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Clean and reshape your felt or straw hat

How-to Clean and Reshape a Felt Hat

Ok so it happens! You found your favourite felt hat in the footwell of your car - it’s dirty and banged up out of shape. Don’t sweat! Wool is a durable material that remembers it shape. Lets we can run you through how to bring it back to life.

Soft Bristle Brush
Hat Sponge
Steam (from kettle or iron)
Flat Surface
What you will need to clean your hat

Watch Full Guide

Clean & Reshape a Felt Hat

Close up of hat brush cleaning hat

Watch Full Guide

Clean & Reshape a Felt Hat

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Step by Step

Hands popping out dents of crushed Will & Bear hat

Step 1: Pop Out the Dents

First, gently pop out the dents. Use your hands to massage the hat back into its original shape.

Close up of hat brush cleaning hat

Step 2: Brush off Loose Dirt

Next,  grab a soft-bristle brush and work off the dust and loose dirt. We recommend brushing your hat regularly to keep it looking its best.

Closeup of a hat sponge cleaning dirt of Will & Bear hat

Step 3: Spot Clean with Hat Sponge

After that, spot-clean the dirt and grime using your hat sponge. This is great to sponge away any stubborn dirt from the hard to get corners.

Applying steam to hat to loosen wool felt

Step 4: Apply Steam

Now, let's apply steam. Use steam across the entire hat to help reset the wool. While it's still warm, massage out any remaining creases. If your like me you prefer a rugged, banged-up look, leave the hat as. Otherwise let’s reset the brim.

Placing a book on a hat to flatten the brim

Step 5: Reset The Brim

To reset a flat brim, lay your hat on an even surface, weigh it down with your favorite coffee table books, and leave it overnight. In the morning, remove the books.

And there you have it—a fully restored felt hat! 

In Summary

If you discover your favorite felt hat dirty and out of shape, don't fret! Wool is a durable material that can easily return to its original form. Here's a quick guide to restoring it: Start by massaging out the dents with your hands. Next, use a soft bristle brush to remove loose dirt. For stubborn grime, a damp hat sponge works wonders. Apply steam to the entire hat to help reset the wool, and while it's warm, smooth out any remaining creases. Finally, to reset the brim, place heavy books on it overnight. Embrace the rugged look if that's your style, and proudly display your hat.

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