cleaning vintage hats

[havershaw]

You know, there must be something in the air this week...all these people buying vintage hats off eBay this week (I have bought thirteen and counting)!

Anyway, a question concerning cleaning. I have a super nice tobacco-colored Cavanagh I just received. Trouble is, it smells more than a little mildewy and underneath the sweatband, the felt it kind of...wavy. I've hats that smelled a little "vintage" before and it went away in a couple of days...but it's going on a week now, and the hat's still kind of gamey.

I emailed Optimo about a cleaning and a reblock - they said I was better off finding another vintage Cavanagh on eBay, and that nothing they had would really get rid of a mildewy smell.

Surely some of you have battled this foe. Like I said, I have danced with it a few times, but I guess the smell wasn't that bad, because I was able to get rid of it after a few days. any experiences with Febreeze? And finally...should I be concerned at all (heathwise) about putting something that clearly is mildewy on my head?

 

[Andykev]

Clean and Reblock

If the hat is in excellent conditon other thank the musty odor, a cleaning would be in order. Does the felt itself smell, or is it the liner, the sweatband, or the ribbon?

You can replace all those parts, but if the felt got wet and sat...it needs a good cleaning. Does the ribbon show that it "stained thru"? Condition of the sweatband? Wet old leather stinks.

If you rellly like the hat, it's worth the $20 shipping and the $50 bucks to clean, block and maybe replace the lining...more if sweatband needs replacing..etc.


It all depends what you paid for the hat, and add any costs for cleaning or repair.


I have bought many many hats and most thru EBAY. I have been very very lucky, but have gotten a few POS hats which were a great disappointment. You have to remember: you will win a prized hat for dirt cheap, and it somehow makes up for the "I paid too much for this crap hat". That is part of the fun...

 

[havershaw]

.

Optimo doesn't appear to want to clean it - they wouldn't even quote me a price on it! ah well.

The smell is ONLY in the interior of the hat. The exterior (when given a good, hearty whiff) smells like old fur felt. no mildew. The interior is another story, though. Seems like the sweatband is a little gamey, and maybe the liner, too. but part of the appeal of vintage hats are the great old liners - so I kind of want to avoid replacing it. Is there a way to clean the liner?

The box the hat came in was not exactly a symphony of fragrance either, but I left it outside for a few days and it's fine now. I left the hat out there for about a week and it helped, a little, but not enough for me to not feel a little icky about putting it on my head.

I took a damp cloth and cleaned the exterior felt a bit, then lifted the sweatband and cleaned it and the felt under it...extreme smelliness ensued, so I hit the interior of the hat with a little Febreze, then set it back outside. Any other suggestions?

The hat has a tiny tiny hole where the crown pinch used to be...but the quality and floppiness of felt is unrivaled and I think the color is incredible (looks almost just like the Optimo tobacco or Indy Brown, to my eye) and very rich. So the hat has a little character! (That's what I keep repeating to myself...)

anyway, thanks for the advice! if you've got any other ideas, let me know.

 

[fedoralover]

cleaning

I have wiped down some leather sweatbands with lexol to remove the dirt and smell from them. Pecards would obviously work too. Andy suggested naptha in another thread on cleaning the felt, you could also give that a try.

fedoralover

 

[Art Fawcett]

Fedora, try cleaning the leather with alcohol, both the head side & the felt side. This will kill any mildew thats still alive, then drench it in lexol to give it some more pliablity. Beyond that, send it to me & I'll replace the leather. On the liner, take a spray bottle with denatured alcohol in it, spray the liner. It will dry quickly and not stain anything ( it has worked for me) while still killing the mildew. remember, mildew is a living organism. put it on your head if you want, but i wouldn't

 

[havershaw]

cleaning

thanks to everyone for the advice. I am on my way out to buy the alcohol...

(for the hat)

Art, should this not work, AndyKev had already directed me toward you for sweatband replacement. Hopefully this works, though - it's been painful looking at the hat for last couple of weeks and not being able to wear the thing!

 

[Art Fawcett]

Just let me know Havershaw..I'm home full time now so it shouldn't be a problem

 

[havershaw]

.

Art -
is it OK to spray the denatured alcohol onto the liner while it's still in the hat?

