Washing a knitted hat

A hat, like any other item of clothing, needs to be washed periodically. However, the difficulty is that such headwear is usually warm, so it's made of wool or other wool-like materials. Can you machine wash a knitted hat, or will it irreparably damage the fiber?

Traditional care is preferred

As you know, hand washing is recommended for wool items. This will minimize the risk of deformation and damage to the fibers. As for soaking, wool items don't like it, but by following certain rules, this can be circumvented. To do this:

• pour 5 liters of water at 30 degrees into a container;
• crumble some soap shavings into it;
• add two spoons of ammonia;
• leave for half an hour.

Afterwards, rinse the hat thoroughly in clean water and hand wash it using the instructions below. You'll need a soap solution again for washing. You can make one from 72% laundry soap, natural, dye-free baby soap, or shampoo (not only human shampoo but also pet shampoo will do). You can add 1 teaspoon of glycerin to the mixture to soften it.

If you need to wash a white hat, never add bleach. Salt and hydrogen peroxide can be used as a substitute. In water at 30-35 degrees, crumble the soap or add another chosen detergent, pour in 3 tablespoons of salt and 10 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Let the hat sit in this solution for 20 minutes to half an hour, and then wash.

Note: If your hat is fluffy, add hair conditioner when rinsing – you'll be amazed at the results.

When washing, do not crush or rub the hat, and generally keep handling to a minimum. Any strong mechanical movements may damage the shape of the hat.

Let's use the "washing machine"

After all, hand-washing a single hat every time is a hassle. So, it's helpful to know how to safely and securely wash a hat using a washing machine.

• Choose the right washing program and the right detergent. The temperature depends on the composition of the garment. There are special programs for pure cotton, synthetics, and blended fabrics, with the right temperature already preset.
• Hats containing predominantly wool should be washed on the special "Wool" cycle. If this is not available, any delicate cycle will do. Remember to turn off the spin and dry cycle.
• Use liquid textures as detergent, not powder.
• When washing in a machine, the knitwear can be damaged by mechanical friction against the drum's curves. A mesh laundry bag will help prevent this.

Since you can't wring out your hat either in the washing machine or by hand, leave it in the drum for a while after washing to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Only then can you remove it and dry it.

Removing moisture from an item

Washing a hat properly is difficult, but drying it properly is even more difficult, as it's doubly annoying to ruin an item that's already been successfully washed.

It is recommended to dry hats on a horizontal surface, placing a cotton sheet or any other item made of durable natural fabric underneath them. Even better, find a round object that roughly follows the contours of your head and “put” the hat on it. By drying your hat in this way, you can be sure that it will retain its shape.

Don't wring out your hat, especially in a washing machine. The most you can do is lightly press the wool with your fingers. Some housewives recommend leaving the hat in the drum for a while after washing. The excess moisture will evaporate on its own, and all you need to do is lay it out properly to dry.

Important! A terry towel absorbs moisture very well. Wrapping a wool hat in it after washing will help it dry much faster.

If you do dry your hat flat, turn it over periodically and make sure that no creases form in the knitting.

What if the hat has a pompom?

If your hat has a fur pom-pom, you need to determine whether it's real or faux fur. Synthetic fur can be hand-washed. After drying, you can restore the fur ball to its original appearance with a brush.

Natural fur should not be allowed to come into contact with moisture, otherwise it will be irreparably damaged. If the pompom is sewn on, some housewives rip it off and return it to its place after washing.

If the pom-pom is glued to the hat or is too small to remove, wrap the fur part in a plastic bag and tie it tightly with white thread. After this, the hat can be hand-washed, taking care to minimize water exposure to the pom-pom, even though it's protected.

You can clean the pompom itself using a brush and a hair dryer set to cold air.

A white pom-pom can be refreshed and bleached without washing. To do this, use a cotton swab and hydrogen peroxide. Wipe the nap with the pad, then comb the pom-pom.

How to restore a stretched hat?

But what should you do if you've already neglected to wash your knitted hat properly and ruined it by stretching it? Hot water will help restore it to its original size. Fill a container with water heated to at least 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) and place the hat in it.

After soaking the item in hot water for 10 minutes, place it in cold water for 10 minutes. The temperature change will shrink the item. It may not return to its original size the first time. Repeat the process until you're satisfied with the result. However, don't overdo it! It's easier to shrink a hat than to enlarge it later.

   

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