes before dunking the hat in cool water to rinse it off. Pat with a towel and let air dry.
You can also use a couple of drops of laundry detergent in a bucket of water to clean your hat by hand. Soak the hat in the mixture for 15-20 minutes, pat dry with a towel, and let it air dry completely. If you go that route, though, make sure to avoid using detergents or stain removers with bleach.
You don’t have to throw out your favorite hat just because it’s stained with smelly sweat. Give it a good wash using this method, and you can keep wearing it everywhere!