Your website is indeed beautiful - though sorely lacking in size 7! I hope to get up to your shop some time later this year, as I do a fair amount of traveling around CA.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Yup Havershaw, it should be fine. It's funny you should sk for size 7!. The more common request is "20s in 7 3/4, pristine of course". I have a number of 7s that I can post in the near future. Been working on the new site so much that I haven't done much photographing lately. If you come by the shop, please call first. I still have my "day job" so I'm not always there and the hat works are in private areas. Weekends are best for me.

 

[JerseyJones]

I have an idea I have used for old theatrical costumes and it may work here.

Try this:

Get an old hat box or preferrably a plastic tub that will hold your hat without squishing it.

Then get 2 boxes of baking soda and place them open in the tub or box in such a way that you can place one inside your crown.

Close the tub and press the air out of it before you seal it.

Leave it alone for a week or so and see how you've done.

You can also do this with a bag of cedar chips too ( AND that fights moths away !)

And there is always the magic of Febreeze if all else fails. I use it on my Federation and it has never stained, but killed off my mother's cigarette's smell in less than half an hour.

No stain, all gain !

Peace
Ken
"JJ"

 

[Art Fawcett]

Good advise JJ, but only after killing the mold & mildew that exists and getting rid of the associated staining.

 

[havershaw]

.

I followed your instructions, Art, and it did seem to make a big difference, though I still feel like if I shove my face in there deep enough, there's still a little bit of a smell to it. It's not in the felt; it's the liner and the sweatband. The edge of the sweatband (where it's sewn to the hat) is kind of crusty anyway, so I'm thinking about replacing those. If nothing else, I might take the liner out and soak it in some detergent for a while. I like the vintage logo on it and I'd like to try to save it if I can - but it might not be possible.

 

[JerseyJones]

Originally posted by Art Fawcett
Good advise JJ, but only after killing the mold & mildew that exists and getting rid of the associated staining.

True. That's where I defer to the learned minds here. Hmmm...moldkillers..... there is the idea of Lysol on a cotton swab inside the band ? Maybe ?

And as since mold loves wetness, use the plastic tub and a cup of Damp Rid drying crystals and suck out the moisture, though I am not sure what lack of moisture will do to felt.

Just ideas.
Ken

P.S. And please consider this my intro to the board. I am an IndyGear member who found this lovely place !

 

[Art Fawcett]

Welcome JJ, I'm a new member myself

Havershaw, it sounds like you've done almost as much as possible short of sending it to me. Go ahead and soak the liner in woolite and let air dry after rinsing. If the leather is in good shape other than the moldy smell, maybe I can remove it, clean it , then sew the original back in so that you don't completely lose it's authenticity. I do that quite often. If you do decide to have me re sew the leather, send the cleaned liner also so that I can re-block the liner & install.

 

[Fedora]

Art, I just want to say, it is so nice to have a bonifide hatter here. We are all amateurs, and I for one really appreciate your advice, given free of charge. You are exactly what this site and COW has been needing for a long, long time. I look forward to your insight. regards, Fedora

 

[havershaw]

.

agreed. thanks for the advice, Art. I may be sending the Cavanagh your way...I'm trying to muster up the nerve to reblock it myself, though.

 

[Art Fawcett]

thank you Fedora, We'll see how "bonifide" I am over time. I still consider myself an amateur when being compared to guys like Graham & Joe Jr.. I met Joe Jr. a few years ago but he wasn't too happy that day so the conversation was short. He said he had ruined a $600 hat cleaning it. I didn't dare ask much more after that and wouldn't expect him to remember anything about my visit. (except the hat) .))
I have had the pleasure of meeting with and spending time with Graham and have been and will continue to be impressed with his knowledge base. How can a guy so young know so much!!!
We actually are friends and have an open invitation to call him with questions anytime. Through this board I can extend the same offer to all of you.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Havershaw, GO FOR IT!!! Learning something new is the most fun part of this. Short of tearing the felt I can probably help if you if you decide it's too much.

 

[Justdog]

Mildewed musty hats

Bit of good advice in the archive on musty hats and such.

 

[ideaguy]

H- be careful of using anything like Febreeze; that smell will stay in the hat for a while; any "deodorant" is simply masking what the problem smell is, not taking it away-and the more effective the product, usually the more aggressive it is, and I wonder what the chemicals do to the hat...and some people find out that they're both not fond of the smell of Lysol on their head, and worse, having that strong aroma inches from their eyes and nose creates a reaction not planned on-big-time allergic reaction not usually found, but you're only 3"away from the stuff. I would emphatically suggest sending the hat to Dr. Art, and let him try his magic...
voice of experience on this one...good luck!