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Adding Life to your Hat
The
season is changing here in the Midwest, winter is giving its last
hurrah and we are welcoming spring. You may be putting away felt hats
and bringing out straws or vice versa in your part of the world,
making this a good time to talk about caring for a hat
and how to keep your
hat in wearable condition. As you put away hats of one season and
bring out those for the next, take a moment to examine each hat for
stains or damage. Taking time now will lengthen the hat's life. Below
are a few simple techniques to use in cleaning and storing your hat.
My
suggestion is to always try the least invasive method first. If it
does not succeed in removing the dirt or stain, try one of the other
steps.
Straw:
First,
get rid of the surface dust. Take hat outside and blow off dust using
a can of compressed gas duster (found at office supply stores).
a. Use
mild soap and water with a soft bristle brush and gently scrub
surface. Repeat with clear water to rinse.
b. Use a homemade formula for simple stains. Mix the following
ingredients and rub lightly with a soft cloth. If it is a dark color
mix ½ teaspoon ammonia and ¼ cup water. For lighter
colors mix ½ teaspoon and ¼ cup water. For lighter
colors mix ½ teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide and ½
teaspoon of warm water. Always
do test on hidden part of hat before trying it on the visible stain.
Felt:
First, place hat in paper bag and put in the
freezer compartment for several days. This will cause dust to rise to
surface. Remove from freezer and take out of doors to gently beat
with soft bristle brush so dust will fly away.
a.
Gently rub with a dry sponge, rubbing the sponge over the stain in a
circular, counterclockwise motion.
b.
For soiled spots, scrub gently with mild soap and water using soft
bristled brush. After area has dried, rub lightly with fine sandpaper
to raise and freshen nap.
For
both straw and felt, be careful not to get the hat too wet as it may
shrink and lose it shape.
Sweatbands:
To
clean the sweatband, use a small soft bristle brush dipped in soap
and water and scrub lightly. Be careful to only get the sweatband
wet. If this does not get it clean,
consider replacing the inner sweatband. Use
a millinery belting, also called "petersham or French belting".
It looks a lot like grosgrain ribbon but differs from regular
grosgrain in that it has an open, saw-tooth edge which allows it to
form a curve, and to lay flat, rather than create puckers or gaps
when laid against the inside or outside of a hat crown.
Remember that moths
are attracted to human sweat and are more likely to settle on your
favorite hat than the one you rarely wear.
Spots:
Additional tricks to try include gently daubing the spot with white
or colored chalk, baking soda, or talcum powder. Or try lightly
sanding the area with emery or extra fine sandpaper.
Steam:
will perk up wilted flowers, ribbons, and bows. Be careful not to
over steam them. Use a dress steamer or teakettle steam if you do not
have a hat steamer.
How
you handle your hat will also add life to your hat. -Remember to pick
up your hat by the brim and that two hands are better than one. Try
not to pick up a hat by the crown.
-Do
not store a hat inside a plastic bag if the hat is made of a
natural fiber (straw, felt, etc). Natural fibers need to breath.
-Do not store a
hat on its brim. Some suggest storing a hat upside down. I prefer to
rest the hat on a circle of posterboard stuffed with tissue. It is
simple to make. Using regular poster board, cut a strip slightly
wider than the depth of the crown. Form a cylinder, staple or tape
the overlapping ends and stuff it with tissue. This creates a perfect
"hatstand".
This
is very basic info and does not cover everything. Let common sense be your guide and err on the side of caution. You can probably live with a small stain easier than a large spot that lost its color from misguided attempts to remove the stain. We do also carry a line
of professional cleaners for felts and straws. Click on the link to visit that
area of our website. Cleaners & Protectants
Remember,
all of our instructions are general in nature. You will need to
experiment to find what works best for you in your hatmaking situation.
The "HatHelp" column will
focus on a different millinery item or technique each issue and provide
information on hints and how-to's relating to that issue's topic.
Previous articles have dealt with hat veiling, stiffeners and sizing
and working with wire. You may read our previous e-Newsletters in the
Archive on the website. Newsletter Archive
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