Washing By Hand
Fill a sink with clean, cold water to wash a synthetic or knit hat. You can also use a plastic bucket or tub instead of a sink. Make sure the water is deep enough that you can fully submerge your beanie. Check your beanie’s care label before to determine what material it’s made from. If the label has been cut off and you can’t determine the material, hand-wash it using cold water to be safe. Warm water can shrink certain materials. Synthetic materials include polyester, acrylic, and nylon.
Fill a sink with lukewarm water to wash a cashmere or wool hat. Make sure that the water is just warm to the touch—wool fabric shrinks at high temperatures. If you have a thermometer on hand, experts recommend a temperature of 85 °F (29 °C). Instead of a sink, you can also use a plastic bucket, bowl, or tub. Make sure there’s enough water in your container to cover your beanie.
Mix a few drops of mild detergent into the water. Don’t add too much soap—a good rule of thumb is to add about 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of detergent per 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. Using your hand, mix the water and soap together to make sure it’s evenly dispersed. Woolite is a great option for wool or knit beanies. Try baby shampoo if you’re washing a cashmere beanie.
Drop the hat into the water and swirl it around for 2-5 minutes. You can also gently squeeze the hat several times in a row so it absorbs and then releases water. Avoid stretching the beanie or rubbing it against itself, which can result in a misshapen hat or pilling. Typically, 98% of dirt comes out after 5 minutes of hand-washing. If your beanie is stained, carefully massage soapy water into the affected area to lift the stain. You can also leave it soaking for a longer period of time to help loosen the stains.
Rinse your beanie with clean, cool water. You can drain the soapy water out of the sink and refill with clean water, or dump out your tub and add new water. Press the soapy hat against the bottom or side of the tub to absorb water, then squeeze it gently to release the water. Repeat this until the soap residue is gone. If you have 2 basins, you can fill them both at the start of the process and simply transfer the beanie from one to the other. If you are washing a beanie made of a particularly delicate material, such as cashmere, do not rinse it under running water to avoid stretching.
Ball up the hat and press it against a hard surface to remove water. Using your hands, squish the wet beanie into a loose ball and gently press it against the side of the sink or bucket to get rid of excess water. Don’t wring it out, which can destroy your beanie’s shape and elasticity.
Roll the hat in a dry towel to press out more water. Spread a clean towel across a flat surface, then place the beanie flat on top of the towel. Starting at one end of the towel, start rolling the towel and the beanie together into a tight roll. After you’ve completely rolled up the towel, press down firmly on the towel so it absorbs more water from the beanie. Unroll the towel and remove the beanie. The towel only needs to be larger than the beanie, so a clean, dry hand towel could likely do the trick.
Dry the hat completely by laying it flat in a well-ventilated space. Place it on a mesh drying rack or a dry towel to finish drying. Avoid placing it in direct sunlight, which could cause the color to fade. Don’t use a hair-dryer, either, which can cause certain fabrics to shrink. Make sure you reshape the hat before you lay it out to finish drying so it retains its original shape.
Using a Washing Machine
Check the care label to see if your beanie is machine-washable. Look at your hat’s care label to see if it has specific washing instructions. Hats made from cotton, cotton blends, and synthetic fabrics like acrylic are the most likely to be machine-washable. Wool hats can often be washed in a machine, as well. If the label has been cut off and you can’t determine the material, you’re probably better off hand-washing your beanie.
Put your beanie in a mesh laundry bag to prevent stretching. Beanies, particularly those made with wool, can be stretched by the motion of the washing machine. To prevent this from happening, use a netted or mesh wash bag. Depending on the type, zip it up or cinch the drawstring to keep the hat securely inside. You can put the beanie in a pillowcase if you don’t have wash bag. Just make sure to knot the top of the pillowcase before throwing it into the machine. It’s best to wash the beanie as part of a larger load of similarly-colored clothes, which will keep the hat from being tossed around an empty washing machine and becoming stretched or matted.
Add mild detergent to your washing machine. Add the detergent into the exterior drawer of your machine rather than pouring it directly on the beanies to be washed. This could cause the hats to absorb most of the soap and result in an uneven wash. If you’re washing a wool hat, consider using a wool-specific detergent.
Select a delicate or hand-wash cycle to avoid damaging your hat. Intense agitation can cause beanies to lose their shape, so stick with a hand wash or delicate setting on your washing machine, which uses a gentler spin to clean the clothes.
Use a temperature setting of 86 °F (30 °C) or less. Typically, delicate or hand-wash settings will be programmed to run with cold water. But if your washing machine doesn’t offer one of these settings, make sure you’ve selected a temperature setting of 85 °F (29 °C) or less. Hot water can potentially shrink your beanie.
Air-dry the hat instead of tumble-drying it. Lay your beanie flat on a dry towel or a mesh drying rack in a well-ventilated area. If it’s still soaking wet, you can roll it up in a dry towel to remove the excess water before lay it flat to dry completely. Avoid using a hair dryer on your beanie, which can be hot enough to cause shrinkage.
Reshape the beanie with your hands when it is damp. This will ensure your hat returns to its original shape. You can also ball up plastic grocery bags and stuff a few inside your hat to help it keep its shape while it finishes drying.
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