A baseball cap is a precious thing to us especially if it belongs to your favorite team, it keeps us cool and protects us from sun rays, heat, rain, and breeze. Other than sports, baseball caps have emerged as a trend in fashion as well. You will see so many people around you wearing baseball caps at all times. With the usage, also comes the necessity of keeping the baseball chapeaus clean and odor-free.
Are you worried that washing hats and baseball caps might damage them? Well, you can easily deep clean a baseball cap, cotton, or a synthetic hat in the dishwasher. Never put wool hats, caps with cardboard brims, and beanies in the washer. In this article, I will tell you the step-by-step guide on how to wash a hat in a dishwasher without damaging its material or ruining its shape.
Pre-Cautions Before Cleaning Hat in Dishwasher
Before getting into the detailed guide on how to wash a baseball cap in the dishwasher, I will tell you the things you need to avoid in order to clean the chapeaus without damaging them. There are some necessary precautions you need to take before cleaning chapeaus in a dishwasher.
1- Water Temperature
To wash a baseball cap in a dishwasher, make sure the water is warm enough. Baseball caps may be damaged by hot water. When washing baseball caps in a dishwasher, switch off the heat dry option and use warm water or cool water.
2- Appropriate Detergent
Although any dishwasher detergent can be used to clean baseball caps, I’d suggest you use a gentle dishwashing detergent that is bleach and citric acid-free as these components can ruin the color and fabric of the cap.
3- Hat Frame
Using a hat frame guarantees that the shape of your hat will not change. Hat frames can be found easily at a hat store around you. Preferably use a plastic hat frame and make sure that it is according to the size of your hat.
4- Proper Placement
Place the chapeau as far away from the hot element as possible. Place the chapeau on the top tray of your dishwasher, or if space is limited, on the bottom rack, but away from the heating source. If you’re washing more than one baseball cap, stack them. Important Note: If your wool or baseball chapeau has a cardboard brim, don’t clean it in the washer. If the brim of your chapeau makes a hollow sound upon tapping, spot cleans them.
5 Quick Steps to Wash Hat in Dishwasher
Here are the quick and easy steps of washing a hat in the dishwasher:
1- Placing the hat inside the dishwasher
The first step of washing a hat is to place the chapeau in the dishwasher. Always put it on the top tray of your dishwasher but don’t let it touch the roof. You may use a mesh bag to put your baseball chapeau on the bottom tray of the dishwasher. If you can’t put the chapeau on the top tray, make sure it’s not too near to the heat source. Because drying your hat with direct heat might severely destroy it. If you’re washing more than one hat at a time, divide them with a space or pile them.
2- Remove dirty dishes
Wash your chapeaus or baseball hats in an empty dishwasher. If you clean your hat with dirty dishes inside the dishwasher, the material can pick up odor and can even get stained due to the food residue. So, before starting the washer, make sure there are no dishes inside. Remove them immediately if any. Clean the dishes in the next cycle.
3- Filling up the detergent compartment
Fill up the soap dispenser with the appropriate liquid, tablet, or pod. Choosing a dishwashing liquid can be complicated. It usually depends upon the material of your cap. Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of dishwashing solution to the detergent compartment. It is advised against using a laundry detergent in your dishwasher. Soap and bleach might damage the printing on your cap, producing a huge white area. So, choose your detergent with caution. You may use the detergent if it works well and hasn’t ruined the printing or cap color.
4- Running a wash cycle
Finally, select the running cycle from the bar. Choose one that is quick and operates in the coldest temperatures. Longer washing times will never repair the harm done to the cap. Run a gentle cycle with warm water and wait till the washer finishes washing. Then it’s time to dry your cap.
5- Air drying the hat
Take your cap out of the washer after the washing cycle ends as the drying cycle can cause serious damage to the cap. The heat of the drying cycle can cause irreparable damage to your caps. Now place your cap on a small bowl or any circular object to restore its shape for a few hours, don’t miss this step to avoid the hat losing its shape. Just let your hat air-dry as heat drying can shrink it or put it over a dry balled-up towel.
What Else You Can Wash in Dishwasher
Your dishwashing appliance is not limited to cleaning dishes and dirty plates, it is capable of cleaning a list of other household items like makeup brushes, car kits, tools, feeders, teethers, kitchen accessories, organizers, bathroom accessories, cleaning brushes, and gardening tools. To learn how to clean and properly place these items in the washer, read my guide on 50 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU COULD WASH IN A DISHWASHER.
What Not to Wash in Dishwasher
When there are so many things you can put inside the washer to be washed, there is also a list of things that should never be washed in a dishwasher such as wooden utensils, kitchen knives, butter knives, graters, sieves, copper pots, and pans, cast iron cookware, aluminum cookware, milk glass crockery, vintage china, and thermal containers as these items not only get damaged while being washed in your appliance but they can also cause damage to the appliance itself. Here’s a guide on the 20 things that can damage your dishwasher and how to avoid it.
Hacks for Better Cleaning in Dishwasher
- Maintain the cleanliness of your dishwasher. Every two weeks, run a hot water cycle with vinegar to clean the washer and remove any smells.
- Use a cleaning liquid that is appropriate for the kind of water in your home. Read our list of the best dishwasher detergents to pick the one that’s right for you.
- Always leave your dishwasher door open after completing a cycle to allow the dishwasher to dry. This inhibits the development of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungus, and mold. If mold has grown in your dishwasher, read this tutorial on how to prevent and remove mold from your dishwasher.
- Regularly clean and unclog the washer’s filters and spray arms, and apply rinse aid. Maintain a clear air gap in your washer and load it appropriately. Here’s a step-by-step method to clean the dishwasher air gap.
Conclusion
It is a very easy process to wash a baseball cap in a washer. Still, hand washing and spot cleaning is the most preferred method of washing chapeaus and baseball caps. Another way of cleaning a chapeau is to let the hat soak in a cleaning solution inside a clean sink and then rinse it with cool water. Spot clean older hats instead of soaking them as they have a less durable cardboard bill. Another important tip is to always read the care tag or care label of your chapeau before washing it. All in all, you will find this article helpful in cleaning your baseball caps easily in the dishwasher.
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