Crazy Hat Cleaning Situation

[Fed in a Fedora]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/archive/index.php/t-43157.html

 

[Frunobulax]

I've only cleaned one hat with Coleman fuel, and it was stripped of sweat and lining. I had good results. While I have never tried it, what the Fed said regarding the acidic nature made me think - I've seen some on here who've cleaned their hats with Woolite, as well. Since Woolite (soap) is alkaline, it may counteract the acidic nature of the "offending substance."

 

[Cat_in_the_hat]

I've only cleaned one hat with Coleman fuel, and it was stripped of sweat and lining. I had good results. While I have never tried it, what the Fed said regarding the acidic nature made me think - I've seen some on here who've cleaned their hats with Woolite, as well. Since Woolite (soap) is alkaline, it may counteract the acidic nature of the "offending substance."

Could I try the coleman fuel on the hat first and if that doesn't work, try the woolite, or would the stain be set in if it has not already? Also, I noticed Fed said since it is acidic, it could cause discoloration of the hat. Could the spots just be discoloration and not stains? They are darker than the rest of the hat, not lighter. Lastly, do I put woolite on a wet rag and just scrub?

 

[Frunobulax]

Probably the other way around, as it seems the naphtha bath is, to me, the more extreme measure. I'll echo previous posters to tell you there is a lot of experience-based info on the threads here, you just have to search. The posts I've seen have people immersing the crown or brim into a Woolite bath and gently scrubbing with a sponge, taking care not to immerse the sweat. I've never done this. I'm just relating what I've read.

 

[suitedcboy]

I wear weatern hats pretty much all day long every day even in summer. I have gotten all manner of things horses and cattle have coughed up on them by steaming one of those hat wiping sponges (orange large cell ones) and then brushing the spot vigorously. If the vomit has oil in it then talcum powder will absorb that part well if left on it for days. I have a 100% beaver silver belly hat that got gearbox oil on it when I reached up for a container on a shelf and grabbed it and it cracked and got the stinky oil on the hat. I did several cycles of talc on both sides of the brim on that spot and the hat now has lots of sweat oil stain around flange but that gear oil smell is not there and there is no evidence of any dirt having collected on the spot the gear oil soaked into.
I have not naptha bathed a hat but I agree that Naptha is an oil solvent but I would not expect it to deal with water soluble stains.

 

[T Jones]

Could I try the coleman fuel on the hat first and if that doesn't work, try the woolite, or would the stain be set in if it has not already? Also, I noticed Fed said since it is acidic, it could cause discoloration of the hat. Could the spots just be discoloration and not stains? They are darker than the rest of the hat, not lighter. Lastly, do I put woolite on a wet rag and just scrub?

When in doubt, send it out. If you've never cleaned a hat before, especially using the methods that were mentioned, and since the hat has a lot of value to you, I think it would be best if you sent it to a professional and let them clean the hat for you. There's plenty of hatters here on the Lounge who could do that for you. If you want to try and clean a hat using any of these methods, you may want to practice on some old beaters first.

 

[Frunobulax]

When in doubt, send it out. If you want to try and clean a hat using any of these methods, you may want to practice on some old beaters first.

I can't argue with this. The one I've cleaned with naphtha was pretty beat. Of course, it's one of my favorites, now...

 

[T Jones]

I wear weatern hats pretty much all day long every day even in summer. I have gotten all manner of things horses and cattle have coughed up on them by steaming one of those hat wiping sponges (orange large cell ones) and then brushing the spot vigorously. If the vomit has oil in it then talcum powder will absorb that part well if left on it for days. I have a 100% beaver silver belly hat that got gearbox oil on it when I reached up for a container on a shelf and grabbed it and it cracked and got the stinky oil on the hat. I did several cycles of talc on both sides of the brim on that spot and the hat now has lots of sweat oil stain around flange but that gear oil smell is not there and there is no evidence of any dirt having collected on the spot the gear oil soaked into.
I have not naptha bathed a hat but I agree that Naptha is an oil solvent but I would not expect it to deal with water soluble stains.

I had a similar incident. I got some bearing grease on one of my Resistol Stagecoaches, silverbelly to boot. I didn't think it was going to come out. I used an orange sponge and it cleaned right up. But, then again, that's not something I would try on a vintage fedora because of its thinner felt and its finish. The felts on Stagecoaches are a lot thicker and you can take more risks with those than you can with vintage fedoras.

 

[Cat_in_the_hat]

Good news everybody, the naptha I bought from Lowes removed the vomit stains. Thank you everyone who left their input!

 

[RJR]

Good to know,Cat.

 

[AndyR]

Wow, good for you CITH. It almost started sounding like one of those situations where the more you try, the worse it would looks. Glad it worked out. Your hat could almost have been pictured in the 'Photographs Of Hats Fresh From Surviving The Elements' thread. <ahem> Maybe it would have been too sad of a sight.

Andy

 

[Frunobulax]

Glad it worked out, Cat!