Nothing explains summertime like the way straw hats do. Whether it’s flat-brimmed headwear or floppy hats, each of these has a distinct appearance and versatility. But one has to be cautious of cleaning and maintaining these straw hats because you want your headwear to last long. Whether you are using your hat for the summer season or the winter months, you have to be cautious of its care and maintenance. It’s because every material has to withstand regular wear and tear.
Here is a handy guide that will direct you in this process
If you are a straw-hat lover, you must be careful of the proper way of cleaning the straw hat. Hence, if you want to confirm that your hat does not get stained, you must be cautious of its maintenance. But how will you do it?
Clean the material
If you possess a straw hat, you must have experienced the poor smell that comes out of the hat when it gets wet in the rain? If it is so, your washing machine will not do the job. You have to hand wash your headwear. Along with this, you have to use the correct detergent and method for cleaning your headwear appropriately.
Spot cleaning
If you use non-liquid cleaners, it’s easy to get away with spot cleaning with the help of a cloth or broom. Sprinkling powder along with cornstarch on the stain helps absorb the spot when you let it sit for some time. You may use a gum eraser to wipe them away gently.
Deep cleaning
For safeguarding deep cleaning, you may use hat cleaners or a combination of hydrogen peroxide and water. You may also use glass cleaners because they work similarly. The best way of applying the cleaner is by putting the liquid in a sprayer and wiping the surface of the hat with a clean cloth. Remember that your goal is not to wet the hat but clean it appropriately.
Maintain the material
Every hat is not the same. If you want to know how to clean a straw hat, remember that every part of the headwear comes from straw so proper cleaning is vital. For treating the fabric part, you may use a solution of detergent and water and rub it with the help of a clean cloth. Dip the fabric in the water and detergent mixture and leave it for some time. Following this, you must carefully apply the clean cloth to the material and work in a round motion. Dabbing motion and round motion is preferable when working with straw hats.
Dry the headwear
Now comes the most vital part of the process. If your headwear gets wet, the first thing you have to do is shake it to remove excess moisture. After this, you have to dry the headwear under the fan or in the sun, depending on the color. You can leave it in the sun if you have white headwear because the UV rays have natural bleaching power. On the other hand, you can follow the below-given steps:
- Dab the headwear with a paper towel or cloth for removing excess moisture.
- Fold the hat sweatband outside.
- If the headwear comes with a natural bend like turned up edges, ensure that these parts are unfolded and refolded.
- Leave the headwear upside down on the table or any other flat surface.
- Keep the headwear away from direct rays of the sun.
Another effective option you can try out at home is drying the headwear on a mannequin or wall hook. It is the most appropriate option because it will help the hat lose its original shape. Each headwear can get dried similarly, from fedora hats to Panama hats to baseball caps. If you are a fashion-forward soul, you must understand the significance of hat care and maintenance. If you want to ensure that the hat finish lasts long, you have to be cautious of the take care and upkeep.
What to look for in a straw hat?
Now that you know about straw hat maintenance and care, you must understand how to select a straw hat. Remember that there are hundreds and thousands of options available at your disposal. What you have to do is understand the quality of the material. The higher the rate, the better will be the durability. Along with this, you must be cautious of the hat fitting and color variation.
The more you experiment with the texture and pattern, the better your appearance will be. For example, if choosing fedora hats, you may go for the neutral shade because it complements your official outfit. On the other hand, if you select Panama hats, you can go for the bold colors because they are for an informal occasion. You may mix and match different shades and patterns to see what suits your face and goes with your head size.
