Removing sweat stains from hats

Its been a hot summer and i have some stain on my favorite visor thanks to it. I figured just throw it in the washer but i wanted to make sure it wouldnt hurt the hat in anyway. Or is there any other way thats better for the hat.

Top rack of the dishwasher is what I have always done. It works great on white hats that get discolored.

Spray it with shout and then put it in the dishwasher and run said dishwasher with dishwashing detergent.This should get the stains out. I also have one of those plastic hat things that keep the shape of it especially for a regular hat.

Darker colors tend to show the salty sweats stains more. When I wear a darker hat, I always rinse my hats with some water and let air dry. It does a really good job of preventing these stains.

For cleaning, use a mild soap and hand wash. You could wash the hat in the washing machine or dishwasher, but it might damage the hat material/structure. Do not use the dryer; aways air dry.

I usually throw my hats into a pillow case, tie the end shut with a rubber band, and run them through a regular cycle. Reshape and air dry when done. Works fine and most retain their shape perfectly.

i would definitely hand wash it. On white hats I use a water and a powder detergent like

[attachment=1809264:Billy.jpg]

Work it in making a paste, let it sit for a few and then rinse it well but don't "scrub" it much, just rinse and squeeze the soap out. Works awesome on white hats for removing sweat stains and I am sure it will do the same on your blue!

R.I.P Billy

All of these will work and I would also add in once you've washed it, spray it with some waterproofer spray (from finish line, lids, champs, etc.) and let it sit for about 30 mins (spray inside and outside of hat/visor). I spray all of my hats down occasionally with the spray and they never show any sweat lines and I think the spray is only like $5. Well worth it IMO.

[quote name='methoddan' timestamp='1375209508' post='7570110']
Darker colors tend to show the salty sweats stains more. When I wear a darker hat, I always rinse my hats will some water and let air dry. It does a really good job of preventing these stains. [/quote]

This works really well. At the turn run your hat under the sink until it is saturated, and do it again after the round. It will wash away the salt from your sweat, and the stain won't set in.

Agree with previous posters about the post round stains. A preemptive strike would be to spray your hat with Scotchguard fabric and upholstery protector (red can) on the inside and on the brim. Since i started doing that I haven't had any issues with sweat stains...!

Dishwasher really works?

Just to throw my two cents in as I've had a lot of hats suffer from the sweat stains.

I've tried the dishwasher method, and also the hand washing with oxyclean paste for the stains. I typically wear the standard Titleist mesh caps they they sell at sports/golf retailers. What I found was the structured part of the cap would get warped/ruffled once the drying was complete. The stains for the most part would be removed and look a lot better. But then the cap would look worn because of the ruffling. I assume it's because the rigid part where the Titleist embroidery is gets compromised from the water soaking through.

I know the original post here showed a visor, and maybe an "unstructured" one at that.

I'm not sure if anybody else has run into this problem with the Titleist mesh hats or not. Just a word of caution for anybody looking to try to clean one of those.

I think in a previous thread I looked at somebody's response to correcting the stain was "buy a new hat". I guess I tend to fall in that category as I've tried a couple of variations on a few hats and not been really satisfied with the results.

Throw it in the bin and buy a new one.

Sweat stains are a badge of honor. Don't touch it.

I throw my hat in the bathroom sink as soon as I get home after every round or practice session and let it soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Then take it out and let it air dry. This gets the sweat out and it's fresh and ready to go for the next round. In the Florida heat I'll sweat so much one round can ruin a hat if I don't do this.

The dishwasher has always worked well for me. Houston humidity can wreck a hat in a hurry but I can get mine back to looking new pretty quick.

Regular washer always works for me (shape and air dry).

Scrub it. If that doesn't work, buy a new hat.

basically this.. I use the kitchen sink, scrub it with some mild detergent, dunk it in warm water a few times, rinse well and air dry. The next morning if it still looks bad, I chuck it and buy another


[quote name='Will Par' timestamp='1375303828' post='7578386']
I throw my hat in the bathroom sink as soon as I get home after every round or practice session and let it soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Then take it out and let it air dry. This gets the sweat out and it's fresh and ready to go for the next round. In the Florida heat I'll sweat so much one round can ruin a hat if I don't do this.
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I typically wear one hat per season...til the last round, regardless of condition.

Goes back to my college days. I had a hat for so long, it was like a patch of cloth with a mangled brim.

I simply rinse mine thoroughly in the sink and hang them out on the line to dry.

It all depends on the hat. If it's cotton like the OP posted, go with the dishwasher method. However, I typically wear a TX Rangers 5950 New Era wool hat. I personally would never put it In the dishwasher or completely soak it for fear of deformity. I simply spot scrub it with a hot wash cloth when the sweat stains get out of hand...looks like new and doesn't loose it shape or shrink.

Yes, the dishwasher is the absolute best way to clean the hat. Take some liquid dishwashing soap and rub it into stains with soft brush or toothbrush and put it in top rack. form it with a hand towel and let it sit out and dry.

Trust me, way better than clothes washer as the temperture is scorching and the stains and all bacteria are gone. It will be a brand new hat.

[quote name='barrettryan' timestamp='1375756748' post='7613062']
Yes, the dishwasher is the absolute best way to clean the hat. Take some liquid dishwashing soap and rub it into stains with soft brush or toothbrush and put it in top rack. form it with a hand towel and let it sit out and dry.

Trust me, way better than clothes washer as the temperture is scorching and the stains and all bacteria are gone. It will be a brand new hat.
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The new High Efficiency clothes washers do a great job because they are moisture sensing which tends to not soak everything, and temperature control to prevent washing with high heat water. Also, the spin cycle will extract most of the moisture so that the dryer is unnecessary.
True story with ours, my wife accidentally put the Garmin road GPS (which was in a case) in with a load of clothes. Came out fine, has not skipped a beat a year later.

When you get home after your round, just wear it in shower. When you shampoo the hair, nail the hat too. (may not work on white)

Shake it dry and hang it on the shower head for a while. Ready to go without stains or that distinct smell of sweat and sunblock.

You could always get a hat with a real University on it....?

I have always used the dishwasher and its worked great, minus 2 hat types.

1. Fitted wool doesn't survive as it shrinks (I was young and ruined my favorite hat)
2. The Titleist mesh back fitted with structured brim hat. As [url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/user/65420-andy88ct/"][color="#353535"]Andy88ct[/color][/url] said it changes the fit of the hat. I wouldn't say it was ruined but it shrinks a little and doesn't look as good.

I have alot of hats and most have been in the dishwasher at least a 1/2 dozen times or more. Never dry and if you can pull them before the cycle ends the better.

I wash my hats after each wearing especially during the heat of the summer. I spray Oxi Clean on the band and gently brush with a soft bristled toothbrush. I then machine wash in cold or warm water. After the wash cycle, I hand smooth the wrinkles then let air dry. I've been doing this for years and haven't suffered hat damage yet.

Last night I soaked my white Titleist hat in some warm water and Dawn for about an hour. Worked awesome. Rinsed it well and let it air dry. Clean, smells good, and held its original shape!

Lots of good options here. I've used Dawn and the sink several times. It works well but I think I'll give the dishwasher a go. A question about rust stains; my ball mark clip leaves a rust stain on the bill where I keep it. Any way to get that out? I've not found one so far.

I use a hat holder and throw it in the wash and let it air dry.. Looks like new every time