How To Care For Your New Fedora Hat

A good hat – like a fedora – is an investment that should ideally last for a lifetime. And it is indeed possible to keep the hat looking like new by taking good care of the same.

Basic care and maintenance in handling, cleaning and storing fedora hats for men can make all the difference:

• Firstly, it is always important to handle the fedora with clean and dry hands only as dirt and skin oils can easily transfer to the hat. Do not touch the hat immediately after applying skin lotion either.

• Always hold the hat by the front and back of the brim and never from the crown. Holding from the top can cause a crease, spoil the pinch, rip the fabric or weaken the shape of the crown.

• Loose dust and dirt can be removed with a soft-bristled – preferably a horsehair – brush. Brush gently with the nap of the fabric in small motions. It is preferable to use a brush with light-colored bristles for light-colored hats and dark bristles for dark hats to circumvent the possibility of the bristle color transferring to the hat.

• Remove any lingering fuzz or hair with a lint roller or sweeping the sticky side of a tape across the hat.

• If the hat catches a stain, wipe the spot gently with a mix of detergent and water and let it dry out naturally. Oil stains can be cleaned with a dusting of powder as well. It is better to treat stains as quickly as possible before they dry.

• The sweatband can also get wet with perspiration, body oils and what not. Turn it out and allow it dry before wearing the next time.

• Similarly, if the fedora happens to get wet, let it air dry by placing it on its brim on a dry towel. Do not use a hair dryer or even leave it in the sun as the heat can distort or shrink the hat.

• It follows that the hat should not be left in a car or even by the window for prolonged periods of time as the sunlight can dry, fade and shrink the hat.

• In case the fedora gets deformed, expose it to a little steam from a kettle or steamer until it is slightly damp. Gently reshape it to the original condition and allow it to air dry.

• Keep in mind that a fedora should always be placed upside down on its crown and not the brim. Otherwise it can sag and lose its shape. The hat can be hung on a soft or padded hook, but only for short periods of time.

• It is best to store fedora hats for men in special hat boxes (offered by professional hat maker, Keith and James at keithandjames.com) and keep them in cool and dry place.