Your straw hats will spend a significant amount of time on your perspiring head while being bare to direct sunlight. Not to mention, various outdoor elements such as dust, dirt, and pollen might also damage the appearance, fiber, and internal structure of your Panama straw hat. If you notice dirt on your Panama straw hat, don’t just throw it out and replace it with a new one. Instead, consider applying some great cleaning procedures to retain its original condition.
However, make sure your Panama straw hats are washable before you start cleaning them. Find the label under the brim where the cleaning instructions are written. There are some materials such as Baku and Shantung Panama straw hats that can be washed with water. Some types of Panama straw hats cannot be washed by hand, but they are very uncommon.
Additionally, don’t forget to remove any trim or ribbons. You can clean them separately through dusting or hand washing. You can also use the steam cleaning method or ironing to clean and straighten them effectively.
Sweat
Panama straw hats are designed to withstand sunny and hot weather. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about any sun-related damage to the straw hats.
However, the sweating can cause stains on your hat. If you’re heading to hot climate places such as Phoenix or Las Vegas and if you’re prone to sweating, you should use a panty liner on your head. As per Britannica, Las Vegas is dry and hot for most of the year. Placing these absorbent materials underneath your Panama straw hat will absorb the sweat of your head. However, if you feel uncomfortable, consider replacing the panty liner with paper towels.
If your straw hat is still exposed to sweating, you can easily get rid of it. After you wear the straw hat, use a damp cloth to wipe the stained area. But make sure the cloth isn’t transferring any types of dyes to the straw hat.
Brittle
Sometimes the Panama straw hat will get stiffer. One of the best ways to prevent the hats from stiffing is by taking them out of storage during the winter months. You can also do this method during any time of the year. If you squeeze your hat and feel stiffness, it’s a sign that you need to apply the steaming method.
Turn the shower of your bathroom on and take your straw hat there. Makes sure you use hot water. The hot water will create steam that will ultimately restore the proper moisture level of the hat. This is a great way to make it flexible again. However, don’t place your straw hat under the shower directly.
You can also use steam from boiling water to moisturize your straw hat again. Take a bowl of hot water and hold the straw hat on top of it. The hat will absorb the moisture and regain its flexibility.
Dry climate is the primary cause of stiffness. If you live in a less moist climate zone, you need to steam your straw sun hat regularly.
Rain
Rain is one of the most dangerous factors for the Panama straw hats. Not only Panama, but all types of straw hats are prone to damage if they come in contact with rain. If you ever get caught in a rain while wearing a straw hat, make sure you protect the hat at any cost.
However, the Panama straw hat might get wet sometime. Even if your straw sun hat gets in contact with water, you can apply various methods to dry it.
Make sure you don’t apply a blow dryer on the hat or place it directly under any type of heat source. This will make the straw hat stiff. Instead, use a dry cloth so that it can absorb water from the hat effectively. After that, leave the hat in the open air to dry naturally. Make sure you turn the straw hat inside out while drying.
Dirt
Many people panic when they see stain marks on their Panama straw hats. However, there’s no reason to panic as there are multiple ways to remove the stains. Make sure you follow these steps correctly:
- Find a soft cloth such as a napkin to wipe off your hat thoroughly. Do not use a towel as it might damage the structure of the hat. The napkin is extremely effective at removing small stain marks from your hat. However, you need to take a more aggressive cleaning approach if the stains are hard to remove.
- Applying some type of cleaning solution is also another great method to clean your straw hat. Combine laundering soap and ammonia into boiling water and mix it well. After that, use a soft brush to scrub the hard stains with the solution.
- You can also rinse your straw hat with hot water. However, this step isn’t recommended as you might have to face post-cleaning consequences. Even if you do want to use hot water, only use it in the places where the stains are visible.
Conclusion
Cleaning your Panama straw hat isn’t a hard task. You just have to follow the correct cleaning method. Do you want to buy attractive Panama straw hats that are easy to clean? Contact us today.