Tips Laundry

Washing a baseball cap: tips and tricks for cleaning and care

June 14, 2022

Summer is here, and baseball caps are getting far more use again. This headwear gets thoroughly soaked with sweat from warm summer temperatures. Can you actually put your baseball cap in the washing machine? We answer this question and give you even more Tips for caring for your cap.

Let's clarify the most urgent question first.

Can you wash your baseball cap in the washing machine?

Sort of. It shouldn't be your first option. There's a very high risk the cap will get damaged. The water, drum movements, and detergent can harm your cap.

If you still decide to wash it in the machine, pay attention to these points:

Set to a gentle wash cycle
Wash at max 30°C
Low spin speed
Detergent without bleach: bluu is perfectly suitable!

Your baseball cap should NOT go in the washing machine, especially in the following cases

The brim reinforcement is made of cardboard

This is rarely found on newer models, but it's possible cardboard or paper is used in your baseball cap's brim. If that's the case, don't wash it in the machine—it will definitely destroy the cardboard.

If the front part is made of plastic, machine Laundry is generally possible.

The baseball cap bleeds color

Before you choose a cleaning method, test your cap for colorfastness. It's very easy:

Take a damp, white cloth or paper towel
Rub it on an inconspicuous spot
If color remains on the cloth, your baseball cap is not colorfast

Cleaning it could ruin your cap, so avoid doing that. Further down in this post, we'll show you how to care for it instead.

The label says to hand wash

If the label does not recommend machine washing, you should avoid that too. Next, we'll show you how to wash your baseball cap by hand.

How to wash your baseball cap by hand

Washing your cap by hand is gentle and usually the better choice. Here are the steps to wash your baseball cap by hand:

Remove stickers or removable patches.
Moisten the dirty areas on your cap with clean water apply.
At the same time, letlukewarm water in a bowl in and let a small corner of yourbluu-Laundry Detergent Sheets dissolve in the water.
The more heavily soiled your laundry is, the more of the Laundry Detergent Sheets you tear off.
Dip a cloth or a soft brush, like a toothbrush, into the water.
Scrub the stained areas on your baseball cap with either the cloth or gently with the toothbrush.
Then,rinse you the detergent again with clean water.
Pat the areas dry with a clean cloth and letyour cap air dry.

If you prefer dry cleaning, you can directly scrub the stained areas with a soft brush.

How to care for your baseball cap

The less you need to wash your cap, the less it will wear out. Here are a few care Tips for how to maintain your cap and keep it in great condition.

Wipe the sweatband regularly: This is located on the inside of your baseball cap. Wipe it with a soft cloth every so often.
Air it regularly: This prevents unpleasant odors.
Never leave it wet to dry: Sweat and moisture create bacteria, which cause odors. After a sweaty day, always hang your cap up to air it out.
Stay in shape: To dry your cap, you can stretch it over a kitchen strainer, a bowl, or a “Cap Buddy”. This will keep your baseball cap's shape.

How to remove sweat stains

Baking soda can help remove old sweat stains.

For this, mix baking soda with a bit of water into a toothpaste-like paste and apply it to the sweat stains. Let it sit for a few minutes , then rinse it off with clean water. Let it dry completely.