Is it Safe to Wash Your Hat in a Washing Machine or Dishwasher?
If you’ve ever spilt something on your New Era fitted hat or noticed your snapback looking a little tired, you might’ve thought: Can I throw this in the washing machine or dishwasher?
With so many cleaning “hacks” online, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But as a professional hat restorer, I’ve seen firsthand what machine washing can do, and it’s not worth the risk.
What Hat Labels Actually Say
Most fitted and snapback hats come with a label that says “do not machine wash” and for good reason. While a spin cycle won’t turn your hat to dust, it can permanently affect its shape, colour, brim and size.
Dishwashers should also not be used; they aren’t made to clean fabric, and the detergents they use can be too harsh for hat materials.
The Real Risks: Shrinkage, Fading, and Warping
It’s tempting to clean hats the same way as your clothing or sneakers. But hats are different. Machine washing can:
- Warp or crease the crown
- Fade colours and bleed dyes
- Damage the stiffness of cardboard brims.
Even if you only wash your hat occasionally, it can still cause damage.
Why Hat Cages Aren’t the Answer
You might think a hat cage offers a safer way to machine wash your hat, but even then, it doesn’t fully protect the front panels.
Most structured hats use buckram to hold their shape, and soaking it in water (even inside a cage) can still cause warping or creasing.
Dishwashing detergent can damage fabrics like wool, and laundry detergent can harm your dishwasher, it’s not worth the risk.
When Machine Washing Might Be “Okay”
If it’s an old hat you wear to paint the house or walk the dog, machine washing may be fine. But for anything structured, expensive, or sentimental, it’s best to avoid it.
Cardboard brims, in particular, don’t hold up well to soaking and will permanently lose their stiffness.
How to Clean Your Hat the Right Way
My approach: use water only when necessary. Over-cleaning your hat can speed up wear and shorten its lifespan.
- Brush regularly to remove dry dirt, dust, and lint.
- Spot clean with The Captician Hat Cleaner.
- Hand wash only when deeper cleaning is truly needed.
I hope these tips help you keep your hats looking their best, and out of the laundry pile.
Got a success story or a hat mishap to share? I’d love to hear it: abi@thecaptician.com
