What happens if your hat gets wet

Straw hats need special care. We suggest storing your straw hat in a cardboard hat box that isn't airtight, preferably in a cool dry place. Avoid storing your hat in plastic for long periods of time as it can cause your it to dry out and become brittle causing breakage. Do not leave your hat in the sun for extended periods of time or in your car where it can fade or become discolored.

If your hat needs cleaning, dust it softly in a circular motion with a fine brush made specifically for your type of hat. If your straw hat gets wet, pat the excess water gently with a towel and set it upside down on it's crown on a soft surface, Reshape as needed and allow it to air dry, drying it upside down will allow the brim to be suspended and should help to prevent the hat from losing it's shape.

Your hat will dry to the shape it is in when wet, so be sure to reshape if needed. Do not use a hairdryer or heat of any kind to dry your hat. Heat can cause shrinkage and could permanently alter the shape and fit of your hat. It's always best to air dry your hat and make sure it's not exposed to the sun while it dries. If the sweat band gets wet flip it down to dry.

This will allow perspiration to evaporate and will prevent the oils from staining your hat. If your sweatband needs cleaning flip it down and clean with a brush, and a mild detergent diluted in room temperature water. Dab any excess with a clean wet cloth and keep the sweatband flipped down until it has dried. Always allow it to air dry. Do not use heat. The number one rule is to treat stains as quickly as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it can be to remove. Use a lint roller to remove lint and pet hair.

If your hat has a stain you can spot clean with a damp felt sponge or cloth and a mild solution of 1 tbs of detergent in a cup of water. Be sure not to use a dyed cloth since the color may transfer to the hat. Dab the stain gently. Do not rub. Be sure not to saturate the hat with detergent or water.

Then remove any excess water with a dry cloth and air dry. You can remove dust and dirt with a soft bristled brush made specifically for fabrics or felt. Be sure to brush in the same direction as the nap of the fabric. If your wool hat gets wet we find it's best to just let it air dry naturally. You can remove excess water with a dry cloth. Be sure not to use a hair dryer or any sort of heat to dry your wool hat.

Heat can cause the hat to shrink and lose it's shape. Keep it out of direct sunlight when drying. Reshape as needed. Depending on the materials, you may be able to reshape a crushed or dented hat. We've had a limited amount of luck reshaping straw hats with steam, but it really depends of the type of straw.

If the brim gets out of shape in the process of getting wet, re-shape it and make sure it is very dry before you store it so it won't mildew. And don't set it on a flat surface to dry.

See How to store your cowboy hat. If you need a hat that can stay wet for long periods of time, go for our absolutely waterproof Smokin Black hat. The Backroads and the Kenny are good river hats. They will withstand a float down the river as long as they don't sink and get lost. Wool felt hats will be okay if they get wet, but not soaked.

Same with our nante and faux felt cowboy hats. You are allowing the heat from your body to dry your hat and keeping its shape. If you stand in front of a mirror, you can straighten out your brim, and adjust the shape of your crown. It is not difficult, but take it slowly and be gentle. When the shape looks just right, leave it on as long as you can. When you finally take it off, rest it on the edge of a table with the brim hanging over the edge if it has the brim snapped down at the front.

If your brim will get deformed sitting flat, then either rest it upside-down on the table, or snap the brim up all around and let it sit flat. Don't put it in front of a heat source , like a fire, hairdryer, heater or the sun unless it's on your head - it will make it shrink and go all wonky.

The idea is to let it slowly dry out. If you live somewhere humid, putting it in a room with a fan on lightly will help. Ideally, it is sitting somewhere safe, while it dries overnight. In the morning, pop it on and adjust it a little if need be. If you need to use a little steam to reshape it, you can follow this guide. Now we are talking about a completely soaked hat. Scoop it out, and shake off as much water as you can, without tearing the brim off. Then put it back on your head.

The fibres in the hat have a memory, and the shape will snap back into place if you do this quickly. If you have access to a cloth, towel or paper towels, you can dry it off by dabbing it carefully. Then follow the instructions above. The important thing is to reshape it while it is on your head because your head is the perfect block to mold it.