Washing a baseball cap

BigBear

OK, so I just got a new baseball cap a few weeks ago, and it's starting to get a little sweaty. I don't want to just stop wearing it, but I'm not exactly sure how I wash the thing without ruining it. There's no direction on the tag or anything, and I'm not sure how to go about it. Help me out here?

Gdiguy

what company is it?

I'll add to this that I have a New Era hat that I'm not sure what to do with either; it seems that washing machining-it is bad (and dryer-ing is especially bad), but there isn't much that's recommended according to google other than like wiping it with a wet cloth, which.. um.. let's just say probably won't clean mine

Pheezer

Dishwasher. I'm not kidding, just put it through an empty dishwasher cycle, it'll be like a really heavy rain fall, with really hot water. You'll want to let it air dry for a good long time afterwards.

Psychotic One

Yeah the dishwasher with no soap works. There is a little plastic wire cage you can buy that holds the hat while it washes on the top rack. You can probably get them at target, wallmart, or most sports stores. Always worked for me in the past

Pheezer

You totally don't need that cage but I guess it might help keep it formed or prevent it from flopping about and ending up in the puddle at the bottom of the thing. I just used to put mine in the glasses rack at the top of the dishwasher and it was fine.

thanimations

What kind of material and what kind of condition do you want it to be in? If its wool, then washing it could cause it to shrink and lose shape (especially for New Era), but some people like that. If you're trying to keep it looking "fresh out of the box" the best you can do it is get the spray that repels stains and water. If you're going for the "worn but loved" look and just want to get it clean so it won't smell, then any of the above methods will work.

The only issue would be drying. Again, if it's a wool hat like the old 5950 New Eras, then it'll shrink and lose some shape. The best way to go about drying it would be to wear it so that way you don't get stuck with a brand new hat that's a size too small.

Midshipman

If you don't have a dishwasher, then just wash it with a toothbrush and some gentle soap. If it shrinks when it dries, some hat stores have a hat stretching machine. There is such a hat store not too far from where I live that let's you use their hat stretcher for free.

BigBear

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. So far the dishwasher one sounds like the best idea, although I'm not sure exactly how well it will work. The hat is a Twins Enterprise hat, and it is 100 % cotton. I don't know if I want it to look "out of the box," but I just want it to look clean and not smell so sweaty.

Glaeal

http://www.amazon.com/Cap-Washer-by-Perfect-Curve/dp/B000IO6ERG/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1210116536&sr=8-1

That's one of the cage things. I haven't had one since I was a kid, but I remember it doing the job.